The “brain boosters” term is surfacing more nowadays. These are nothing but medicines that boost your brain function. These are smart drugs or nootropic agents; in a sophisticated language. Smart drugs are recently beginning to popularize, and soon, its demand increased in the market. Cognitive functions and enhancement of memory improve by taking smart drugs.

Prescription Smart Drugs

Prescription smart drugs show simulative effects on your brain. These drugs have the ability to stabilize the symptoms of medical conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, or maybe Alzheimer’s. So, let’s know more about prescription-based smart drugs. Smart drugs treat a medical condition. It acts as a stimulant, such as amphetamine. That can help treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, dementia, or other daytime sleeping disorders.

Different types of prescription nootropic drugs are:

1. Provigil, a stimulant drug that controls narcolepsy symptoms
2. Adderall, an amphetamine-containing drug used to treat ADHD
3. Axura, a drug to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
4. Ritalin, a stimulant that controls symptoms of narcolepsy and ADHD

All the above-listed drugs are prescription-based; recommended for a specific medical condition. Using these recreationally can be dangerous. Like any other medicines, prescription-based smart drugs also cause some common side effects.

Common side effects of prescription-based smart drugs are:

1. Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
2. High blood pressure
3. Trouble in sleeping
4. Distorted vision
5. addiction

Research studies regarding smart drugs suggested that smart drugs stimulate brain function that can result in impulsive behavior of patients. Therefore, one must take smart drugs under medical surveillance, which will help the healthcare workers to monitor the patient’s side effects.

Over-The-Counter Smart Drugs

The term nootropic denotes natural or artificial stimulants. Now, we will discuss a non-prescription nootropic agent. Non-prescription substances work to increase brain focus or concentration, such as caffeine and creatine. These are also nootropic agents. They are not proven to treat any medical condition, but they help to enhance thinking, memory, and decision making.

Caffeine

It is a common stimulant and considered a nootropic agent. Caffeine is present in different beverages, such as coffee or tea, because of their stimulant effects people feel fresh and energized. Studies suggest that caffeine is safe to consume when taken in a balanced quantity.

Regularly taking cuppa tea or coffee in the morning is a great way that kick starts your brain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised that people roughly consume 400mg of caffeine in a day, which is 4-5 cups of tea or coffee. Powders and pills of caffeine contain a higher amount of this agent. Consuming powder or a pill may result in a caffeine overdose and even death, in a rare case.

Pregnant women or those women who are expecting may need to consume limited caffeine. Studies have found pieces of evidence that drinking more than four cups of caffeine in a day have a higher chance of pregnancy loss.

These were the list of prescription and OTC nootropic drugs to promote wakefulness. Remember to take nootropic drugs after consulting your doctor.