Do Athletes Take Nootropics? (According To Experts)

Yes, athletes use nootropics due to their capacity to achieve optimal brain energy and physical abilities naturally.

Also known as smart drugs, nootropics help athletes improve their reaction time, allowing them to think quickly and make intuitive decisions that will give them an advantage with the help of ingredients like magnesium.

Whether because of nutrient deficiency or brain burnout, natural nootropics can help athletes improve their motivation, focus, and overall brain functions, enabling them to respond better to situations in a fraction of a second.

This is especially pertinent as sports require exceptional levels of attention, and the more effectively an athlete reads the situation and reacts physically, the better they will usually perform on the field.

What’s more, nootropics can help athletes master their technique and perfect the skill that they strive for by improving cellular energy production and boosting circulatory oxygen flow.

Sportspeople may also take nootropics to avoid physical to reduce the negative effect of oxidative stress and regulate the stress hormone (cortisol) response.

The benefits of nootropics for athletes are improved memory, energy levels, and overall mental and physical performance.

Nootropic supplements are believed to eliminate free radicals from the body, which improves blood flow to the brain, and in turn, will enhance cognitive performance, such as the processing speed of information, creativity, focus, and mood in healthy adults [1,2].

Athletes cannot compete at their best without enough rest and energy.

Nootropics may allow them to naturally attenuate mental fatigue, learn new complex ideas, train for extended periods, and, most importantly, stimulate recall to improve decision-making during competition.

Additionally, as catecholamine neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine) are essential for stress reactions as well as maintaining mood and motivation, athletes might utilize nootropics to raise their catecholamine activity.

However, it is essential to keep in mind that you won’t immediately get results and that nootropics take time to witness noticeable results because the substances need to penetrate the blood-brain barrier to stimulate improved mental capabilities.

Nootropics are cognitive-enhancing supplements that build neurotransmitter pathways and promote neural plasticity, which helps many areas of your life.

Athletes can benefit from nootropics in multiple ways, including improving focus, which is necessary for a successful training session or intense sports game, as well as enhancing exercise capacity and reducing fatigue.

Additionally, nootropics have been found to reduce levels of oxidative stress brought on by physical exertion enabling hardworking athletes to push through workouts without feeling drained afterward.

Natural nootropics are often found to be safe alternatives to synthetic products.

Nootropics side effects should be rare if consumed within recommended doses, and with proper monitoring, side effects should be rare.

For example, exceeding the accepted dose of caffeine content (400 milligrams) can cause many adverse effects, including:

• Dependence [17]
• Anxiousness [18]
• Insomnia [19]
• Heart problems [20]

Another cognitive enhancer often reported to cause adverse effects when exceeding the recommended dose is Gingko Biloba.

This latter has been proven to occasionally cause stomach upset, headaches, and blood thinning [20].

While natural smart drugs are not banned in sports, synthetic nootropics are banned, which can disqualify competitors from sporting events.

To stay up with the rules of competition, athletes must research dietary supplements banned by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), such as phenylpiracetam, the first synthetic nootropic.