Nefiracetam Review: Benefits, Dosage & Side Effects
Nefiracetam is a nootropic from the racetam class, initially coming from its parent module Piracetam. Although it shares more structurally similarities with aniracetam, both of which are fat-soluble racetam drugs.
They are used for the purpose of enhancing a person's memory, improving focus, improving alertness, and reducing their anxiety levels and the effects of depression.
What is it used for?
As mentioned in the intro, nefiracetam appears to been developed for the purpose of the cognitive benefit, unlike something such as modafinil which was originally created to help those who suffered from sleep conditions such as narcolepsy, where the cognitive function it provided wasn't the immediate reason as to why it was produced.
Although one single dosage of nefiracetam does not immediately affect memory formation, rather you would need to take daily dosages of this chemical if you want an increase in cognitive memory function - 7 days or longer.
This has been proven in studies done on animals as well as some studies in humans, though these are very limited - just like most research on nootropics is.
Prolonged usage of nefiracetam has been associated with a higher rate of neurogenesis, which helps you to learn and retain the information you take in.
And as a cool side benefit; growing new neurons could help stave off Alzheimer's.
Benefits of using Nefiracetam
Though nefiracetam doesn't have as much public research as some of the other nootropics, there are a lot of benefits of using it, making it just as good as some of the more established chemicals that are used throughout the brain-boosting, biohacking, community.
Due to the benefits, I could even see it replace some of the more loved brain boosters that are commonly used by thousands of workers and students every day.
Anyway, let's get into the benefits and probably the main reason why you're here...
Nefiracetam improves memory
As discussed, nefiracetam's cognitive enhancement helps to improve you brainpower in many different ways, and one of those ways, which is common with nootropics like this, is improving your memory.
If you're interested in the science behind it, here it is:
Nefiracetam increases the protein known as Kinase C (PKC) and CaM Kinases II, these increases are crucial to memory formation (which may be at an all-time low thanks to any sort of brain trauma or due to natural aging).
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12393060/
Improves focus
Another common effect of any nootropic you can buy online is the improvements of focus you can receive, and this particular racetam is no different; due to the calming effects released after taking a dosage of nefiracetam, you will find yourself to be able to focus much more on the task at hand.
Some people have even experienced much clearer thinking and have been able to articulate themselves much better too.
Reduces anxiety
One of the things that can stop you from doing your best work during school or work hours has to be anxiety, whether it's a result of your surrounding or something you're just going through in life, it can really hold you back..
Upon consuming this chemical, your body will experience increased levels of PKS which is an essential protein in regulating anxiety levels.
Just like with anxiety, depression can inadvertently get in the way of the quality of your life, especially when you've got deadlines coming up.
Thankfully, studies suggest that the nootropic helps to manage depression too, due to the activation of CaM kinases.
Reduces stress
As covered, a regular dosage of nefiracetam increased the neurotransmitter in the brain which help to reduce stress, this also helps to increase concentration which helps you to manage your mood much better (and is the reason why you feel so focused whilst using)
Better visual acuity
One of the benefits of using nefiracetam which not many nootropics can give you is the better visual acuity, meaning that your surrounding appears to be much more pleasing on the eye.
This directly helps with staying awake and being more active since you're finding more pleasure in the most basic things.
Powder vs capsules - what's the best solution?
Typically nootropics come in capsule form, and I advise using this instead of powder since they have accurately been measured out for you beforehand, so you know how many you need to take (if this is the case) to receive the brainpower benefits you need.
Using a powdered version of nefiracetam is possible but as I said, if you are going to start using this nootropic I would recommend sticking to capsules since consuming them is a lot easier as you don't have to faff around measuring, which could cause you to under or overdose if not done properly.
So, powder or capsule?
It's up to you but I would recommend capsules just as an easier option.
Side effects of Nefiracetam
As with many noots in today's cognitive-enhancing world, a lot of the side effects come from overdosing, rather than as a result of normal dosing - take caffeine for example, if you drink a standard amount of cups, although you fee a lot more alert you could STILL may feel negative effects like anxiety and nervousness.
Though most nootropics do not have this problem and the side effects only come as a result of overdosing, and nefiracetam follows this trend.
So if you were overdosing and going against the recommended mg's I have laid out for you in this article, you could expect to experience things like:
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Nervousness
- Nausea
Again, these come as a result of OVERDOSING, so as long as you stay within the recommended amounts you should be more than fine and you will only experience the awesome side of nefiracetam.
Best Dosage for cognition
Before we get into the dosage amounts, I want to first talk about how to consume them for the best effect.
It is recommended by users to take it after eating a meal with healthy fats.
As mentioned in the beginning, from clinical research it was found that you will need to take this nootropic for several days (about 7/8) before you begin to feel the effects - so follow this recommendation when you begin using this cognitive enhancer.
Now, how much do your body and brain need to start feeling the effects of cognitive function?
Many people will take 150-450mg dosages of Nefiracetam spread out throughout the day (3 capsules taken at different times) as this is sort of the sweet spot where one can eventually feel the effects in terms of a cognitive boost.
So for that reason, I would recommend doing the same, probably taking a capsule of 150mg as soon as you wake up, one at noon and one in the evening.
What people on reddit are saying (experience)
Reddit is one of the best places to go if you want some non-biased-personal experiences from users, whether that's on a review of the latest video games or on the latest shoes - in this case, it's on Nootropics, specifically nefiracetam.
Here I am just going to copy and paste a few of Reddit users experiences so you can get an idea of what people actually thought about the noot outside of clinical studies on humans and animals:
"Had a biochemistry exam last week, and I took a single dose the day before while studying and took another the dose two hours before the exam. All I can say that it is one of the most effective supplement. I have used for studying. I got 94% on that exam, which is my highest so far this semester, and I didn't even study as much.
Normally when I'm studying, I would have to go back and review multiple times to be able to fully memorize the material, but with nefiracetam, it's just so easy to get the information in my memory and to be able to recall it with no efforts." - Reddit source
"I just received my order of nefiracetam from Newstarnootropics. I weighed out 100mg and decided to do a sublingual test. It is soluble in water, but not very much. This, mixed with the fact that the taste is not as palatable as oxiracetam, makes it one that I probably will not dose sublingually in the future. It's not nearly as bad as pramiracetam, though.
NEVER dose pramiracetam sublinigally, as it will literally burn your mouth. Noopept doses sublingually very nicely. That is my preferred method, actually. Nefiracetam gave me the same characteristic sneeze that I get when taking noopept, which I found interesting. Noopept will always make me sneeze about a minute after a sublingual dose. It might be the taste, or something else entirely, since I don't get that with other substances.
It's now about 2 hours after my dose, and I can say without a doubt that this stuff is strong! This is as strong as the first time I tried pramiracetam, and at a smaller dose. It's quite surprising, actually. The only other thing I am taking with it is bacopa, since that is a long term supplement. I am going to re-dose in a few hours and see how I react. So far it's impressive. I need more time to give it an accurate assessment, but it seems very promising."
"So it's been about an hour and I can definitely notice it. Better focus, very calm, recall and general cognition seem to be noticeably better.
Also, vision and hearing are definitely heightened. This is decent stuff so far.
For the record I've got pretty extensive experience with racetams/nootropics (piracetam, aniracetam, oxiracetam, pramiracetam, phenylpiracetam, noopept, sunifiram, adrafinil, modafinil, armodafinil, phenibut...all the basics as well) and I can definitely say that this one, more than the others (excluding phenylpiracetam, which is awesome) is very pronounced in its effects.
But who knows, first time trying it, so we'll see after a week whether it's still this noticeable. My gut says it won't be, as the others are similar, but who knows."Â - Reddit Source
If you're interested in what other users had to say about their findings, feel free to click on the links provided to check that out, some users even give their experiences to if you're looking for a deeper understanding from a consumer's point of view.
How does it compare to other racetams?
Nefiracetam is one of the many racetams which are available from the nootropics market, but how does it compare to the other ones available, and are there any better ones when it comes to racetams.
I would personally recommend using nefiracetam if you're a student or a workaholic who needs to be able to concentrate on the task at hand whilst blocking out any sort of distractions or negative thoughts (anxieties and depression-related) so that you are able to get what you need doing.
There are similar racetams that can do this for you too, such as Oxiracetam or Pramiracetam.
Though their benefits differ slightly, for example, Oxiracetam is really good at providing motivation and Pramiracetam focuses on more easing negative thoughts like depression and anxiety - though you can't really go wrong with either of them if you have these specific problems.
When compared to other racetams like Aniracetam and Phenylpiracetam, these are much better suited at improving athletic performance as they help to improve stimulant effects and helps to resist cold - so much so it has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
How it improves spatial memory
The reason why this nootropic and this racetam is considered to be one of the best for students and workers alike is that it helps them retain information that they are reading.
Some early studies suggest that even rats who had defective spatial memory saw important when taking nefiracetam in the right daily dosages - meaning that if you're someone who believes they suffer from poor memory, this nootropic may help to improve it.
This is also backed by the fact that a lot of people who have Alzheimer's use this chemical to help them retain some of their memory, as mentioned at the beginning of the article.
Because of this, it certainly a noot that I believe you should look into if you've got a test coming up which you desperately need to study for - or perhaps a presentation for work which could land you a higher paying wage.
How it affects your Sleep
Just like with a lot of nootropics out there, they can get in the way of your sleep if you decide to dose too late in the day, near your bedtime - and this racetam is obviously no different.
Since it can help with alertness and cognitive function, you seriously do not want to be taking this too late in the day or you will be feeling wide awake wanting to get on with your work.
Obviously, this is easily avoidable by just taking dosages at the right times in the day.
Some users have actually found that it has helped them with sleep, since nefiracetam reduces anxiety and stress levels throughout the day (allowing them to get on with there life as normal) they are not left at the end of the day worry about things since they've had an awesome day whilst using this noot.
So this is also something to consider if you're someone who is constantly worrying and stressing, and never get your tasks done because of it, then nefiracetam might be perfect for you.
Summary
There are many, many different nootropics to choose from, and because of this, it can be quite hard to find one that is absolutely perfect for you and one that is going to be worth pulling out your credit card and spending your hard-earned cash on.
Though with this being said, I feel like nefiracetam can be one of the best things you could add to your life if you're a busy uni student or a hard-working businessman trying to achieve financial freedom.
The fact that this nootropic can help to boost your alertness and concentration, to help with work, whilst reducing your anxiety levels and stress levels make it great for practically anyone who has things to do in their day to day lives.
My only reason as to why I wouldn't call this the best nootropic out there is because of the way you need to take it to feel some if its benefits; having to take something for a number of days before you begin to feel some of its key benefits is very annoying, especially if you need the brain boost RIGHT NOW.
But with all of this benign said, if you're looking for a long-term nootropic that can help give you the brain boost you need to hit your goals, then for me personally I see no better fit than nefiracetam.