Is It Possible To Increase Your Intelligence?

[Travis]

"Genetics make up an estimated 40 to 80% of a person's IQ"

I personally disagree. You cannot usually separate heritability from genetics based on epidemiological studies alone. You need a biological justification for how this happens.

I think that intelligence is poorly understood on the molecular level by most scientists, and especially psychologists. Most likely, brain microtubules are what produces consciousness.

These are tubular protein structures with resonant amino acids in the center. Tryptophan–with its flourescent indole ring–is arranged periodically inside the microtubules in a periodic linear fashion.


Histidine is arranged helically.

Both of these amino acid rings have a conjugated π-electron system. Tryptophan is fluorescent and electrons can jump from one to the other.

Some of the most powerful psychedelics—such as DMT, psilocybin, and LSD*—have indole rings. General anesthetics are thought to accumulate in the hydrophobic interior of the microtubule and interfere with electron conduction.

So far, most of the people who are working on this aren't quantum chemists; they are computer science (informatics) people, physicists, and psychologists. We need people like Linus Pauling and Gilbert Ling to work on this.

Conduction pathways in microtubules, biological quantum computation, and consciousness

If the spatial orientation and electrical potential of these conductive microtubules were the cause of consciousness, then anything that interfered with them could decrease IQ. The phosphorylated τ-protein—crosslinked by aluminum in the brain—connects to microtubules and effects their orientation. This could explain Alzheimer's.

aluminum ⇒ crosslinked τ ⇒ disoriented microtubule ⇒ altered consciousness


Low-iodine groups repeatedly score lower on IQ tests that high-iodine groups (~13pt), so thyroid hormone seems to be a major determinant of intelligence during development. Ray Peat seems to agree with this. And since this is nearly an entire standard deviation, you could make the statement that thyroid hormone determines about 33% of intelligence in certain countries (like China and Nepal).

Avoid any discussion of Flat Earth theories.

It's a public service to keep the flat-Earth mindvirus from spreading.


*Although LSD is not always considered an "indole", its ergoline ring does contain an indole ring attached to an octahydrylquinoline ring (red).

 

[Constatine]

Also, totally off topic but do you know anything about smoking cigarettes like 10-20 a day, how it impacts your health(obvisiously bad) and what ray peats view about it is?

There is a whole lot that goes on with cigarettes. In terms of its effects on intelligence it is one of the most effective nootropic substances however long term exposure can lead to thiamine deficiencies, downregulated D2 receptors in the striatum as well as increased cholinergic receptors (which will alter motivation and reward behavior), and mitochondrial problems. There are plenty of positive effects of nicotine as well though including reduced inflammation, enhanced androgens - reduced estrogens, enhanced red blood cell count and capillaries, increased insulin sensitivity, bone growth, etc. In my opinion it is a very healthy substance when used intermittently and not long term. The act of inhaling smoke is very carcinogenic though so nicotine patches are much more safe (though they don't provide exactly the same effects as smoking tobacco- less androgenic). Smoking moderately is fine as well but 10-20 times a day might cause some problems. I don't know Peat's view on it.

 

[Constatine]

Avoid any discussion of Flat Earth theories

+1

 

[Travis]

...as well as increased cholinergic receptors...

This could be why smokers have lower Parkinson's disease.

 

[Constatine]

I didn't really mean IQ but rather how to increase learning: Be better in sport, get better grades, learn a language faster, learn martial arts(sports) faster, learn how to drive a motor cycle faster

Having good thyroid function, high androgens, and plenty of enriching experiences is a good way to do this.

 

[Queequeg]

I see what you're saying (sort of) about the circularity of having a high IQ and achieving "successful life outcomes" in an authoritarian-driven, generally unintelligent and non-creative society. But I stand unconvinced that IQ tests aren't still measuring something that is meaningful and beneficial.

me too.

 

[Drareg]

I see what you're saying (sort of) about the circularity of having a high IQ and achieving "successful life outcomes" in an authoritarian-driven, generally unintelligent and non-creative society. But I stand unconvinced that IQ tests aren't still measuring something that is meaningful and beneficial.

Reality is meaningful,there is meaning everywhere,that's the "g" woo I speak of,they regressed into "g" when the argument on IQ was cornered, this "g" is tested by making tea/coffee as I mentioned in the past observing people on a daily basis was used to measure intelligence,this is more accurate than IQ as it measures more the physical flesh in action with the environment,true energy levels,just as corruptible though.
Urinating also tests "g", generally you get better at urninating from peeing in diaper as a kid to coherent as an adult,peeing technique is generally stable over a lifetime unless you take chemicals or have other outside issues,now replace the word urinating here with IQ and adjust a word here and there and you get my point.
The creator of "g" speaks of topology,I'm looking into whether there is topological mathematics behind "g" or whether it's another hoodwink with words to make the theory sound better

There is a huge dissonance with those in power and academia on IQ,on one hand it's an authoritarians dream to control society with an IQ hierarchy "scientifically backed" is the perfect foil,the dissonance is when said authoritarian may have to take an IQ test and potentially give up his/her place in power because they are not "intelligent" enough.
The argument of definitions like "successful life outcomes" will not happen between these 2 sides arguing,if a politician starts arguing points like doctors murdering people and being defined as successful while doing so,said politician won't get far,same logic applies with academics who rely on said system for 3 months off in the summer and big a salaries to preach in majority of cases.

Something that never gets discussed is how people put together an IQ test as I mentioned,if you think about it,some psychologist puts it together on an individual basis,now in this process there is even more flaws at work.

 

[Drareg]

me too.

What's your take then on IQ increasing by such large amount by each generation yet many feel society is more stupid and generally achieving little coherent with more achieved toward self destruction?

 

[Drareg]

I didn't really mean IQ but rather how to increase learning: Be better in sport, get better grades, learn a language faster, learn martial arts(sports) faster, learn how to drive a motor cycle faster

It's interesting what your definition of intelligence is,it differs for us all slightly within the same culture let's say the west and more so culturally elsewhere but creative ability is commonly acknowledge as true intelligence to all,whenever we see a great idea that is coherent with realities flow even a little one we see the insight highlighted by the individual in question and know this as intelligent behaviour.

Learning by definition implies getting experience,putting yourself in the position to get this experience is the first thing you should do,after this you need biological coherence or flesh structure coherency to absorb experiences,it still takes time. What is recommended in this thread is a good start to explore.
Overall it's good to keep in mind even if you learn very fast you still can't do it all in life or learn it all,or is it a case of people being would be more at ease if they realised they are all or have the potential to be all,the processes required for this knowing after experiencing to unfold requires time or a better word is motion,the movement must move as a process and this has a tempo,the reality then suggests things are learned at there own pace,some slow some faster than your current processing capacity.
In this "all" you get baggage from an epigenetics past,not just human epigentics pasts but also environmental/natures epigentics baggage/past all an ever changing dynamic,hacking this is interesting to think about.

Find the "flow"of each process and then you will know it perhaps?
Peat speaks about thiamine and coffee slowing down time as your capacity to perceive more of your environment broadens. he sees the brain like a battery,the more charge(coherent energy)it has the more the environment can signal to it,the more you can hold patterns in process and see metaphor and analogy I think?

 

[Drareg]

I personally disagree. You cannot usually separate heritability from genetics based on epidemiological studies alone. You need a biological justification for how this happens.

I think that intelligence is poorly understood on the molecular level by most scientists, and especially psychologists. Most likely, brain microtubules are what produces consciousness.

These are tubular protein structures with resonant amino acids in the center. Tryptophan–with its flourescent indole ring–is arranged periodically inside the microtubules in a periodic linear fashion.
View attachment 5927

Histidine is arranged helically.
View attachment 5928
Both of these amino acid rings have a conjugated π-electron system. Tryptophan is fluorescent and electrons can jump from one to the other.

Some of the most powerful psychedelics—such as DMT, psilocybin, and LSD*—have indole rings. General anesthetics are thought to accumulate in the hydrophobic interior of the microtubule and interfere with electron conduction.

So far, most of the people who are working on this aren't quantum chemists; they are computer science (informatics) people, physicists, and psychologists. We need people like Linus Pauling and Gilbert Ling to work on this.

Conduction pathways in microtubules, biological quantum computation, and consciousness

If the spatial orientation and electrical potential of these conductive microtubules were the cause of consciousness, then anything that interfered with them could decrease IQ. The phosphorylated τ-protein—crosslinked by aluminum in the brain—connects to microtubules and effects their orientation. This could explain Alzheimer's.

aluminum ⇒ crosslinked τ ⇒ disoriented microtubule ⇒ altered consciousness


Low-iodine groups repeatedly score lower on IQ tests that high-iodine groups (~13pt), so thyroid hormone seems to be a major determinant of intelligence during development. Ray Peat seems to agree with this. And since this is nearly an entire standard deviation, you could make the statement that thyroid hormone determines about 33% of intelligence in certain countries (like China and Nepal).

It's a public service to keep the flat-Earth mindvirus from spreading.


*Although LSD is not always considered an "indole", its ergoline ring does contain an indole ring attached to an octahydrylquinoline ring (red).
View attachment 5930

I was searching recently for fat content of microtubules or any roles it may play ,PUFA,saturated etc Have you come across anything?

 

[Djukami]

Talking about IQ? I feel like I just have to put this here... Seriously, c'mon

Btw, I think participating in forums like this, may actually benefit in terms of intelligence. Seeing so many different people opinions, some genius here and there, makes you grow a lot. You realize every single day how tiny you are and that opens new opportunities to learn. Unless you feel depressed to see how ignorant you are, which can happen. That actually can remove your motivation. But this realization of "not knowing everything" is, in my opinion, a good sign of intelligence.

Also, this may sound weird, but is it possible that suffering can improve your intelligence? Seriously, most people that have suffered a lot, see life in a different complete way. It really opens their mind. While others, people who are living by the rules of being born - grow - school - job - marriage - children - reform - grandchildren - dead, I think you get what I am trying to say, seem to remain in the same state of intelligence. But, perhaps I am wrong...
For instance, my friends that have studied Medicine, some seem to remain in the "I know everything" arrogant state of intelligence and don't realize how little they know. They may indeed know a lot of things, but they seem to forget the whole picture. I hope I am not confusing intelligence with knowledge though.

 

[baggywrinkle]

emotional movement is from my experience the gatherer of intelligence
then it depends on how parental you are
most are fragments of others and will never know even though they appear to be intelligent
its a tricky one
who amongst us here moves their deep seated emotions?

 

[Travis]

I was searching recently for fat content of microtubules or any roles it may play, PUFA, saturated etc Have you come across anything?

Microtubules are 100% protein, but I'm not sure how many of them have a lipid coat in vivo. They are found in both myelinated and unmyelinated nerves.

Below are oleic acid phospolipids on a microtubule. The phospho- group is positively charged and is attracted to the microtubule:

To give an idea of scale, the diameter of a microtubule is ~250 Å.

And the length of the the lipid is hard to calculate because oleic acid has a kink and the experimenters didn't even mention if it was cis or trans. We can use trigonometry and published bond lengths to estimate cis-oleic phospholipid at around 25.4 Å.* So they are barely visible in the ↑above micrograph, about ¹⁄₁₀ the size of the microtubule.

So it's difficult to see if they are actually lipidated in vivo. I don't know if the micrograph below had been defatted or not, as I couldn't find the original citation. This was prepared for electron microscopy so any lipids were probably removed during fixing, leaving the bare protein skeleton.

So I'm not really sure if they usually have a lipid coat or not. These things are so small that they are hard to image. Raman spectroscopy could probably find out since you can image live cells and use the IR spectrum of the phosphoester bond to see if it's present. I don't think this has been done. I can't find anything on this.

Most papers deal with the inside of the tubules. An interesting paper is called Detection of Tryptophan to Tryptophan Energy Transfer in Proteins.

Photons can fluoresce from one tryptophan (indole) to another. The acceptor indole can the re-emit the photon. If they are close enough, then there is very little energy wasted in the transition. This is called Förster resonance energy transfer.

This is the most plausible mechanism of nerve transmission throughout the body. Microtubules are directly coupled to mitochondria which could act as the energy source to excite the indoles.

This is a micrograph of microtubules stained with fluorescent antibodies. These are like nerves within nerves and the true carriers of information.

I made the analogy of microtubles to fiber optic cables, only to realize that this has already been done. Perhaps the best article is called EMISSION OF MITOCHONDRIAL BIOPHOTONS AND THEIR EFFECT ON ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF MEMBRANE VIA MICROTUBULES. This in interesting and was authored by a physicist who uses the Schrödinger Wave Equation to model waveforms inside of microtubules. He even compares his calculated waves to actual EEG readings.

However, he makes no mention of the word "indole" or "tryptophan" even once. Since these are the things which actually guide the biophotons—and not the diameter of the microtubule—I think the mathematical foundation should be laid using the
Förster resonance energy transfer equations.

Biophotons are a reality and have been measured emanating from living cells. Sometimes this is called 'ultraweak emission'.

What is interesting about psychedelic molecules is that there psychedelic potency correlates with their highest occupied molecular orbital. Nothing else correlates. This makes the idea of a protein receptor—which fits in a lock-and-key manner depending on the molecule's shape—seem wrong in this case.† Psychedelics seem to be able to donate electrons to the inside of the microtubules or affect the wave frequency or amplitude in some way. Anesthetics seem to be capable of quenching photonic transmission.

Some Articles
•A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HALLUCINOGENIC ACTIVITY OF DRUGS AND THEIR ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION
•THE CHEMILUMINESCENCE OF CERTAIN INDOLES
•Fluoresence Quenching of the Indole Ring System by Lanthanide Ions
•Trifluoroethanol Quenches Indole Fluorescence by Excited-State Proton Transfer
•Brain chemiluminescence and oxidative stress in hyperthyroid rats



*For cis-stearic acid:
lengh A (terminal oxygen to carbon ω–9)=12(1.54Å)sin(54.75°)+2(1.43Å)sin(55.15°)+2(1.47Å)sin(54.75°)=20.28Å
lengh B (carbon ω–9 to carbon ω )=8(1.54Å)sin(54.75°)=10.06Å
Law of cosines calculator with 109° kink angle
†But the "lock-and-key" relationship still holds for some enzyme and antibody interactions.

 

[bram]

It's interesting what your definition of intelligence is,it differs for us all slightly within the same culture let's say the west and more so culturally elsewhere but creative ability is commonly acknowledge as true intelligence to all,whenever we see a great idea that is coherent with realities flow even a little one we see the insight highlighted by the individual in question and know this as intelligent behaviour.

Learning by definition implies getting experience,putting yourself in the position to get this experience is the first thing you should do,after this you need biological coherence or flesh structure coherency to absorb experiences,it still takes time. What is recommended in this thread is a good start to explore.
Overall it's good to keep in mind even if you learn very fast you still can't do it all in life or learn it all,or is it a case of people being would be more at ease if they realised they are all or have the potential to be all,the processes required for this knowing after experiencing to unfold requires time or a better word is motion,the movement must move as a process and this has a tempo,the reality then suggests things are learned at there own pace,some slow some faster than your current processing capacity.
In this "all" you get baggage from an epigenetics past,not just human epigentics pasts but also environmental/natures epigentics baggage/past all an ever changing dynamic,hacking this is interesting to think about.

Find the "flow"of each process and then you will know it perhaps?
Peat speaks about thiamine and coffee slowing down time as your capacity to perceive more of your environment broadens. he sees the brain like a battery,the more charge(coherent energy)it has the more the environment can signal to it,the more you can hold patterns in process and see metaphor and analogy I think?

What you are saying about suffering could be true, but I think that people who have experienced loss or something like that in there lives, can Just cope better with other stresses in life, I recall a study I read which stated that one third of all presidents in the usa have lost a parent at a young age, the conclusion was that losing a parent is of course one of the most devastating things you can experience, but it also made them have more willpower, more grit to succeed. But that is just speculation. But there is a correlation between succesfull people and losing a parent at a young age. I have to mention that a big percentage of people in prison also lost a parent at a young age so it could go both ways.

Edit: I found the article!
Successful Children Who Lost A Parent — Why Are There So Many Of Them?

 

[xiaohua]

The question of universal intelligence and the use of religion are two entirely different things and we should treat it as such. I personally respect the ideas of ancient people as their perspectives lack modern day dogmatic patterns of thought (not saying they are right or wrong but it certainly provides fresh perspectives).
Also I personally don't think linguistics promotes intelligence. Rather the opposite. Language certainly enables us to focus thought processes and more but it also creates many logical fallacies, poor assumptions, and delusions regarding reality. A man without a language is a free thinker IMO.

I love what you said here. I enjoy learning languages, but I find having to communicate in words is frustrating and often clumsy. I wish telepathy was possible.

 

[AJC]

The question of universal intelligence and the use of religion are two entirely different things and we should treat it as such. I personally respect the ideas of ancient people as their perspectives lack modern day dogmatic patterns of thought (not saying they are right or wrong but it certainly provides fresh perspectives).
Also I personally don't think linguistics promotes intelligence. Rather the opposite. Language certainly enables us to focus thought processes and more but it also creates many logical fallacies, poor assumptions, and delusions regarding reality. A man without a language is a free thinker IMO.

I agree that improper use of language can cause problems (in fact, I'd say many of the biggest inter and intrapersonal problems in society are caused by this), but it is not necessary to use language incorrectly. Have you heard of "Science and Sanity"? This book refers directly to this problem. After reading it and integrating many of its points I would say that my "intelligence" has certainly increased due to the fact that I no longer confuse words with reality (at least to the same degree as before). This has enabled greater freedom of thought metaphorically while at the same time providing better analytical capacity. It's actually remarkable.

When words and language act like fine clothes that can be put on or taken off of your perceptions at will, rather than "as the perceptions themselves" then they are a great benefit.

 

[xiaohua]

FWIW, I am a Mensa member and I suck at life, lol. (Verbal reasoning is where my strengths lie, not the pattern recognition type of IQ tests.) But I also haven't chased 'success' in the conventional sense. I would say that having a high IQ is anxiety-inducing because I'm always overthinking all possible outcomes in any situation, and secondly that intelligence (or our conception of it in Western society) is pretty much doomed and possibly overrated in the grand scheme of things, because the more intelligent / educated you are the less likely you are to reproduce. How smart is that, really? I could talk about my theories on social engineering, and how intelligent women have been brainwashed by feminism to think that raising a family=demeaning drudgery while wage slavery=empowerment, but I'll leave it at that for now.

 

[Constatine]

I agree that improper use of language can cause problems (in fact, I'd say many of the biggest inter and intrapersonal problems in society are caused by this), but it is not necessary to use language incorrectly. Have you heard of "Science and Sanity"? This book refers directly to this problem. After reading it and integrating many of its points I would say that my "intelligence" has certainly increased due to the fact that I no longer confuse words with reality (at least to the same degree as before). This has enabled greater freedom of thought metaphorically while at the same time providing better analytical capacity. It's actually remarkable.

When words and language act like fine clothes that can be put on or taken off of your perceptions at will, rather than "as the perceptions themselves" then they are a great benefit.

I've been meaning to read this since you first mentioned it. Sounds very interesting, thanks for the recommendation.

 

[AJC]

I've been meaning to read this since you first mentioned it. Sounds very interesting, thanks for the recommendation.

You're welcome, truly world-changing for me.

 

[Constatine]

FWIW, I am a Mensa member and I suck at life, lol. (Verbal reasoning is where my strengths lie, not the pattern recognition type of IQ tests.) But I also haven't chased 'success' in the conventional sense. I would say that having a high IQ is anxiety-inducing because I'm always overthinking all possible outcomes in any situation, and secondly that intelligence (or our conception of it in Western society) is pretty much doomed and possibly overrated in the grand scheme of things, because the more intelligent / educated you are the less likely you are to reproduce. How smart is that, really? I could talk about my theories on social engineering, and how intelligent women have been brainwashed by feminism to think that raising a family=demeaning drudgery while wage slavery=empowerment, but I'll leave it at that for now.

It seems that the stereotypical high IQ individual dwells internally and relies heavily on language and mechanistic reasoning while the common individual dwells on the experience and seldom employs internal dialog. Imo living inside ones own head can create many problems from delusion to poor "processing speeds". I think this is a huge factor to why high iq people have trouble reproducing and living well in general. Also these behaviors (that of a high IQ individual) are akin to that seen in people with high serotonin. I think high serotonin is largely responsible for modern day Rationalism ( Ray Peat's definition of Rationalism).