A comparison of some of the popular racetams
A comparison of the common racetams
I have used most of the common racetams, notably Pramiracetam, Phenylpiracetam, Aniracetam, and Piracetam.
The only one I don’t like is Pramiracetam, but the other ones all effect me well.
Energy and motivation:
-Pramiracetam effects me positively in this regard. After a dose of Pramiracetam I have more energy to complete tasks, and finish work which I have been putting off.
-Phenypiracetam effects me the best out of all of these in this regard. The stimulating effects of Phenylpiracetam are quite strong, and they allow me to bang out work like none other.
-Aniracetam dosen’t give me motivation or increased energy. It DOES relax me and reduce anxiety, and thus by extension it causes me to be able to focus on working without getting distrracted by anxious thoughts. Even though I don't find Aniracetam to be directly stimulating, it does prevent me from sleeping if I take it too soon before going to bed.
-Piracetam gives me a mild boost here, but nothing like Phenyl or Pramiracetam. It is still a noticeable effect, and I am thankful for it.
Anxiety:
-Pramiracetam makes my anxiety go away, but not in a pleasant way. It simply turns me into a machine with no concept of what anxiety is. Bleh. Pramiracetam makes me feel like a fucking robot. It’s awful. When I take a dose of Pramiracetam I am empty and depressed feeling for hours afterwards. I do not take Pramiracetam anymore, and have not looked back.
-Phenylpiracetam reduces my anxiety a lot. It gives me the classic “stimulant confidence” and make me very sociable and confident.
-Aniracetam reduces my anxiety the best of all these. It’s as if it scrubs my mind free of cobwebs, and allows me to think clearly. These effects are very strong and noticeable, and have only gotten better since I started taking it. I now have far less anxiety that I did before I began supplementing with Aniracetam.
-Piracetam causes a moderate reduction to my anxiety. It is not on the tier of Aniracetam or Phenylpiracetam in this regard, but the effects are noticeable. The main way in which it has this effect is the way in which Piracetam increases my verbal fluidity. I feel much better about my ability to converse with others when I’m on Piracetam, because I am much better at conversing with others when I’m on Piracetam.
Health and side effects:
-Pramiracetam is not approved by the FDA, and it’s health effects have not been heavily studied. As it is a novel compound, I advise serious caution when using it.
-Phenypiracetam is a strong stimulant, so you should be especially cautious when using it. Stimulants are known to be very addictive, and can also be quite neurotoxic. If you decide to use Phenypiracetam, you should consult a doctor beforehand, and be very careful about it.
-Aniracetam is relatively well studied, and is likely quite safe. Again, even thought it is very unlikely to do you any harm, you should still consult a doctor before using it.
-Piracetam is the by far the most studied and understood of the 4 chemicals listed here. Piracetam has an incredibly good safety profile, and is actually good for your brain in the long term (still talk to your doctor before using it, though).
With all of these racetam nootropics, it is very important that you take a choline source with them. Choline is the building block of acetylcholine, thus taking it will make the racetams far more effective. In addition to this, not supplementing choline with nootropics which increase acetylcholine (as racetams do) can cause choline fatigue. Choline fatigue is characterized by headaches, nausea, and lethargy. Just get yourself some choline, ok?!
All nootropics are also very variable in how they effect an individual, so don’t assume that you will get these exact effects from any of these nootropics. In my opinion it is best if you get a little bit of a few different nootropics and test them out so you can get a better idea of which ones you like, and which ones you don’t like.
Thank you for reading my comparison, and I hope you found it useful. If you have any questions/concerns/constructive criticism, leave it in a comment below!
