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Nootropics, otherwise known as smart drugs, are cognitive enhancers which can improve a wide range of aspects for your brain's performance such as memory, focus, attention, clarity, and general learning.

Taken over a long period of time with a healthy lifestyle, they have been known to support healthy cognitive function and have been used to treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Most nootropics work in the same way - either through increasing communication between neurons, balancing neurotransmitter levels or by promoting brain cell health.

Different nootropics have different functions. Some supplements work to improve your focus and energy, while others can enhance your mental clarity. To get more information on what nootropics are, click here.

Normally, nootropics have a relatively low side effect profile. However, at times, individuals may encounter side effects due to mis-stacking or taking it .

A commonly reported side effect from nootropics are headaches, which can occur when the brain is demanding more acetylcholine than the body can produce. This usually happens when one takes a racetam without a choline source. The best way to counteract this is to add a quality choline source such as Alpha-GPC or CDP-choline to your stack.

Another side effect that can occur with nootropics is restlessness or nervousness due to overstimulation. This typically happens when one takes too much of a stimulant such as caffeine, which causes increased heart rate, anxiety, and irritability. A remedy for this would be to stack the caffeine with l-theanine, which will relax you and counteract the negative side effects of the caffeine. It is generally recommended that you not take stimulants such as caffeine after a certain time due to the fact that it can cause insomnia.

Nootropics work by changing the levels of certain chemicals in the brain and the way those chemicals interact with each other.

Different nootropic compounds each have their own unique mechanism of action (MoA), a biochemical interaction through which a compound produces its effects. Some of these biochemical interactions include supporting mitochondrial function and energy production, reducing oxidative stress, mediating the body's homeostasis, stimulating the central nervous system, and supporting the formation of synaptic connections in the brain.

One of the primary biochemical interactions nootropic compounds work through is modulating brain chemicals, otherwise known as neurotransmitters, which are responsible for our mood, focus, appetite, memory, pain, and anything else you can think of. By changing levels of certain neurotransmitters, we can change certain traits. And by changing these levels, it will lead to changes in the way we feel.

It depends on the particular nootropics and if you have consumed food prior to ingestion. The initial effects can be felt anywhere from 20 minutes after ingestion, up to an hour. Some nootropic compounds such as bacopa monnieri may take time to build in your body for over a week to reach optimal effect. Also, if you have consumed food within an hour before consuming nootropics, it may take a bit longer for you to feel the effect.

A nootropic stack is a combination of nootropic ingredients that when combined together, produce a synergistic and stronger effect than when taken individually.

Nootropics have been used for a very long time in their natural form. Although the first official nootropic was synthesized in the 1980s by Dr. Corneliu Giurgea, different cultures have tried to enhance their mental ability through meditation, fasting, religious practice, drugs, plants, and other stimulants for centuries. Also, caffeine is a type of Nootropic that has widely been used to increase focus, attention, and wakefulness.

Nootropics are not a superhuman drug that instantly makes you substantially smarter. However, they can improve and support your cognitive functions in a number of different ways, depending on the nootropic(s) you are taking.

While the use of nootropics does not directly increase your intelligence, they can improve your ability to engage in intellectual activity more effectively. If you are able to increase your cognitive ability by a few percentage points each day, over a period of time, your mental improvement can gradually compound.

Anything that can potentially change the way you think and/or feel can trigger addiction. There have been reports of people getting addicted to certain nootropics but these reports are rare and usually seen in people with a history of drug abuse. Most nootropics do not produce significant tolerance and withdrawal upon cessation.

Overall, nootropics are not addictive. However, if you have a history of addictive behavior and drug abuse, you should approach nootropics with caution.

No, common drug screenings do not look for ingredients in nootropic supplements. However, false positives may occur - although extremely rare. It is always recommended that you take caution if you are going to undergo extensive drug testing.

While using cannabis may be counterintuitive with nootropics as they do the opposite of improving memory, focus, attention, and motivation. There are certain nootropics that can enhance other effects. 

Although the use of cannabis and nootropics hasn’t been scientifically studied, there’s no reason to think that it’s dangerous. The combination may boost mood and anti-anxiety effects but may diminish cognitive effects.

If our products are stored in a cool and dry place, out of direct sunlight, they will generally last up to three years.

Yes! We use vegetarian capsules for all our products, which are also suitable for vegans.

Certain countries have different laws. For example, in Canada, it is legal to possess nootropics but not to sell, so Canadians must order nootropics from another country. 

Most nootropics are sold legally as dietary supplements in the United States and do not require a prescription to purchase.

In several European countries, some nootropics require a prescription.

So it’s always a good idea to do your research to find out if the nootropics you desire to purchase is legal to purchase over-the-counter.

This varies between person to person, and from one nootropic to another.

Generally, nootropics can be taken with or without food without much of a difference. 

We recommend reading the labels as some nootropics are water-soluble meaning they work best on an empty stomach. On the other hand, there are fat-soluble nootropics that work best after a meal.

A great place to learn more about nootropics and to stay up-to-date with everything that’s happening in the nootropics world is through our blog. Where we post articles on nutrition, supplementation, news, and ways to improve your daily lives.

Our products should not be taken by pregnant or nursing mothers or children under 18.

If any undesired side effects arise, discontinue usage immediately and seek proper medical help if needed.

Always consult your physician before taking any new supplements.

Typically, our standard recommended doses are applicable across the board except for a few outliers. Bodyweight can be a factor that requires dose adjustment, as can highly sensitive or desensitized systems.

With this in mind, we highly recommend starting out with the standard dose and making adjustments from there if needed.

Sleep plays a crucial factor when it comes to feeling the optimal effects of nootropics. Lack of and/or poor sleep may lead to neurotransmitter pathways to be blocked which could lead to not feeling the effects of our nootropics.

We highly recommend working on your quality of sleep before deciding to increase the recommended dosage.

Cycling is important in the sense that it maximizes the benefits while also preventing desensitization to your nootropic. metaFOCUS and metaDRIVE are designed for regular use, however we recommend taking 2 days off each week in order to prevent tolerance build-up. metaMEMORY requires at least two weeks of consistent supplementation in order to start feeling the effects. We also recommend taking a one week break off metaMEMORY per month as with all supplements.

It doesn’t necessarily matter if the 2 “off-cycle” days are consecutive or apart, as long as they happen each week.

Do not take metaBRAIN if you are currently taking any MAOIs It is recommended to consult with your medical practitioner before using nootropics in conjunction with your prescribed medication. 

Do not take metaBRAIN while pregnant.

Through years of testing, working with medical professionals, and compiled research--which can be found on our metaBRAIN product pages.

In addition to the numerous iterations, testing different formulations and compounds, all our products go through a stringent process of quality assurance. You can find all the certificates of analysis for the ingredients in our formulations here.

This is completely harmless and a sign of excess Vitamin B12 being excreted from your body.  Since Vitamin B12 is water soluble, you cannot overdose on it as your body will simply excrete any excess amounts.

In general, it’s advised not to drink alcohol with nootropics. Depending on which metaBRAIN stack(s) you are taking, combining the two can potentially cause negative side effects.

Regardless, it is probably not harmful to have a couple of drinks with any of the metaBRAIN stack(s).

At the moment, we currently do not ship outside of the United States but will be in the near future.

Orders are shipped within 1 business day. Typically, orders will arrive within 3-5 business days with international orders arriving between 7-10 days.

Customs is the #1 reason for any delays you might experience.

Send us an email at support@nuoptimal.com as soon as possible. If your order hasn’t shipped yet, we’ll be able to accommodate the changes for you.

If you have problems at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us at support@nuoptimal.com and we’ll be able to assist you.

We have a 100% money-back guarantee within 60 days of purchase. For further instructions, please visit our return/refund policy page.