Piracetam works, that’s not even what we’re going to discuss in this article. It is only available by prescription in the UK and other various European countries. Piracetam has not yet been reviewed by the America FDA, and as such is only classified as a “nutritional supplement”. It has been thoroughly tested since the 1960’s and has been shown to have significant effects when compared to placebo. So what is Piracetam and why is it useful to bodybuilding? That, my friend, is the question we will explore here.
Piracetam is what is known as a Nootropic, or smart drug. It has been shown to increase focus, memory, and cognitive ability. It also is thought to slow aging of the brain and is used as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Though most of the studies of this drug are focused on those who have suffered brain injury or who have mental deficits, it is fairly obvious that it has an effect on boosting and protecting mental function in normal individuals. Though its exact mechanism is not known, it has been shown to increase blood flow and oxygen consumption in certain parts of the brain and is believed to facilitate better communication between the two hemispheres of the brain.
Piracetam is primarily used in the United Kingdom and is available by prescription only under the brand names of Nootropil® and Myocalm®. It is fairly available outside the United Kingdom as a supplement for boosting cognitive ability, memory and the like. The recommended dosage is 800mg, three times a day. It often takes a week or so to begin to feel the full effects of this drug. Besides all the obvious benefits of this chemical, there is also almost no toxicity and few side effects (such as headache and dizziness) that only occur at very large dosages. I have personally been taking this supplement for some time and am noticeably more attentive, quicker on my feet, and have experienced an increased ability to store and retrieve memories. It helped me to get through school work and to remain focused on tasks in a work environment. While the effects are subtle, it does seem to have a positive impact on intellect and cognition. When I started my Piracetam regiment I was importing the name brand prescriptions from Europe (as is legal for personal use in the United States). I was very impressed with the results, but it was getting to be an expensive ordeal, until I found a domestic manufacturer in the United State that allowed me to buy the same amount of high purity, high quality Piracetam at a 1/10 of the price I was paying. Unique Nutrition has 120 capsule 800mg bottles of Piracetam available for about 12 dollars. That’s a 4 month supply! I was paying close to $50 for a single months supply. The chemical is the exact same and upwards of 99% purity. I personally feel the simple effect of increased intelligence is reason enough to buy this drug, but I found through experience and later confirmed with many other bodybuilding enthusiasts that this drug positively affected my workouts!
Besides the obvious benefit of being more focused and motivated during intense workouts, this drug has an added benefit. Though it is often neglected, the brain is a crucial element in any exercise program, especially a weight training regiment. Most people report huge gains when they first start lifting weights, you might have experienced a similar phenomena. It is not because they are getting radically stronger, rather their brain is learning how to do the movement as intensely and efficiently as possible. This is referred to as muscle memory and is one reason good form is so important in the gym. Every time you perform a rep, you brain has to tell your muscles what to do through a complex series of chemical messages. This chemical is thought to strengthen these chemical messages and allow for more intense muscle activity, leading to greater overload and increased muscle growth. Have you ever been near the end of a set and been unable to complete a rep even though you feel like you should have enough strength left to do so? I began to experience this sensation much less after only a few weeks of taking Piracetam. With a $3 per month price tag, can you afford not to try this totally safe drug? It’s done nothing but good thing for my personal and professional life and is something I highly recommend.
