credit: u/melljo2013
My focus here will be some of the most powerful nootropics that genuinely contribute to the different modalities of intelligence in the biggest way.
- Most Powerful Nootropics For Broad Spectrum Intelligence Gains: Though there is no consensus, I will assume a schema of intelligence that takes fluid, crystal and procedural intelligence to represent the core modalities. Creating your own understanding of intelligence and what aspects of intelligence are most relevant to you is an essential first step. Even if it is a rough list of intelligence goals, it is very helpful and makes the nootropic journey far more streamlined
A) Dihexa. Bar none, and by a huge margin, the most effective and risky nootropic I have tried. Again, I stress the magnitude of this nootropic's effectiveness is huge, nothing comes close. The same is true of the risk of the compound. It is able to generate curiosity. The motivation and drive to learn more and think about ideas in a novel way–that is priceless. Its effects on fluid intelligence, creativity, learning, memory, social skills, motivation and perspicacity are incredible. It does leave lasting effects, but they decline somewhat over the medium term. The affective disposition of Dihexa is most intense during the initial two months. The experience of it is similar to microdosing alongside a huge stack of nootropics, but it is unique. It is expensive and increasingly difficult to find. I recommend application via transdermal DMSO, 15-30mg every 3-5 days for at most 5 weeks. Again, I stress that in my opinion this is the most risky nootropic in terms of potential complications down the line.
B) Nefiracetam. Most effective racetam by far. Broad spectrum effects via multiple bio-pathways. Enhances learning, creativity, motivation and alleviates low mood, specifically apathy and anxiety, very effectively. In particular, if you are trying to learn something new it is very effective and the mood stabilising effects are an under-appreciated component. It is very subtle and has to be taken repeatedly over a long time frame. It is unable to provide the 'feel' of phenylpiracetam which is so alluring, but in terms of broad-spectrum and long-term improvements to intelligence, it is the best racetam by far. It is, however, prohibitively expensive. I am not sure exactly why it is so expensive, but if you can afford it, I reccomend prioritising this one nootropic over a stack of ten cheaper ones. Take 150-300mg three times a day at least 5 days a week, with all the usual choline stacking and MCT oil.
C) Centrophenoxine, Sulbutiamine and Phenylpiracetam. Far better known than the first two, but still under-utlised. This is the most high impact 'short-term' stack, i.e what is going to give the greatest cognitive benefit over the next 4 hours. They don't need much explanation given their popularity. (Again typical Choline and MCT Stacking)
D) PAO, Pramiracetam, Aniracetam, Oxiracetam. Again, very well known but it really does work. Dose the aniracetam high and the pramiracetam and oxiracetam low, combine with low doses of centrophenoxine and sulbutiamine for even greater effects. (Again typical Choline and MCT Stacking). Coluracetam is highly effective for some as a substitute or even very low doses alongside pramiracetam. As for Fascoracetam, I have at times found it useful in dealing with anxiety. If you can find them, RGPU-95 and Methylphenylpiracetam take the racetam effect to a completely different level–but you won't find them. In general, Pramiracetam, Phenylpiracetam and Nefiracetam should be your priorities. Almost all racetams can be put to good use at something and their effects can be endlessly and fruitfully augmented, but stick to what I have said if you're time/cash poor. I do not particularly like Oxiracetam; its MTOR pathway can create strange effects. Racetams, for now, have to form a central part of any nootropic stack that claims to be amongst the best or credible in manifesting it's aims, but pay attention to what you can use consistently and what you can deploy rarely but deliberately. For every racetam other than aniracetam and nefiracetam, you should dose low, below the typical recommendations, but you can find sensible guidelines online. Racetams, probably more than anything else, deserve experimentation and personalisation. They are very adaptible and responsive in stacks. I maintain that other than RGPU-95 and Methylphenylpiracetam, which you most likely cannot acquire, nefiracetam offers the most comprehensive benefits along unique pathways. There is no reason to take plain old piracetam when we have more effective alternatives, don't do it.
E) Selank and Semax in the NASA form. Again very well known, but as I said, I am listing the (or some of) the most powerful nootropics for broad spectrum intelligence gains. Research is needed, but the combination works wonders across mood and emotive-related intelligence. Semax in the NASA form has a very appreciable stimulatory/motivation effect via multiple pathways and contributes to long-term brain health as well as the main cognitive goals I have listed. Selank manages anxiety/stress/adaptivity along multiple unique pathways and works synergistically with semax. Selank also offers strong cognitive benefits indirectly and directly through it's contribution to mood in addition to homeostatic and adaptive regulation of the nervous system. IMO there is a significant difference between NASA form and others, and I think for the dual short and long-term effects, NASA is actually very good value for money. Recommend 100mcg-300mcg (stay as low as is still productive for you) of both 1-3 times a day, depending on your response.
F) 9-mbc. Can be spoken of as similar to Dihexa. Motivational effects are unparalled (except for perhaps Dihexa itself). Contributes to long-term brain health and provides short term effect after first 2-3 days of use. Noted for tolerance reduction. In a similar vein to Dihexa, it nearly crosses the boundary from cognitive augmentation to actual personality changes. It is very useful for setting new habits. Very useful guides can be found on reddit. I have combined it with Dihexa; this is very risky, risk increases exponentially on combination, but it was incredibly effective. Probably deserves number one ranking in the motivational and ADHD type symptom management category, as well as a high place in analytical improvement. Recommend 7.5-15mg sublingual for at most 28 days.
G) N-Methyl-Cyclazadone (NMC). By far the most functional stimulant I have ever taken. Broad-spectrum effects, very high sense of motivation, energy and mood but never in a way that is comparable to adderall, ritalin, modafinil etc. The serotonergic component seems to be very important in creating the contented and productive state that is hugely ergogenic and just as potent as other stims in providing stamina without creating the speedy, jittery, robotic and cognitively limiting effects that adderall etc can create. It has a broader spectrum of effects than other stimulants, and instead of just generating 'drive' or 'energy' it offers perspectival and cognitive benefits as well, far beyond other stims. It is absolutely wonderful, 9hrs of studying and music becomes a joy. It does create very euphoric and enjoyable– and I can imagine habit-forming–effects somewhere between 25-35mg. This is obviously to be avoided, and these effects are absent at 20mg and below. I don't recommend pushing above 15mg, up to 20mg if you really need to, but 15mg potentiated by our favourite light nootropic stimulants (Theacrine, Zynamite, EnXtra, Primavie, GS15-4 and plain old caffeine) is preferable. This is also becoming very difficult to find, but it is the ultimate nootropic stimulant in my opinion.
F) FlModafinil is very nice in my opinion, offering a smoother and slightly broader range of effects than other afanils. I cannot recommend the likes of adrafinil, hydrafinil etc. I am sure there are good stacks that optimise these, and they are available and cheap, but it is absolutely worth having a true nootropic stimulant in your rotation–which I do not think the pro-drug afinils are. PPAP, Selegine, Deprenyl, RGPU-95 (which deserves a special mention as an incredible if hard to acess nootropic) are all in the same league as NMC, but are far more specialised and complicated to use.