Aniracetam is a nootropic in the piracetam family that can enhance memory, improve concentration, and reduce anxiety and depression. Rumor has it that it can improve creativity.
What is Aniracetam?
Aniracetam may enhance cognitive abilities and improve mood.
Aniracetam was discovered in the 1970s by Swiss pharmaceutical company Hoffman-LaRoche and is sold as a prescription drug in Europe but is unregulated in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Aniracetam is similar to piracetam, the first synthetic nootropic, and was originally developed as a more potent alternative.
Aniracetam belongs to the piracetam class of nootropics, which are a class of synthetic compounds with similar chemical structures and mechanisms of action.
Like other piracetams, Aniracetam works primarily by regulating the production and release of neurotransmitters and other brain chemicals.
Aniracetam Benefits and Effects
While there are relatively few human studies on aniracetam, it has been extensively studied for decades, and various animal studies appear to support its effectiveness as a nootropic.
Aniracetam has several proven benefits and effects.
Enhance memory and learning ability
Aniracetam’s reputation as a memory enhancer is supported by research showing that it can improve functional memory and even reverse memory impairment.
One study involving healthy human subjects showed that aniracetam improved various aspects of memory, including visual recognition, motor performance, and general intellectual functioning.
Animal studies have found that Aniracetam can enhance memory by positively affecting acetylcholine, serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine levels in the brain.
A recent study concluded that aniracetam did not improve cognition in healthy adult mice, suggesting that aniracetam’s effects may be limited to those with cognitive impairment.
Improve focus and concentration
Many users consider Aniracetam to be one of the best nootropics for improving focus and concentration.
While there are currently no human studies on this aspect of the compound, its well-documented effects on acetylcholine, dopamine, and other essential neurotransmitters strongly support this hypothesis.
Aniracetam also acts as an ampakin, stimulating glutamate receptors involved in memory encoding and neuroplasticity.
Reduce anxiety
One of the most notable properties of Aniracetam is its anxiolytic effects (reducing anxiety).
Animal studies have shown that aniracetam is effective in reducing anxiety and increasing social interaction in rats, possibly through a combination of dopaminergic and serotonergic effects.
There are currently no literature studies specifically focusing on the anxiolytic effects of aniracetam in humans. However, one clinical trial of its use to treat dementia did show that participants who took Aniracetam experienced a reduction in anxiety.
Many users report feeling less anxious after taking Aniracetam.
Antidepressant properties
Aniracetam has also been shown to be an effective antidepressant, significantly reducing stress-induced immobility and brain dysfunction associated with aging.
Whether the antidepressant properties found in animal studies apply to humans has not yet been proven.
The potential antidepressant properties of aniracetam may be due to increased dopaminergic transmission and acetylcholine receptor stimulation.
Dementia treatment
One of the few human studies on aniracetam suggests it may be an effective treatment for people with dementia.
Dementia patients treated with aniracetam showed significantly better cognitive abilities, functional improvements, and increased mood and emotional stability.
how it works
Aniracetam’s exact mechanism of action is not fully understood. However, decades of research have shown how it affects mood and cognition through its actions within the brain and central nervous system.
Aniracetam is a fat-soluble compound that is metabolized in the liver and rapidly absorbed and transported throughout the body. It is known to cross the blood-brain barrier very quickly, and users often report feeling its effects in as little as 30 minutes.
Aniracetam upregulates the production of several key neurotransmitters in the brain related to mood, memory and cognition:
Acetylcholine – Aniracetam may improve general cognitive performance by enhancing activity throughout the acetylcholine system, which plays a key role in memory, attention, learning speed, and other cognitive processes. Animal studies show that it works by binding to acetylcholine receptors, inhibiting receptor desensitization, and promoting synaptic release of acetylcholine.
Dopamine and Serotonin – Aniracetam has been shown to increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain, thereby relieving depression, boosting energy, and reducing anxiety. By binding to dopamine and serotonin receptors, Aniracetam inhibits the breakdown of these important neurotransmitters and restores optimal levels of both, making it an effective mood enhancer and anxiolytic.
Glutamate Transmission – Aniracetam may have a unique effect in improving memory and information storage because it enhances glutamate transmission. By binding to and stimulating AMPA and kainate receptors (glutamate receptors closely associated with information storage and the creation of new memories), Aniracetam may improve neuroplasticity, particularly long-term potentiation.
Dose
It is always recommended to start with the lowest effective dose and gradually increase as needed.
As with most nootropics in the Piracetam family, the effectiveness of Aniracetam may be diminished by overdose.
Because its half-life is relatively short, only one to three hours, repeated doses may need to be spaced out to maintain effects.
Stack
Like most piracetams, Aniracetam works well alone or in combination with other nootropics. Here are some common Aniracetam combinations for you to consider.
Aniracetam and Choline Stack
Choline supplementation is often recommended when taking piracetam such as aniracetam. Choline is an essential nutrient that we get from our diet and is the precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is responsible for various brain functions such as memory.
Supplementing with a high-quality, bioavailable choline source, such as alpha-GPC or citicoline, ensures the availability of the necessary building blocks needed to synthesize acetylcholine, thereby producing its own nootropic effects.
This process is especially important when taking aniracetam, since it works in part by stimulating the cholinergic system. Supplementing with choline ensures there is enough choline in the system to maximize the effects of aniracetam while mitigating potential common side effects that may result from insufficient acetylcholine, such as headaches.
PAO stack
The PAO combo, an acronym for Piracetam, Aniracetam, and Oxiracetam, is a classic combination that involves combining these three popular nootropics.
Stacking Aniracetam with Piracetam and Oxiracetam enhances the effects of all ingredients and may extend their duration. The addition of piracetam may also enhance the antidepressant and anxiolytic properties of aniracetam. As mentioned before, it’s generally a good idea to include a source of choline.
Before attempting such a complex combination, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the individual components before putting them together. Consider this combination only after you are familiar with their respective effects and your reactions to them.
Keep in mind that when taking Piracetam or nootropics in general in combination, you should take a smaller dose than when taken individually, as most nootropics have synergistic effects.
Post time: Jul-16-2024
