Can Supplements Improve Your Ability to “Get Things Done”?
March 21st, 2008 Oliver StarrCategories | Contributors | Health
In my previous life I was a biochemist. Lots of people wonder how I ended up working in technology but that’s a longer story than you want to read on a Friday morning. As I was sitting here, however, it occurred to me that some of my past experience might be of value to the GTD crowd. In particular my knowledge of dietary supplements and how they work is something that I figured you might find interesting and perhaps even useful.
Many people things that dietary supplements are all crap and judging from some of the commercials on television these days I can see why. It’s too bad that this junk is allowed on the airwaves because it tends to obscure some products that actually work and in some cases can work wonderfully. I spent more than a decade of my life researching natural compounds for pharmaceutical companies and I can tell you that there are natural products that have powerful and in some cases even pharmacological effects.
Over the next few months - providing your feedback is positive - I’ll do brief write-ups about some of the very best natural ingredients - many of which you can use to help you stay focused, sleep better, relieve insomnia, control your weight, reduce stress, lower cortisol (the “stress hormone”), improve your memory, reduce oxidative stress (prevent free radical damage), and much, much more.
I know that it may seem hard to believe - again because of the damnable television advertising that is IMO nothing short of criminal - but there really are some products supported by truly excellent research that have demonstrable benefit and which are not only effective, but also safe and reasonably cheap too.
One category that I’m sure you’d be keen to learn about are those products that can improve your mental acuity. There are a couple of dozen compounds that do this in various ways - in fact more than it would be reasonable to even briefly describe in a blog post. There are two, however, that are, from my experience, truly exceptional and which you can find online or in better health food stores if you want to try them for yourself. Please note that I am not affiliated with any supplement marketer or manufacturer and am not listing specific web sites or brand names. Everything I write about is for the actual raw material. Use Google to find them if you’re up for a boost.
Vinpocitine: My number one favorite supplement for mental acuity is an extract of periwinkle called vinpocitine. This natural extract, which is actually sold in Europe as the drug Cavinton, has been used for several decades to improve concentration, support memory and interestingly for the treatment of altitude sickness. Vinpocitine works in several ways, first, it is a cerbro vaso dilator, thus it improves blood flow to the brain, secondly it enhances the brain’s ability to use glucose - which is one of only two energy substrates available to the human brain (the other being ketones). Vinpocitine also improves oxygen uptake by the brain. This combination of functions greatly improves cognitive function and, unlike many supplements, these effects are not the result of cumulative doses, but are conferred by the consumption of just one 5mg dose of the active ingredient.
Vinpocitine has a long history of safe use - even people with migraine headaches (who frequently have problems with cerebro-vaso dilators) can use vinpocitine safely - I know this for a fact as I suffer from migraine and have never had a problem with vinpocitine.
Acetyl-l-Carnitine: Another supplement that I’ve found very effective for helping improve my mental acuity is acetyl-l-carnitine. This suppment,which is an acetylated form of the nutrient carnitine has been researched extensively for its functions in the human body. Among these the most important are its role in cellular energy production (it becomes something called acetyl-co-A which is part of the body’s process for creating ATP out of glucose) as well as for its ability to support production of the primary neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is what your brain uses to allow neurons to communicate with one another.
While vinpocitine helps make you noticeably sharper, my experience with ALCAR or acetyl-l-carnitine is more related to improving memory than sharpening my focus (although many of my colleagues felt that it was the best non-stimulant ingredient of all for increasing mental focus). The research currently being conducted is focusing on using ALCAR in patients with age related mental decline, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer diseases.
ALCAR is a bit on the pricey side, but for some people the results are so significant that they’d probably pay ten times the cost for this very safe and demonstrably effective supplement.
I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into a bit of what I know from my prior life. Please let us know if you liked this article and more will follow. Of course it should be mentioned that I am NOT A DOCTOR and this post and any like it are for your information only and should not be construed as prescriptions or specific recommendations. What works for me may not work for you and as with any supplement you are taking this at your own risk. I highly recommend that if you are being treated for any serious health condition or if you are pregnant or nursing that you speak with your physician before taking ANY dietary supplement.
I’m a big fan of those 5-Hour Energy shots. It’s a mix of 4 B vitamins and about half a dozen amino acids (full ingredient list). They definitely help me stay focused. I’ve done comparison testing against caffeine pills, ginkgo, ginseng and just a basic B compound, and it’s definitely a noticeable qualitative difference. It actually lasts right about 5 hours, but without the jittery effects of caffeine pills.
Any thoughts on those?
Scott, while I’ve never tried those myself, I can’t see anything inherently wrong with those. A lot of supplements (assuming ingredient declarations are correct and true and that they are manufactured in a facility that practices good manufacturing processes) is individual in nature. I tell folks if they find something that works for them, keep doing it.
Ginkgo is a powerful cerebro oxygenator and has been shown to improve memory and mental acuity. Ginseng can also be quite beneficial with varying results depending upon whether you are taking panax ginseng (also called Red Ginseng or Korean Ginseng) which is more stimulating short term, and SIberian Ginseng (eleuthero senticossus) which is not a true ginseng and which is more of an overall tonic or adaptogen.
I suspect that the five hour energy probably has Red Ginseng and may also have some natural caffeine analog such as theobroma (from cocoa) or guarana or even matteine from Matte tea.
All of these alkaloids are mildly stimulating though not as strongly as caffeine and can provide longer term elevation in energy levels without the rise and fall in energy that caffeine seems to cause.
I’d love to see more posts on this subject. I’m one of those people you mentioned who looks at supplements skeptically. I know that people have been using natural remedies for much longer than there have been big pharmaglomerates, but even the GNC commercials look a little snake oily to me. Knowing that it’s actually been researched - independently - would be very helpful.
I have used Rhodiola, a russian/siberian herb, and I have noticed some great benefits. Benefits: Great mood, increased stamina/endurance, low stress/better able to handle stress, and I THINK increased attention (could be due to low stress and better mood). Note I have ADD so I have tried medicines too, but Rhodiola works better.
I have tried a number of brands and ADAPT 232 seems to have helped me more. I believe the reason that ADAPT 232 worked better was because it is a combination of rhodiola, ginseng, and some other herb that I can’t recall. I think I should try out Vinpocitine too.
What do you recommend for folks nudging 65? Would there by any precautions related to prescriptions some of us might commonly use such as cholesterol medication, anti-depressants, high blood pressure meds, etc.
Q10? Not to be forgotten. Though I’m not sure whether it was the ginseng or the Q10 that really worked. Right now I’m trying to find out by not refilling one of them when I run out, and see the results. It may eventually be a combination of those two that works well when combined. Time will tell;-)
I’m also ADD and have also tried rhodiola rosea, but found it did very little. Same goes for gotu kola. Have not yet tried biloba.
On caffeine stuff, I will wholeheartedly recommend yerba mate. It wakes you up, but not in the same frantic way coffee or even green teas can do. Mate is special, in the way the caffeine is combined with a lot of other fine trace compounds, amino acids, etc. Some people don’t like the taste. Personally I LOVE it;-)
How about Exercise? I find that regular exercise helps me to focus as it enables me to reduce stress. Lots of other obvious benefits too!
Great blog and great article. I stumbled upon this blog when the CoQ10 follow-up made it on del.icio.us.
But what I really stopped by to say is it seems there might be some variation as to the spelling of “vinpocitine”. If your readers are looking for more information or to purchase the supplement, they might have more luck with “vinpocetine”. Good luck to everyone looking to improve themselves. And thanks for the awesome blog!
Thank you (belatedly) for this post. Hoping for some help, and encouraged by the independent recommendations, I tried these supplements.
ALCAR changed my life. I was depressed. Slipping into dark moods and while not suicidal I think I was borderline. After a week of ALCAR my mood brightened; I was able to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. Rather than holding grudges for slight offences, I brushed them off. My alcohol consumption dropped.
Thank you.
Dear Grateful, Thanks so much for writing and sharing your experience. I’ve had lots of jobs in my life and I have to tell you that comments like yours above are what makes blogging among the most gratifying work I’ve ever done.
In particular this is why I write about supplements. You have no idea how many times I have had comments like this, letters of this type and even phone calls (when I had a supplement company) from people whose lives had been changed through the use of supplements that actually worked.
Not to mention that my mother is a cancer survivor and we believe in part that is due to the supplementation program I put her on from diagnosis, through chemo and until today.
Bottom line, as the comments above attest, and as my own experience can confirm, the right supplements, used correctly can have truly life-altering benefits for those that take the time to learn enough to make the correct choices.
Oliver Starr, Editor
I enjoyed the article. I’d second the opinion of TJ above who said that ADAPT 232 works so well. Yes, I use it and Arctic Root from the same company (Swedish Herbal Institute brand, sold in the USA by a firm called ProActive BioProducts (from the box, 877-282-5366). I use the Rhodiola in the AM, the Arctic Root, and then followup with the ADAPT 232 in the afternoon after lunch. Man, I never slow down and its good to know I haven’t had any caffeine guarana or any of that stuff. Thanks Oliver