Do Nootropics Have Side Effects? (Everything Explained)

Yes, nootropics can have certain side effects like allergic reactions, stomach upset, or jitters, but many side effects are much more prevalent in synthetic forms than in natural nootropics.

According to Dr. Corneliu Giurgea, the father of nootropics, any cognitive enhancer must be free from side effects to be considered a true nootropic [1].

To put it in simple terms: real nootropics do not have widely occurring side effects.

However, after looking through all the research studies on the effects of various smart drugs, we learned the answer is a little more nuanced than that.

While proper use of true nootropics doesn’t lead to side effects in and of themselves, there are certain caveats to this.

To understand this better, we need to look at what factors or conditions make people react negatively to real nootropics.

This factor applies more to synthetic nootropics and supplements that claim to be natural nootropics.

When supplements that claim to be nootropics contain artificial ingredients or preservatives, they’re more likely to cause a bad reaction.

Tolerance

Misuse can make you build a tolerance to certain nootropics. While this is possible with organic nootropics, it’s more common with prescription smart drugs.

Tolerance can lead to megadosing because people might look for the initial effect of the nootropic.

This can lead to overdose side effects.

Interactions With Medication

Nootropic side effects from interaction with medication are quite rare, and the possible combinations are too many to list.

Here are a few examples:

• ADHD medication and caffeine: The stimulating effects of both substances can lead to hyperactivity [2].
• Antidepressant medication and 5-HTP: This combination could lead to serotonin syndrome, a condition that causes mental changes, hot flashes, rapidly fluctuating heart rate and blood pressure, and possibly a coma [3].
• Blood thinners and ginkgo: Combining these two may slow down blood clots, leading to bruising and bleeding [4].

If you’re on any medication and wish to take natural or synthetic nootropics, consult your physician first.

The common side effects of nootropics are brain fog, headaches, digestive issues, insomnia, and many others, but these are very rare with natural nootropics.

However, synthetic nootropics may cause side effects like high blood pressure, altered brain chemistry, mild cognitive impairment, increased heart rate, insomnia, other sleep disorders, vision problems, and addiction [5].

All smart drugs contribute to your brain health in different ways.

In the same light, they all have varying side effects.

So, you can’t really say all these side effects are the result of nootropics in general.

To get a better understanding of the symptoms of nootropics, let’s take a look at the side effects caused by some natural and synthetic smart drugs.

Natural Nootropic Side Effects

Here are a few examples of natural nootropics that may lead to side effects:

• Caffeine: Overdosing with caffeine can lead to headaches, dizziness, anxiety, dependency, insomnia, restlessness, and many other symptoms [6].
• Huperzine A: In rare instances, it can cause nausea, vomiting, sweating, blurred vision, and constipation [7].
• Rhodiola rosea: Side effects of Rhodiola Rosea may cause allergy, irritability, increased blood pressure, chest pain, and insomnia [8].
• Bacopa monnieri: May cause stomach cramps, nausea, and dry mouth in very rare instances [9].
• Panax ginseng: In very rare cases, it may cause rashes, liver damage, and allergic reactions [10].
• Lion’s mane mushroom: If dosage exceeds more than 1 gram a day for over 16 weeks, it might lead to stomach discomfort [11].
• Ginkgo biloba: When taken beyond recommended dosage, it can lead to headache, dizziness, heart palpitations, upset stomach, allergic skin reactions, and constipation [12].
• Choline: Consuming too much choline can lead to a fishy body odor, vomiting, low blood pressure, heavy sweating and salivation, liver damage, and an increased risk of heart disease [13].

It’s worth mentioning this again, side effects from a natural smart drug are very rare because they’re not as susceptible to misuse.

Synthetic nootropics are designed to improve memory and cognitive functioning and prevent the aging of brain cells.

However, some of them have several negative side effects.

Here are some examples of adverse effects from various prescription nootropics (pharmaceutical drugs) [14].

Armodafinil:

• Use: Supports wakefulness.
• Reported side effects: headache, diarrhea, and nasopharyngitis (common cold).

Citicoline:

• Use: Improves memory.
• Reported side effects: Headaches, insomnia, restlessness, fatigue, tremors, myalgias (muscle pain), and gastrointestinal discomfort.

Piracetam:

• Use: Improves memory and cognitive function.
• Reported side effects: Memory loss, dizziness, dysphoria, psychomotor agitation, and diarrhea.

Ampakines:

• Use: Supports memory, learning, alertness, and cognitive enhancement.
• Reported side effects: Impairment in spatial memory and motor function.

Cerebrolysin:

• Use: Supports sensory and cognitive enhancement.
• Reported side effects: hot flashes, agitation, and vertigo.

“Adderall, a prescription nootropic containing amphetamines to address the symptoms of ADHD, may cause dry mouth, stomach pain, nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite, headache, diarrhea, and sleep issues.”
- Dr. Michael Lam, MD, Physician in Anti-Aging Medicine

Nootropic Side Effects - An Important Note

One of the biggest issues of nootropic safety is that many nootropics haven't been sufficiently put through research scrutiny.

So, making a definitive claim on nootropic safety — both natural and synthetic — when they haven't been sufficiently tested isn't warranted. Every nootropic operates on a different mechanism when producing its effects.

You can choose a safe and effective nootropic product by thoroughly going through the ingredient list.

If you find any ingredients that you’re allergic to or any you can’t recognize, speak to your physician before trying the product.

To purchase the best nootropics supplements, you’ll need to know what the best ones look like.

1. Clean Ingredient Label

Make sure that the nootropic supplements you buy are:

• Free from artificial colors, gluten, soy, stimulants, GMOs, or any synthetic additives
• Made with only safe, natural, and clinically-tested ingredients
• Bottled in 100% BPA-free bottles to reduce the risk of any allergies or substance sensitivities

All of this won’t guarantee zero side effects in all cases. Misuse, overdosage, and rare cases of allergies might still lead to certain side effects.

But choosing a natural nootropic supplement with a clean ingredient label may minimize the risk of some allergies and substance sensitivities, and it ensures that users are consuming only natural ingredients.

2. Figure Out Your Dosage

Since overdosing on nootropics can lead to some nasty side effects, we recommend reading the label and also factoring in the nootropics you might be getting from your meals.

This applies to people who are on medication.

Certain medications could make users highly sensitive and vulnerable to a number of substances, nootropics included.

So, if you’re on any medication, consult your local physician before going on any cognitive enhancers.

We highly recommend you note down the entire ingredient profile of various nootropics and discuss each one of them with your physician.

Even if you’re not on medication, it’s good to go over the ingredient list with a physician so they can point out any substances that could be potentially harmful.

“My advice is to start slow, listen to your body, adjust accordingly, and always tell your doctor about your supplement use.”
- Dr. William Cole, Functional Medicine Practitioner

Anyone who doesn’t have a history of mental health issues with addiction can take smart drugs to improve their brain function and mental performance.

However, there are some smart drugs designed for patients with certain mental health issues like cognitive impairment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc [15].

While nootropics improve brain function, which contributes to better mental health, they can’t cure these ailments.

Prescription nootropics are usually taken in conjunction with therapy to achieve better results.

Some Friendly Tips

If you plan on taking nootropics to supplement your diet, here are some friendly tips on how to go about it:

• Go on cycles: Some prescription medications classified as nootropics can be addictive, so make sure you speak to your physician about taking them in cycles.
• Eat nootropic foods: When you’re off a smart drug cycle, eating foods that have nootropics in them is a safe way to supplement your diet without risking overdosage.
• Find clinically tested supplements: Don’t just go for any nootropic supplement; find one that contains safe, natural, and science-backed ingredients.