To my fellow non-responders

I've been experimenting with nootropics for a long time for a variety of needs. I'm studying for the bar now and had PTSD in law school (misdiagnosed as ADHD for quite a while. Turns out PTSD/hypervigilance has similar cognitive disruptions symptomatically.) I was frequently frustrated as I was non-responsive to most racetams or cholinergic compounds ( they frequently also made me quite depressed.) Tried NSI-189, peptides, Happy-stack, and probably about 50+ different noots in addition to a robust stack of minerals, Vitamins, and supps (Vitamin D/K, Magnesium glycinate/threonate, Zinc, C, NAC etc. etc.)

Most would give me moderate health boosts, but I never felt the benefits everyone else raved about. Modafanil and my liver did not get along. Every thing had a lot of side effects. I was incredibly frustrated.

I was doing this all responsibly -- getting labs done for liver, exercising, getting good sleep. But I couldn't seem to overcome the mental fatigue and deficits. My doctor was very supportive of my not wanting to use RX meds like adderall. They suggested that we broaden the bloodwork to check for other health conditions.

Boom. Hormone, thyroid, and one not-so-insignificant but atypical mineral deficiency that it turns out was a combo of my genetics (thanks, 23andMe) and the locale I was in. Because I was so healthy and supplementing so much, I actually wasn't wildly off the charts. I was keeping numbers close to in range, but a bit of nutritional and supplement tweaking brought my biology back in to balance and just wow. Once I dialed in my chemistry, it was like my body was suddenly primed and aligned. Everything works now that didn't before. Moda. Racetams. PRL-8-53. Uridine. Bromantane. Even fish oil seems to have a noticeable boost that wasn't there before. The side effects are a tenth of what they were before and the benefits have been substantial (also not placebo -- I've tested myself using cognitive tests and the increase has been substantial.)

Sometimes being non-responsive to a compound may be because you don't need it or you just aren't "wired" for it, but if nothing is working, don't forget to go back to the basics, go broad, and try to find the underlying causes of your deficits or needs. There may be a missing piece of the puzzle that will unlock the magic of some of these compounds for you.

Edit: I’m by no means suggesting that I have a secret mineral that will fix things for you. Just suggesting that ANY mineral deficiency/hormone/neuro chemical imbalance could potentially cause the same sort of issue for you in terms of draining your bodies ability to respond to nootropics, and you need to figure yours out.

But mine was selenium. I was severely deficient. I also had low d, iodine, b12, and magnesium and potassium despite supplementing with them which was quickly remedied once I was on the selenium.

And there is plenty of skepticism about 23andMe but I learned about the methylation cycle (mostly from Chris Masterjohn) which enabled me to understand what was happening in my body and dial in the nutrition and supplementation.

I've been experimenting with nootropics for a long time for a variety of needs. I'm studying for the bar now and had PTSD in law school (misdiagnosed as ADHD for quite a while. Turns out PTSD/hypervigilance has similar cognitive disruptions symptomatically.) I was frequently frustrated as I was non-responsive to most racetams or cholinergic compounds ( they frequently also made me quite depressed.) Tried NSI-189, peptides, Happy-stack, and probably about 50+ different noots in addition to a robust stack of minerals, Vitamins, and supps (Vitamin D/K, Magnesium glycinate/threonate, Zinc, C, NAC etc. etc.)Most would give me moderate health boosts, but I never felt the benefits everyone else raved about. Modafanil and my liver did not get along. Every thing had a lot of side effects. I was incredibly frustrated.I was doing this all responsibly -- getting labs done for liver, exercising, getting good sleep. But I couldn't seem to overcome the mental fatigue and deficits. My doctor was very supportive of my not wanting to use RX meds like adderall. They suggested that we broaden the bloodwork to check for other health conditions.Boom. Hormone, thyroid, and one not-so-insignificant but atypical mineral deficiency that it turns out was a combo of my genetics (thanks, 23andMe) and the locale I was in. Because I was so healthy and supplementing so much, I actually wasn't wildly off the charts. I was keeping numbers close to in range, but a bit of nutritional and supplement tweaking brought my biology back in to balance and just wow. Once I dialed in my chemistry, it was like my body was suddenly primed and aligned. Everything works now that didn't before. Moda. Racetams. PRL-8-53. Uridine. Bromantane. Even fish oil seems to have a noticeable boost that wasn't there before. The side effects are a tenth of what they were before and the benefits have been substantial (also not placebo -- I've tested myself using cognitive tests and the increase has been substantial.)Sometimes being non-responsive to a compound may be because you don't need it or you just aren't "wired" for it, but if nothing is working, don't forget to go back to the basics, go broad, and try to find the underlying causes of your deficits or needs. There may be a missing piece of the puzzle that will unlock the magic of some of these compounds for you.Edit: I’m by no means suggesting that I have a secret mineral that will fix things for you. Just suggesting that ANY mineral deficiency/hormone/neuro chemical imbalance could potentially cause the same sort of issue for you in terms of draining your bodies ability to respond to nootropics, and you need to figure yours out.But mine was selenium. I was severely deficient. I also had low d, iodine, b12, and magnesium and potassium despite supplementing with them which was quickly remedied once I was on the selenium.And there is plenty of skepticism about 23andMe but I learned about the methylation cycle (mostly from Chris Masterjohn) which enabled me to understand what was happening in my body and dial in the nutrition and supplementation. https://ift.tt/eA8V8J https://ift.tt/3qxVhYh

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