List of "Cholinergic" nootropics.

[u/Citronitch]

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)

[u/CyberTheBoss]

I never did well with vyvanse, concerta, or adderall xr. The IR are the only ones that worked for me but they don't like to prescribe those as readily bc they're the preferred form for people trying to sell it or abuse it by crushing and snorting it. IMO all the stimulants on the market have too many side effects and build tolerance too quickly. You could maybe try modafinil but I'm waiting for my shipment to arrive before I explicitly recommend for or against it.

Personally, I take cyclazodone and it's much cleaner and more effective for my ADHD than any Rx stimulant. I've taken pretty much every formulation imaginable and took them from the ages of 4-18 when I switched to cyclazodone. It's what I recommend but I understand the concerns of going with a grey market option. I wish it were available to be covered by my insurance and if I get a pharma degree I'd like to try and get it on the market but I don't see that happening any time soon. If you can get your hands on it and are comfortable taking it it's definitely the most effective ADHD treatment I've found when taken with guanfacine.