Horror Stories From Piracetam. Are They Real?

[Astolfo]

Impairment on all of the aspects of cognition. This is what some people got from taking piracetam from moderate to long term usage. I really wonder if there is nothing to do with the excitotoxicity? If I take 400-800 mg piracetam with 0.5 mg cyproheptadine daily at morning, for a relatively long time, will be there any risk of brain damage?


I have NAC, cyproheptadine, memantine at my home. All of them seemingly neuroprotective as they are anticholinergic. But I wanted to ask here before starting to my regimen.


Also I have donepezil at the home, may I ask as well which is would be safer? Piracetam isn't being metabolized afaik, so it maybe cause a serious problem in the long term.

@ecstatichamster I guess you are acknowledged about nootropics more than an average user here. May I mention/tag you here?

 

[S-VV]

Memantine is an NMDA antagonist, which should help with excitotoxicity. Guaifesin, an OTC expectorant is also an NMDA antagonist.

On the other hand, piracetam will deplete CNS choline if taken long term. So take alpha-gcp or citicholine with it.

 

[S-VV]

Piracetam, does however, increase NMDA receptor density:

[Effects of piracetam and meclofenoxate on the brain NMDA and nicotinic receptors in mice with different exploratory efficacy in the cross maze test] - PubMed - NCBI

Effects of piracetam on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor properties in the aged mouse brain. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[S-VV]

And yet, piracetam also interacts positively with the GABA receptors:

[Participation of GABA--benzodiazepine receptor complex in the anxiolytic effect of piracetam]. - PubMed - NCBI