This document provides an introduction to nootropics, or "smart drugs", for software developers. It defines nootropics as drugs, supplements, or foods that improve mental functions like cognition, memory, and focus. While their mechanisms of action are not fully understood, they are thought to work by altering neurochemicals, improving brain oxygen supply, or stimulating nerve growth. The document then lists the top 10 nootropics for beginners that are easily available, including gingko, vitamin B, fish oil, bacopa, caffeine, eggs, melatonin, huperzine-A, modafinil, and piracetam. It provides brief descriptions of each and their

1. Software Developer Guide
to Nootropics
(Brain Drugs for Fun and Profits)

2. NOOTROPIC
✤ Nootropics (pronounced /noʊ.ɵˈtrɒpɨks/, NO-
eh-TRO-pik, Nō-ə-Trō-pik), also referred to as
smart drugs, memory enhancers, and
cognitive enhancers as well as intelligence
enhancers, are drugs, supplements,
nutraceuticals, and functional foods that
improve mental functions such as cognition,
memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and
concentration

3. How does it works?
✤ thought to work by altering the availability of
the brain's supply of neurochemicals
(neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones), by
improving the brain's oxygen supply, or by
stimulating nerve growth.
✤ However the efficacy of nootropic substances,
in most cases, has not been conclusively
determined

4. So we don’t
really know
100% how it
works yet!
(But it works, and from here is where the cool stuff begins)

6. Top-10 Nootropics
for Newbies!!!
By order of how easy (legal)
for you to get it from malls/
supermarkets

7. #1 Gingko
- increase micro-vascular
blood flow
- more blood carrying
oxigen to brain
- traditionally used for
memory improvement
- good for my vertigo but
doesn’t do a thing for my
tinnitus and memory

8. #2 vitamin B+
- vitamin b complex
- b1, b2, b3, b5, b6, b7, b9, b12
- helps body use energy
- more carbo in food, take
more b+
- Choline is used in the
production of
accetylcholine
- brain tonic

9. #3 fish oil
- DHA + EPA !!!
- omega-3, 6, 9
- Provides the brain with
the essential fatty acids
that we can’t produce
outselves
- modern studies using
fish oil to treat violent
behavior, depression,
parkinson’s, Alzheimer
etc

10. #4 bacopa
- bacopa monnieri
- brami, brahmin, brahmi
- ayurveda herbs
- works very well for memory
- particularly memory retention

11. #5 caffein
- why we drink coffee?
- what makes caffein cool?
- stimulant
- doesn’t make you smarter
- alert but can’t focus
- programmer’s bad friend
(Advice: Drink tea, green tea)

12. #6 egg
- choline
- protein - arginine,
glutamine, lysine, threonine,
alanine, proline, serine, etc
- vitamin b+
- vitamin A
- vitamin D
- iron, zinc, magnesium,
phosphorus, potassium
- brain food!

13. #7 melatonin
- produced about 20-40 minutes
when we fall asleep
- pineal gland
- control sleep-wake cycle
- easily interrupted -- night
lights!
- hormone
- anti-oxidant
- sleep drug
- vivid dreams
- aging
- obesity
- believe to sort our learning
and memory when we sleep

14. #8 huperzine-a
- new memory drug
- natural alkaloid from huperzia
serrata plant
- used in china for centuries for
swelling, fever and blood
disorder
- positive results for treating
Alzheimer disease - china
- appear to increase nerve
growth factor
- easier to remember past
memories
(warning: I didn’t try this yet)

15. #9 modafinil
- analeptic drug
- or anti-sleep drug
- make you focus
- make you forget about
sleeping
- no sleep penalty!

16. #10 piracetam
- cyclic derivative of GABA
- “link” left and right brain
- drug to make you creative
- well researched since 1964
- grandfather of nootropics
- used as ADHD and alzheimer
drug today

17. WARNING

18. ✤ DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON
THE INTERNET!
✤ Ginkgo sales exceed $1 billion in US alone
✤ Estimated $30 billion industry for anti-aging/
nootropics supplements
✤ Every drugs has side effects -- do not believe
otherwise!

20. Next:
LSD!
Lysergic acid diethylamide

21. Just kidding.
fin.