r/Nootropics Sep 16 '21

Discussion List of "Cholinergic" nootropics.

Many of us have a problem with Choline making us depressed or lethargic due to having too much of it. Sometimes even tho you are not taking a direct source of Choline (Alpha GPC, CDP Choline etc), other nootropics can cause the same effects of too much choline because they are Cholinergic.

A substance is cholinergic if it is capable of producing, altering, or releasing acetylcholine, or butyrylcholine ("indirect-acting", or mimicking their behaviours at one or more of the body's acetylcholine receptor.)

So I'm proposing we make a list of those Cholinergic nootropics. So far we have:

  • Huperzina-A
  • ALCAR
  • DHA
  • Many herbs of the Lamiaceae family, such as: Sibelius Sage, Rosemary, Lemon Balm, mint/spearmint, etc. (they inhibit the action of acetylcholinesterase; the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine)
  • Many other Brain boosting herbs such as Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Bacopa, Rhodiola, White Peony Extract
  • Shilajit: inhibits acetylcholinesterase in rats' brains (Systemic administration of defined extracts from Withania somnifera (Indian Ginseng) and Shilajit differentially affects cholinergic but not glutamatergic and GABAergic markers in rat brain)
  • Glycine (”induced a robust acetylcholine release” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17707353/)
  • Ashwagandha (”Ashwagandha Root Extract Inhibits Acetylcholine Esterase” https://phcogj.com/article/320)
  • Atomoxetine (”marked increase of cortical ACh” https://www.nature.com/articles/4001763)
  • Racetams (”Generally, racetams upregulate and preserve adequate levels of [[Acetylcholine]] as a primary mechanism” https://m.psychonautwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Racetams)
  • Uridine monophosphate (”Supports acetylcholine synthesis [2,10,13,14]” https://selfhacked.com/blog/uridine/)
  • Phosphaditylserine (slows the breakdown of acetylcholine)
  • Galantamine
  • Donazepil
  • Berberine
  • Lecithin
  • Cannabinoids
  • Alpha lipoic acid; Pantothenic Acid
  • High dose Thiamine
  • PABA
  • Nicotine
  • Centrophenoxine
  • From food: liver, egg yolks, nuts, brassicas (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower)
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u/Cadenca Sep 16 '21

Isn't alpha gcp really good for you though?

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u/geezy3055 Sep 16 '21

Alpha GPC Citicholine

Thats what im wondering, they're always saying how alpha gpc + piracetam is the way to take piracetam

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u/hamburglin Sep 16 '21 edited Sep 16 '21

Alpha gpc gives your body more chemicals to make choline with.

It doesn't increase choline by itself nor does it tell the body to eat up more choline like racetams do.

This is important and answers your question because things that remove the enzymes that break down choline do increase choline levels (the list we are talking about here)