nootropics

[Skush78]

Does anyone have feedback, positive or negative, on the use of nootropics for ADHD? What are the side affects? Any recommended brands?

[STEM_Dad]

There are a lot of things that might be considered "nootropics". Do you have questions about anything particularly?

Prior to my ADHD diagnosis a few years ago, the best effect that I had was from a combination of: a multivitamin, additional vitamins C & D, ginseng, ginkgo, and Omega-3's...and a lot of caffeine.

It took me many years to develop that combination, and the effect was less than 10% of the benefit that I had from a low dose of Adderall XR (10mg). I knew in 3 days that for my own executive functioning, I needed medication.

(Adderall actually didn't meet my needs. I'm now on atomoxetine, aka Strattera, which works twice as well for me as Adderall did...so about 20-times the effect that I had on a combination that took me over a decade to put together.)

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I do not trust any nootropics advertised as "just like Adderall [only better]".

However, I do trust research-based findings that there are some supplements which can have some benefits. For instance, I would be interested to try Lions Mane, because of the research findings that I've heard about it. Unfortunately, lions mane is a mushroom, and I have an allergy to mushrooms and other fungi. (It's a respiratory allergy, but I discovered long ago that eating mushrooms makes me more likely to experience an allergic reaction.)

I did start taking mucuna pruriens (a natural source is the amino acid L-dopa, which the body uses to produce dopamine), and I do feel noticeably better...but it's effect is still a tiny fraction of the effect that I have from my ADHD medication. (I noticed that I feel tired for several hours after taking it, so I take it at night. But the next day I feel just a bit more mental energy, and less likely to feel depressed.)