Phenylpiracetam Benefits, Side effects, and When to Use

As modern society rapidly develops, there has been an increasing pull toward CNS stimulators. At first, it is coffee, but upon acclimation, the stimulating effects are no longer felt or quickly drain away, leaving one exhausted in the afternoon. Then there are the highly acclaimed stimulants amongst college students, Adderall, Ritalin, and Modafinil, but a single dose makes it difficult to suppress norepinephrine and cortisol and get restorative sleep. Plus, there is the concern of legality. How do I get my doctor to prescribe Adderall? If I can't, is it worth the risk? If not, are there other drugs that are more stimulating than coffee, less deleterious than Adderall, have potent effects on executive function, and are legal in most places? Indeed, there are! In 1983 soviet cosmonauts figured out that if you add a phenyl group to Piracetam, the various cognitive benefits in Piracetam can be enhanced, and the results are an even greater stimulant. This drug is called— Phenylpiracetam.

Benefits

Phenylpiracetam is a CNS stimulant and reuptake inhibitor which works congruently to allow the secretion of dopamine and prevent its depletion by inhibiting its reuptake. On top of this, it may further increase the density of norepinephrine, acetylcholine, NMDA, and GABA receptors which allows more neurotransmitters to bind to the receptors and affect a physiological and subsequent neurological response. 

Translation

Neurotransmitters are chemical messages in the brain that our bodies cannot function without. As shown in mice, Depletion of GABA leads to a significant reduction in effort-based behavior. Depletion in dopamine leads to depressive-like symptoms, starvation, and, if not treated, death. Moreover, less severe depletion of more than one neurotransmitter, such as dopamine and acetylcholine signaling, has been shown to cause cognitive deficits. Take any of these neurotransmitters, deplete them, or increase them, and you can alter someone's perception of reality and themselves. Take four neurotransmitters and change their expression by altering receptor density, and we can begin to map profound physiological changes, whether they be temporary, chronic, persistently advantageous, or detrimental.

As it turns out, the effects of Phenylpiracetam are far-ranging. Many who have used this drug report long-lasting effects (3-10hrs) on cognition, memory recall, alertness, and mood. It also has been shown to increase tolerance to cold and physical endurance, which is why it is banned from professional sports.

Learning, consolidating what you’ve learned, and communicating may become easier on this drug. You feel much more connected to the rational and spirited part of yourself that wants to do something— that needs to do something. You feel more lively and energetic; a strenuous walk becomes more enjoyable. An exertive training session is slightly less demanding. An awkward social environment becomes somewhat easier to navigate. You feel more confident and in tune with how you wish to express yourself. But often, despite the enhancement in executive function, drug-induced positive effects come with their share of side effects.

Side Effects

Although the Piracetam family is generally considered safe and doesn’t usually produce the common side effects of other stimulants, such as jitteriness, it still has its share of side effects. Before beginning, it is important to consider that many side effects mentioned are subject to individual variation and may never be experienced. Moreover, the dosage becomes highly relevant when considering the side effects and benefits.

One side effect of this drug is irritability. If felt at all, this side effect is often not experienced to an extraordinary degree and can be explained by sensory overload, causing hypersensitivity to unexpected sounds or events. Also, pair this hypersensitivity with hyper-focus, and the irritable side effects become further pronounced. If you experience this, the best way to avoid this is to work in a reliably quiet environment, or one that you’re not used to. In this way, you’ll either not be distracted or, if you are, have already accounted for the unexpected, where your social inhibitions may keep you in check.

Other side effects common to this drug are sweating, hyperactivity, depression the following day, and insomnia. By overstimulating the CNS and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, in particular, you may experience sweating. As for hyperactivity, it can easily be managed by modifying the dosage. A side effect that may also occur is mild depression the next day. When you stimulate your body, and the drug starts wearing off, the body may compensate by temporarily depleting neurotransmitter activation before returning to baseline. This swing, common in many drugs and other forms of stimulation, should not impede your ability to function the next day. And if it does, perhaps you’re hypersensitive to stimulation which may require altering the dose, taking it earlier in the day, or eliminating it. As for insomnia, it can easily be avoided by following the same recommendations.

When to Use

The half-life of Phenylpiracetam is about 3-5 hours, meaning if you go to bed at 10:00 p.m., it should not be taken after noon, and If you generally go to bed at midnight, it should not be taken after 2:00 p.m. However, some exceptions apply when considering bio-individuality and late nights, which is why it is relevant that you understand the results you’re trying to acquire and how the drug affects you.

As for the dose, an average amount is between 100-200 mg., taken one to three times daily (100-600 mg.). If you find that it affects your sleep if taken after noon, consider increasing the dose and taking it once or twice tops.

Like all stimulants, we eventually adapt, and the effect-to-dose ratio becomes less efficacious. That is why this drug should not be taken daily but instead used as a tool for specific days such as social events, the day of an exam, or studying for an exam. In this way, by not allowing your body to adapt to the stimulation, the experience of it becomes amplified. 

Important to Consider

Phenylpiracetam may impede the efficacy of certain prescription drugs and may cause side effects. For example, it may reverse the intended impact of diazepams. Before considering this drug, ensure you aren’t taking prescription medications that can be affected by the drug. Since it is not illegal in the States, consider speaking to your doctor about it.

However, for the most part, Phenylpiracetam can be safely stacked with other compounds such as lion's mane, alpha GPC, caffeine, theanine, creatine, and other nutritional components for added effect. Phenylpiracetam is generally considered safe, but if you react adversely to the drug, don’t take it.

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