If you’ve never heard of nootropics before HAP Body Brain Skin® or don’t know how and why they differ from adaptogens and stimulants, we’ll tell you about them!
The term nootropic dates back to 1972, when it was coined by the psychologist Corneliu E. Giurgea, from the Greek nous (mind) and tropein (turn, awaken), to identify all those substances that can enhance the cognitive abilities of the human brain, improving its performance.
Nootropics, internationally called brain boosters or cognitive enhancers, are substances of natural or synthetic origin that support and promote the 5 Brain Abilities, which are the 5 main cognitive abilities such as attention, visual perception, memory, processing speed and logical reasoning.
In fact, as truly essential nutrients for the brain, nootropics optimize the function of the nervous system, ensuring the correct supply of oxygen and nutrients, while at the same time keeping it healthy by reducing inflammation and protecting brain function from toxins to minimize the aging-related effect.
Different from the nootropic, however, is the better known and more widespread concept of the adaptogen.
Although consumed since ancient times, the term “adaptogen” was introduced by Russian scientist N.V. Lazarev in 1947 to describe substances active in promoting general well-being by increasing the body’s non-specific resistance and correcting stress ‘dysfunctions’, without serious side effects.1
Increasingly popular in the dietary supplement sector, adaptogens are now recognized as natural substances, mostly plant extracts, used in traditional phytotherapy with the aim of helping the body better adapt to and withstand stress and physical strain, restore physical and emotional balance, and improve performance under stress.2
The broad spectrum of action recognized in plant adaptogens is due to their phytochemical composition, which is rich in biologically active compounds, capable of normalizing and regulating physiological functions as a whole, but at the same time difficult to ascribe to a targeted action on a specific organ or system.3 Even today, research continues to investigate their mechanism of action in order to discover in detail how and why adaptogens help regulate the human body’s natural response to stress.
While the adaptogen is almost non-toxic to the recipient, working on the entire body system to gradually improve energy and resilience, the class of stimulants acts by altering the central nervous system.
They are described by the World Health Organization as substances that increase, accelerate or enhance neuronal activity.4 The class of stimulants is quite broad, but they all have in common that they increase the permanence of neurotransmitter in the bloodstream in such a way as to increase psychophysical performance and biological functions for a short period. This action on neurotransmitters thus makes it possible to quickly benefit from a state of alertness and increased brain activity, but at a cost: the rapid non-physiological energy peak associated with taking stimulants is inevitably followed by a sharp drop in energy (down effect).
Let us clarify this.
NOOTROPICS: essential nutrients that benefit the brain and nervous system, improving both its performance and cognitive health over time. Useful, therefore, to best support key cognitive abilities and to prevent or reduce decline in brain function, starting at any age.
ADAPTOGENS: promote the body‘s ability to resist, adapt to and overcome stressful situations, promoting balance on both physical and mental levels. They act on mood and support energy, counteracting asthenia and stress.3
STIMULANTS: offer a rapid, non-physiological energy peak, with increased performance, attention and work capacity, albeit momentary.
NOOTROPICS: as fundamental structural components, they act by various mechanisms in the complexity of the target organ, the brain. They act as dilators of cerebral blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the brain with improved oxygen and nutrient supply, promote neurotransmitter release, stimulate brain regeneration and increase conduction velocity, in full respect of its physiological activity. They also reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, exerting a neuroprotective action. 5
ADAPTOGENS: also referred to as “metabolic regulators” due to their normalizing effect on the body. As they are characterized by their non-specific action and extremely rich and heterogeneous phytochemical composition, it is complex to fully understand their mechanism of action.2 Their tonic effect is modulated according to the stimulus-response coupling: the benefit against conditions of asthenia is all the more pronounced the more the body’s balance is altered.
STIMULANTS: They alter brain chemistry, ‘flooding’ it with neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, with immediate benefits in terms of alertness, ability to concentrate on mental tasks, combined with euphoria.
NOOTROPICS:
Sialic Acid, Nervonic Acid, Ginkgo Biloba, Citicoline, Magnolia etc.
ADAPTOGENS:
Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Panax Gingseng, Ashwagandha, Bacopa Monnieri, Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis) ecc. 2,6,7
STIMULANTS:
Caffeine, Guarana, etc.
NOOTROPICS: have no side effects or excitatory effects. However, like all natural substances, some nootropics may have specific warnings.
ADAPTOGENS: require multiple doses to be effective but lack the excitatory and down effect.
STIMULANTS: The increase in work capacity is rapid but temporary, with subsequent decline in performance (down effect). Acute or chronic overuse leads to restlessness and insomnia, creating a kind of addiction, with feelings of mental fatigue, headaches, weakness, and withdrawal-related malaise.8,9 They also increase cortisol levels and oxidative stress, altering metabolism, mood, and immune function.
With the aim of selectively targeting the support of key cognitive processes, offering high-performance support while fully respecting brain health, HAP Body Brain Skin® has formulated the dietary supplement Brain 5:5® as an exclusive patent pending combination of 5 nootropic actives.
The 5 nootropics selected in Brain 5:5® optimize memory, attention, logical reasoning, processing speed and visual perception (the 5 Brain Abilities) while simultaneously supporting the neurotrophic, neuroprotective and neuroplasticity mechanisms of the nervous system as well as counteracting oxidative stress and inflammatory status in the natural ageing process from the age of 20-30.
To reduce the impact of anxiety and stress on cognitive abilities, Brain 5:5® combines maximum mental potential with a state of mood balance thanks to the dual activity of Magnolia bark extract.
Brain 5:5® thus simultaneously supports performance and brain health, without negative effects.
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