Choline Piracetam Stack
Nootropics, drugs that enhance cognitive functions like memory, have been around since the 1960s, and piracetam is among the safest, best-known and most effective. That’s especially true when it is stacked with choline, which increases its potency and may help prevent its most common side effects. About Piracetam
Piracetam, a derivative of GABA, was discovered by Romanian chemist Corneliu E. Giurges in 1964. Due to its promising effects on cognitive functioning, the chemist coined the term “nootropic,” which is still used today and refers to a class of supplements that aids in cognition development.
Considered a cognitive enhancer, piracetam improves the functioning of acetylcholine, a crucial neurotransmitter, and its receptor sites. When it binds to those receptor sites, it increases the rate at which acetylcholine is transferred by synaptic receptors, which are the bridges by which neurons communicate. It also modifies glutamate, another crucial neurotransmitter, and binds to AMPA glutamate receptor sites. Put simply, it improves synaptic plasticity, which refers to how well the brain generates and maintains new neural connections.
Benefits
Even when used alone, piracetam brings many benefits to the table. When used regularly and in effective doses, these benefits include:
- Improved cognition
- Improved working memory
- Increased glucose metabolism and oxygen utilization in the brain
- Reversal of some forms of neural damage
- Slowed signs of aging
- Enhanced cellular membrane fluidity
- Improved reasoning
- Improved concentration
- Improved ability to learn
- Improved energy levels
Side Effects
Since it’s been around for several decades, the effects of piracetam have been studied extensively. The supplement has been proven to be very safe. Like any supplement, however, it can cause a few side effects. Fortunately, they tend to be minor. The most common of them all is headache, and there’s a good reason why it occurs. When taken regularly, this supplement causes an increased demand for acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter. Oftentimes, this demand can’t be met naturally, and the result is a headache. Luckily, there is a way around this issue: stacking with choline.
About Choline
Choline is a critical nutrient that is a precursor of acetylcholine. Despite its importance, it is very difficult for most people to get sufficient amounts of it from their diets alone. When choline levels are ideal, neural activity increases, and signals are transmitted more quickly.
This nutrient directly affects the way the brain uses acetylcholine. It is most abundantly found in so-called “brain foods” like eggs and fish. Thanks to today’s modern diet, however, many people are deficient in this crucial nutrient. They’re typically no worse for the wear unless they start using piracetam.
Choline Piracetam Stack Benefits
Since supplementing with piracetam increases the brain’s need for acetylcholine–and levels of its precursor, choline, tend to be deficient–it makes sense to supplement with choline. Supplementing with this nutrient helps to increase the potency of piracetam and, perhaps more importantly, can ward off those annoying headaches. However, it must be used correctly, and the main way to do that is by achieving the correct dosage. Without using the right ratio of the two supplements, you’re less likely to enjoy the most exciting benefits.
Choline Supplements to Stack with Piracetam
A variety of choline supplements are available, but most people use either Alpha GPC or CDP Choline. Both are bioavailable choline supplements, but there are a few subtle differences. Alpha GPC is about 40 percent choline by weight. CDP Choline, which is also known as citicoline, contains far less of the nutrient per gram, which may suggest that it is less effective. However, more than 95 percent is absorbed. Alpha GPC has higher concentrations of choline but may not be as readily absorbed. Therefore, it’s a bit of a trade-off and, most likely, either can be used effectively. Some people experiment with each type to determine which one is best.
Dosage Information
People have been supplementing with piracetam for some time, so a lot is known and understood about dosage levels. Most researchers believe people tend to use far too little of the supplement, which has a short half-life and is fast-acting. Conventional wisdom has been to take between 4.8 to 9.6 grams in two to three equal doses throughout the day. This is a suitable starting dose, but many people end up taking a total of nearly 20 grams per day.
The ideal choline piracetam stack ratio is 1:8. If you take around 4,800 grams of piracetam, then, you should use it with around 500 mg of choline (CDP Choline or Alpha GPC).
Choline Piracetam Stack Tips for Beginners
If you are going to use a choline piracetam stack for the first time, there are two ways to go about it. You could try “attack dosing,” which helps to jump-start piracetam levels and involves taking a double dose for three days. After that, you should drop back down to the normal dose. The other option is to gradually introduce the two supplements, but this typically isn’t necessary.
You might also consider starting out with piracetam alone and giving it a few weeks to gauge its effects. Whether or not you get headaches, you can introduce choline a bit later to more easily determine if and how it further enhances acetylcholine and cognitive functioning. Many people have to adjust their dosages over time to achieve the best results.
The Bottom Line
If you are serious about improving cognitive functioning, you can’t beat using a choline piracetam stack. Whether you use CDP Choline or Alpha GPC, however, keep in mind that it takes a few weeks for the supplements to reach effective levels in the body. Once they do, you will notice major improves in cognitive functioning without experiencing those aggravating headaches.
