Racetam Stack: Safe and Effective Use of Racetams

Racetams are the first family of nootropics; without them smart drugs might have never been. Racetams are a class of nootropic compounds that share a pyrrolidone nucleus, but in many cases not much else. Fortunately, Racetams go well together and the differences in each work out for the best, creating stacks you cannot get with just any nootropics.

Before we get into the combinations, let’s take look at the racetams and remind ourselves what each does individually.

Racetams

Piracetam:

The original racetam was discovered accidentally when Belgian scientists were researching GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain that causes feelings of relaxation and stress reduction, and then synthesized a derivative intended to be a calming drug.

This racetam had no effect on relaxation like was intended and did not induce sleepiness, but piracetam did improve cognition in several areas and researchers realized they had stumbled on to something important [1].

In aged and diseased subjects, piracetam restores neurochemical deficits [2], and increases cognition in healthy subjects as well through mechanisms which are not quite clear, but may include increasing cAMP [2], mitochondrial fluidity [3], and communication between the brain’s hemispheres by exciting acetylcholine [4], and by creating new binding sites for AMPA receptors according to new research [5].

Although you are most likely to feel the other members of the racetam family working, piracetam is still a very effective (and extremely safe [6]) nootropic compound.

Piracetam Dosage

1.5g-5g, split throughout the day, taken on an empty stomach.

Piracetam Benefits:

• Long-term Memory
• Attention
• Creativity
• Boosting mood and reducing anxiety [7]

Aniracetam

This racetam appears to act on both AMPA and NMDA receptors to increase glutamate sensitivity [8] and by affecting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors [9].

Aniracetam Dosage:

750mg two-three times per day, taken with fat as it is fat-soluble.

Aniracetam Benefits:

• Enhanced Cognition
• Reduced Anxiety and low moods
• Increased Creativity
• Reduced Impulsiveness

Aniracetam vs Piracetam

Both racetams provide a boost in cognitive function, but aniracetam can really bring out your creative side. Combine these two racetams for increased motivation, mental energy an memory retention.

Oxiracetam:

Oxiracetam demonstrated the ability to aid in memory retention and offer improvements in learning by interacting with the NMDA receptor [10].

Oxiracetam Dosage:

750mg-1.5mg per day, split throughout the day, taken on an empty stomach.

Oxiracetam Benefits:

• Enhanced Memory Retention and Learning
• Increased Mental Stimulation
• Bolstered Auditory Perception

Pramiracetam:

Pramiracetam is generally considered the most potent racetam.

Pramiracetam VS Piracetam:

It influences choline uptake like piracetam but more intensely, and has demonstrated superior ability over Piracetam and the other racetams in retrieval of memories and orientation [11].

Pramiracetam Dosage:

250mg taken two-three times per day, taken with a fat as it is fat-soluble.

Pramiracetam Benefits and Effects:

• Improved Memory Retrieval and Orientation
• Improved Long-term Memory
• Enhanced Processing Speed and Stimulation
• Boosted Motivation
• Increased Focus
• Reduced Emotional Response

Now that you have a better idea of exactly what each compound is ideal for, let’s get into how they can potentiate one another.

Racetam Stack for Mood: Piracetam and Aniracetam

On top of acting as anxiolytics and mood boosters, the combination of these two racetams has left many with a new appreciation for music, art, and the world around them. If you are looking to relax and enjoy what is around you without shutting your brain off, this combination can offer you a lot.

Racetam Stack for Focus: Piracetam and Oxiracetam

These two racetams combined provide you with a good deal of motivation and energy (from the oxiracetam) while increasing the efficiency of your working memory (piracetam) and long-term memory as well.

Dose: 1g Piracetam + 750mg Oxiracetam

Superior Focus: Add Pramiracetam

You were probably wondering why pramiracetam was not mentioned above. It was left out only because adding this to your stack will cause you to be intensely focused, and emotionally dulled, which might not be appropriate for your situation. If you need to be “in the zone,” however, this is your stack. If that is still not enough, add caffeine and theanine.

Dose: 1g Piracetam + 100mg Pramiracetam (optional) + 750mg Oxiracetam

Also optional: 100mg Caffeine + 200mg Theanine

Find your sweet spot by increasing each dose slowly, but don’t go over 200mg of caffeine.

Racetam Stack for Creativity: Piracetam, Oxiracetam, and Aniracetam

Like the focus stack above, this will help you get your head into your work with the added benefit of creativity thanks to aniracetam. If you want to increase your intensity of focus with this stack add some pramiracetam as well.

Dose: 1g Piracetam + 100mg Pramiracetam (optional) + 750mg Oxiracetam + 1.5g Aniracetam

Racetam Mixing?

There’s no definite answer, but some people report significant improvements in their ability to work more efficiently and process new information, and in their mental clarity, focus, memory (working and long-term), speed of execution, and in their overall ability to get things done.

I’m sure you’re ready to buy every racetam available at this point. Just make sure you know how each one affects you individually so you know how you respond to each one, the optimal dosages you should take, and to avoid a stack that may not work with your particular chemistry.

Start off with piracetam and add onto it, working your way to the stacks that most interest you, and figure out what combination and dosages work best for you (make sure to track your results as well). It goes without saying that there are numerous combinations possible, and once you know how your body responds you can add on to these and come up with your own racetam stack –don’t forget to share your results if you do.

Sources

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16971751
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10338103
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10338103
4. http://www.frontiersin.org/Neuropharmacology/10.3389/fnins.2010.00044/full
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1794001
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872987/#!po=30.0000
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10338106
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20166767
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10344525
10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22070796
11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11099768
12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20166767