Piracetam

Discovered in 1964, Piracetam (4-phenylpiracetam)is the original member of the racetam family of synthetic nootropics or “”cognitive-enhancing”” compounds.

The theory is that it’s much less powerful than other compounds belonging to the “”racetam”” family.

Its advantages include mild but solid cognitive enhancement, which is extremely effective in those with learning disabilities because it reduces depression and anxiety, as well as maintaining Mitochondria.

Mitochondria provide energy to cells. If mitochondria are damaged they can begin producing free radicals that cause destruction and oxidation to the brain.

Piracetam assists damaged mitochondria to recognize the cell’s signals to self-destruct and generate new mitochondria that are not broken.

This original racetam has the best track record for safety that any other racetam has. People will often compare Noopept and Piracetam, and while the former has a similar safety profile to the latter, Noopept is not actually a racetam!

Phenylpiracetam

The year 1983 was the first time Phenylpiracetam also known as phenyl piracetam was developed to be an even more potent Pramiracetam. It’s 30x more potent than Piracetam. Phenylpiracetam enhances the tolerance to cold and pain. It improves mood and reduces anxiety in social situations, as it functions as an anti-convulsant and anti-depressant.

A study suggests using Phenylpiracetam when you’re planning to travel to Siberia or after you’ve tried the other racetams and you’re looking to pull out the top guns. The phenyl group was specifically designed to treat Soviet Cosmonauts in the 1980s to ease the stress of long-term conditions during space travel.

Despite the lack of studies, those living in Russia have access to this nooropic and it is readily available as a legally prescribed medicine.

Research has shown that Piracetam-like drugs like Aniracetam as well as phenyl group Phenylpiracetam can be efficient to stop cognitive loss and improving memory.

This means they could enhance brain function and serve as an alternative treatments for those suffering from stroke or dementia.

What are Racetams?

Racetam is a class of chemical compounds that are part of the family of nootropics. It is comprised of similar chemicals with identical properties, but differ from each others based on the formula for structural structure.

The only things that are shared in their structure are the two pyrrolidone nuclei composed of oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen.

Piracetam was first discovered in the mid- to late 1960s. Since then, over 20 derivatives were synthesized, including phenylpiracetam.

Certain of these compounds are not thoroughly studied, and they differ in their potency and mechanism of action. Below are some common examples for these compounds.

Aniracetam (N-anisoyl-2-pyrrolidinone) is a pyrrolidinone-type cognition enhancer similar to Piracetam and developed around the 1970s. It’s 2-5x more powerful than Piracetam.

Aniracetam is anti-anxiety, calms, and relaxation effects. It improves the ability to think and communicate. fluency, and can also promote dreams that are lucid.

Aniracetam can also boost confidence in social situations , and increases creativity.

Oxiracetam(2 Oxo) is an organic compound as well as one of the organonitrogen compounds. It is derived from an alpha-amino acids. This is an nootropic medication belonging to the racetam family. It is an extremely mild stimulant.

Oxiracetam was first discovered in 1977. It is a stimulant and has a speedy effect, increases focus and improves the ability to think logically.

A study has confirmed that Oxiracetam is believed to increase excitation neurotransmitters, and also enhance memory creation.

Comparing Mechanisms of Action

When comparing Piracetam and Phenylpiracetam, the most important thing to look at is the compounds’ respective mechanisms of action. This is really what separates nootropic compounds like this and will largely determine their effects.

Piracetam

The exact mechanisms underlying the cognitive-enhancing effects of Piracetam remain incompletely understood, although several hypotheses have been proposed. One primary mechanism involves the modulation of neurotransmission, particularly through the facilitation of acetylcholine and glutamate neurotransmission, both of which play crucial roles in learning and memory processes[4]. Piracetam is believed to enhance acetylcholine release and receptor density, consequently improving synaptic plasticity and long-term potentiation (LTP)[5].

Additionally, Piracetam has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects by stabilizing cell membranes, reducing the detrimental effects of excitotoxicity, and increasing cerebral blood flow[6]. These combined mechanisms contribute to the memory-enhancing properties of Piracetam, although its effects may be more pronounced in individuals with cognitive impairments or age-related decline[7].

Phenylpiracetam

As a structural analog of Piracetam, Phenylpiracetam shares some of its mechanisms of action, including the modulation of acetylcholine and glutamate neurotransmission, and the promotion of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow[3]. However, the addition of the phenyl group results in enhanced lipophilicity and bioavailability, which may contribute to a more potent and rapid onset of effects compared to Piracetam[8].

Moreover, Phenylpiracetam has been found to possess psychostimulant properties, increasing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, which may further enhance cognitive function, particularly in terms of alertness, attention, and motivation[9]. These distinct mechanisms suggest that Phenylpiracetam may have a broader range of cognitive-enhancing effects compared to Piracetam, with potentially more robust effects on memory enhancement.

Efficacy in Memory Enhancement: A Review of Research Findings

Piracetam

Numerous studies have investigated the effects of Piracetam on memory enhancement, with many reporting positive outcomes. A meta-analysis conducted by Repantis et al. (2010) examined the efficacy of Piracetam in healthy individuals, finding modest improvements in memory performance, particularly in tasks involving delayed recall[10]. However, the analysis also noted that the effects were more pronounced in older adults and individuals with cognitive impairments.

In a study by Croisile et al. (1993), elderly participants with age-associated memory impairment exhibited significant improvements in memory function following 12 weeks of Piracetam treatment[^11^]. Similar results have been reported in studies involving patients with Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, and other forms of dementia[7].

While the memory-enhancing effects of Piracetam in healthy young individuals remain less consistent, some studies suggest that it may improve memory consolidation and retrieval under certain conditions, such as sleep deprivation or cognitive fatigue[12].

Phenylpiracetam

Although the body of literature on Phenylpiracetam is comparatively smaller, existing research suggests that it may be a more potent memory enhancer than Piracetam. In a study by Akhapkina et al. (2016), rats treated with Phenylpiracetam exhibited significant improvements in passive avoidance learning, suggesting that the compound may enhance memory consolidation and retrieval processes[13].

Moreover, in a study involving human subjects by Vakhitova et al. (2016), Phenylpiracetam administration led to significant improvements in cognitive function, including memory, attention, and executive functions, in patients with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency[14]. These findings, coupled with the compound’s psychostimulant properties, indicate that Phenylpiracetam may possess a more potent memory-enhancing profile than its parent compound, Piracetam.

What Do They Feel Like?

One of the main reasons that people take racetams like Piracetam and Phenylpiracetam is because of the feeling they produce. It is wrong to say that either of these racetams produce any kind of high, but taking racetams does have a distinctive feel to it.

Both piracetam and phenylpiracetam produce similar feelings or “highs”. On the positive side, these nootropics quickly sharpen focus, increase mental energy, and overall quicker cognitively. They can put people in a tunnel vision-like state of focus and drive.

On the negative side, both piracetam and phenylpiracetam can make you feel terrible. Side effects include psychomotor agitation, dysphoria, tiredness, dizziness, memory loss, headache, and diarrhea.

Dosage and How to Take

Piracetam is typically sold as a powder however, it can also be found in pre-made (pre-packaged and dosed) tablets or capsules.

In the case of a “”typical”” dose for adults of cognitive enhancement, the dosage is between 1,200mg and 4,800mg daily, usually divided into two or three different doses spread all day.

The typical Phenylpiracetam dosage is between 200mg-300mg daily. For instance stroke patients have a maximum dosage of 400 mg per day. For those suffering from brain issues, a dose of 200mg daily is sufficient to cause changes on the brain’s surface.

The oral administration can be done every week, either once or twice. As a first-time user dosage, 50mg should be sufficient. For experienced users, you can may go as high as 600 mg.

Piracetam vs Phenylpiracetam: FDA Status and Legality

The year 2003 was the first time Piracetam was not approved for in the new Dietary Ingredient (NDI) application which is a procedure that is used to assess the safety of novel ingredients in the marketplace.

It didn’t meet the requirements of a supplement. In the warning in the warning, the FDA reiterates that all racetams are unapproved substances since the therapeutic information isn’t readily available. This is the same for the subsequent racetams. Therefore, they aren’t typically recognized as safe and efficient for the intended uses by experts.

However, racetams like Piracetam and Phenylpiracetam continue to be available online. It is worth noting here that Phenylpiracetam is sometimes mistakenly referred to as phenylracetam. This makes perfect sense, since it is the only racetam with a phenyl group attatched widely used today. But when you see phenylracetam, it’s actually phenylpiracetam.