I feel this needs to be posted - Me, My Brain, and ALCAR

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
I have been a long-time user of ALCAR and have always loved it. I used it consistently before studying or training for the major focus effects, but I was also aware of its other benefits like neuroprotection. Well recently (as in, 2 months ago), I changed my ALCAR dosing. Rather than taking it sporadically whenever I needed a boost, I use 1-2g every day, split into 1g doses. Over the past 2 months, I have noticed a vast change in my life and I really want to help others realize just how significant this ingredient is.

From my consistent usage, I have noticed a DRAMATIC increase in sharpness and memory. As far as school goes, I need far less time to get my assignments done. I am notorious for making silly mistakes in math exams/homework etc...I always get the concepts but the silly mistakes kill me. Well, in the past 2 months, I have lost a total of 1 point in my math class. I'm not saying this to brag, but my point is that this has never occurred in the past: my study habits quite literally haven't changed one bit. In fact, a 2nd consecutive 100% on a very long math exam (not multiple choice; just tons of calculations) prompted me to write this because I feel that others stand to benefit from this as well. To put it simply, I feel sharp and focused all the time, and can recall things from memory with more ease than ever.

But there are other things I've noticed too -- major things. I still drink occasionally, and when I drink, it's usually quite a bit. During the following days, or even the entire following week, I feel foggier. ALCAR seems to reverse these effects if taken at 2g prior to drinking as I have. This makes sense scientifically as well, as ALCAR is demonstrated to help prevent alcohol-induced neurodegeneration.

I have also been bulking the past few months. I'm not sure if it's the ALCAR or other factors, but I have kept fat at a reasonable level despite eating a "dirty" diet. ALCAR may indeed aid with staying lean.

Finally, something I've been enjoying: vivid, and even LUCID, dreams. The mental stimulation caused by ALCAR likely causes this, and it is awesome.

I can't stress enough that these benefits did not manifest themselves until I used ALCAR continuously at 1-2g/day, rather than sporadically.

This may not sound like "all that" to a bodybuilder, but please realize just how important the mind is to bodybuilding. I feel sharper, I feel happier, I feel on-top-of-things. I sleep better. ALCAR has made my life better, and if that doesn't affect bodybuilding, I don't know what does.

Anyway, that's my story. Just wanted to get the word out because this ingredient does not get nearly the amount of love that it should. A true staple for me.
 
fadi

fadi

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
excellent post, I will definitely pick some up
 
nattydisaster

nattydisaster

PESCIENCE.com
Awards
3
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
If I was using ALCAR daily i would take an anti-oxidant. It has shown to have pro-oxidant effects at very high doses. Whether this translates to 1-2g per day I am not sure, but always better safe than sorry.

Also don't just depend on ALCAR. The only part of ALCAR doing anything for memory or cognition is the acetyl group. It cleaves as soon as it hits the stomach, and having more acetyl groups available may allow for more production of acetylcholine.

But knowing this, it is essential to supplement a choline with it to get more of the spectrum. Then you can get tricky and add an AChE inhibitor here and there
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
If I was using ALCAR daily i would take an anti-oxidant. It has shown to have pro-oxidant effects at very high doses. Whether this translates to 1-2g per day I am not sure, but always better safe than sorry.

Also don't just depend on ALCAR. The only part of ALCAR doing anything for memory or cognition is the acetyl group. It cleaves as soon as it hits the stomach, and having more acetyl groups available may allow for more production of acetylcholine.

But knowing this, it is essential to supplement a choline with it to get more of the spectrum. Then you can get tricky and add an AChE inhibitor here and there
Indeed Natty. I do focus xt at a scoop every other day and will dose Hup A during exam time. However, the benefits that I mentioned above truly came to light once I started dosing the ALCAR continuously, ceteris paribus.

Na-R-Ala = best antioxidant with ALCAR IMO, just don't take them together or they polymerize.
 

SweetLou321

Well-known member
Awards
4
  • Established
  • Best Answer
  • First Up Vote
  • RockStar
I take 1-2g daily also, sometimes i miss a day here or there. I deff love it too. I would use focus xt if it didnt give me headaches and sometimes a huge crash.
 
itzDodge

itzDodge

Official Genomyx Wizard
Awards
1
  • Established
I take 1-2g daily also, sometimes i miss a day here or there. I deff love it too. I would use focus xt if it didnt give me headaches and sometimes a huge crash.
That was most likely a result of sensitivity to vinpocetine or caffeine but thats a duh.
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Not the caffiene, probably just to much for my poor brain to handle lol
A huge crash from Focus XT is odd as the nootropics actually seem to help me ease off the stimulants. On the flip side, that's a lot of mental stimulation :D.
 

SweetLou321

Well-known member
Awards
4
  • Established
  • Best Answer
  • First Up Vote
  • RockStar
A huge crash from Focus XT is odd as the nootropics actually seem to help me ease off the stimulants. On the flip side, that's a lot of mental stimulation :D.
I thinks its more of a crash from my brain working so hard not the caffiene lol, it doesnt feel like a caffiene crash at all.
 

southpaw23

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established
Is alcar best taken on an empty stomach or can it mixed in with a protein shake? It's very acidic.
 
itzDodge

itzDodge

Official Genomyx Wizard
Awards
1
  • Established
I thinks its more of a crash from my brain working so hard not the caffiene lol, it doesnt feel like a caffiene crash at all.
If it wasn't the caffeine then most likely it was the vinpocetine

Vinpocetine may improve glucose utilization and blood flow in brain tissue, but even more likely than that is it will give you a headache. It’s basically a cerebral vasodilator, which inhibits adenosine reuptake and cGMP (a second messenger involved in vasodilation) degradation, prolonging vascular relaxation without affecting peripheral cardiovascular parameters. (23) It will probably make you feel a little weird, perhaps even dizzy, but I tend to avoid it. In short, I hate it and I don’t even call it a nootropic.
 
tunnelrat

tunnelrat

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
What!!!! I've been taking alcar and Na-R Ala together. Polymerization does what exactly?
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Is alcar best taken on an empty stomach or can it mixed in with a protein shake? It's very acidic.
I notice the acute focus effects slightly faster on an empty stomach, but as far as the consistent usage, timing doesn't matter. It is, after all, a cumulative effect.

What!!!! I've been taking alcar and Na-R Ala together. Polymerization does what exactly?
Define taking them together. I was literally putting Na-R-Ala in my focus XT shakes at one point, and the entire shake turned white and flaky. I'm not exactly sure what they polymerize into, but keep in mind that ALCAR is Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCL.
 
tunnelrat

tunnelrat

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
I notice the acute focus effects slightly faster on an empty stomach, but as far as the consistent usage, timing doesn't matter. It is, after all, a cumulative effect.



Define taking them together. I was literally putting Na-R-Ala in my focus XT shakes at one point, and the entire shake turned white and flaky. I'm not exactly sure what they polymerize into, but keep in mind that ALCAR is Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCL.
Every morning on an empty stomach, I wash down 2 grams of alcar with water, followed by 2 Alpha T-2 and 2 Na-R Ala caps. I was just concerned that dosing them together would affect their efficacy or something.
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Every morning on an empty stomach, I wash down 2 grams of alcar with water, followed by 2 Alpha T-2 and 2 Na-R Ala caps. I was just concerned that dosing them together would affect their efficacy or something.
Try taking the Na-R-Ala half an hour before your ALCAR. Na-R-Ala has a very long half-life (17-22 hours) so don't worry if you don't take it at exactly the same time as ALCAR. This probably isn't an issue, but just play it safe :D.
 
tunnelrat

tunnelrat

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
Try taking the Na-R-Ala half an hour before your ALCAR. Na-R-Ala has a very long half-life (17-22 hours) so don't worry if you don't take it at exactly the same time as ALCAR. This probably isn't an issue, but just play it safe :D.
Thank you sir!!!
 
T50

T50

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
Very interesting read man. How does this look?

1-2g/day ALCAR
3/day 120mg Ginkgo Biloba and 5mg Vinpocetine
3/day 250mg Bacopa Monnieri Extract (BaCgonize)
 
itzDodge

itzDodge

Official Genomyx Wizard
Awards
1
  • Established
Very interesting read man. How does this look?

1-2g/day ALCAR
3/day 120mg Ginkgo Biloba and 5mg Vinpocetine
3/day 250mg Bacopa Monnieri Extract (BaCgonize)
Add in 500-1000mg of Citicoline per day and that stack should have your brain feelin pretty sharp
 
heavylifter33

heavylifter33

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established
How would ALCAR stack with Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Are there purity issues to be concerned with when buying ALCAR. I.E. NOW vs SNS etc.
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Very interesting read man. How does this look?

1-2g/day ALCAR
3/day 120mg Ginkgo Biloba and 5mg Vinpocetine
3/day 250mg Bacopa Monnieri Extract (BaCgonize)
To be perfectly honest, I have never used the herbal cognitive enhancers so my experience there is limited. The vinpocetine dose is fine if you respond well to it. As Dodge said, you may want to consider adding a choline source. I do not dose my choline every day like I do with the ALCAR. 2-4 times per week at a respectable daily dose seems to do the trick.

How would ALCAR stack with Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Are there purity issues to be concerned with when buying ALCAR. I.E. NOW vs SNS etc.
Read page 1, we talked about timing the Na-R-Ala a bit. ALCAR can become a pro-oxidant is used very heavily, and while dosing like this probably does not reach that level, it is better to play it safe. I don't use Na-R-Ala every single day, but dosing it with a high carb meal in the morning, and then taking my ALCAR at any point in the day besides exactly at the same time as the Na-R-Ala (due to possible polymerization issues) seems to be the way to go. I have no doubt that both NOW and SNS are high quality ALCAR sources.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mw1
heavylifter33

heavylifter33

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established
Read page 1, we talked about timing the Na-R-Ala a bit. ALCAR can become a pro-oxidant is used very heavily, and while dosing like this probably does not reach that level, it is better to play it safe. I don't use Na-R-Ala every single day, but dosing it with a high carb meal in the morning, and then taking my ALCAR at any point in the day besides exactly at the same time as the Na-R-Ala (due to possible polymerization issues) seems to be the way to go. I have no doubt that both NOW and SNS are high quality ALCAR sources.
Ah, k just went back and read it. Posted my question only after reading the original post. Do you think that Na-R-Ala is a viable addition for an overall health benefit stack with ALCAR? I can't really get in to the library effectively to look for clinical evidence supporting R-Ala usage as this wireless connection is beyond horrible. Seems as though both Na-R-Ala and ALCAR have anecdotal reports of supporting lean tissue gain and fat loss promotion.
 

BULLS

New member
Awards
0
Nice post. I feel like Alcar (sns is only brand ive used) definitely helps me with sharpness & staying lean too, but just out of curiosity, being that you said you're on a bulk, do you think that the calorie increase may affect cognitive function as well? Are you taking any other supps for the bulk, that you werent taking before?
 
itzDodge

itzDodge

Official Genomyx Wizard
Awards
1
  • Established
Nice post. I feel like Alcar (sns is only brand ive used) definitely helps me with sharpness & staying lean too, but just out of curiosity, being that you said you're on a bulk, do you think that the calorie increase may affect cognitive function as well? Are you taking any other supps for the bulk, that you werent taking before?
Cyrus is pretty anal about everything (I say this with love :D) so I don't think he would of made this thread had he thought there was a possibility it was a combo of things he randomly introduced.
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Ah, k just went back and read it. Posted my question only after reading the original post. Do you think that Na-R-Ala is a viable addition for an overall health benefit stack with ALCAR? I can't really get in to the library effectively to look for clinical evidence supporting R-Ala usage as this wireless connection is beyond horrible. Seems as though both Na-R-Ala and ALCAR have anecdotal reports of supporting lean tissue gain and fat loss promotion.
Yes, Na-R-Ala is fantastic for overall health. Na-R-Ala, ALCAR, and Agmatine are actually my three favorite supplements to use on top of the basics like creatine, fish oil, etc...

The evidence supporting Na-R-Ala and ALCAR's effects on body composition is purely theory or anecdotal, which is why I am hesitant to give full credit to them, but I'd say Na-R-Ala can definitely alter body composition if used long-term, as it is pretty much the best OTC GDA on the market.

Nice post. I feel like Alcar (sns is only brand ive used) definitely helps me with sharpness & staying lean too, but just out of curiosity, being that you said you're on a bulk, do you think that the calorie increase may affect cognitive function as well? Are you taking any other supps for the bulk, that you werent taking before?
ALCAR is the only major change I introduced with respect to cognition. I have bulked in the past and never experienced anything like this, but there is no doubt that the increase in calories (particularly carbs) is aiding cognitive function. This brings up a new idea: can ALCAR prevent the "foggy" feeling on a cut?

Cyrus is pretty anal about everything (I say this with love :D) so I don't think he would of made this thread had he thought there was a possibility it was a combo of things he randomly introduced.
Haha this is true. I have eased up a ton as of late due to a busy semester, but I am a huge proponent of keeping everything constant when introducing a new supplement/dosing protocol in order to see how you respond to it.
 
fightbackhxc

fightbackhxc

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Just got my DS Craze in today. I wonder how ALCAR stacks with Craze :D.
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Thanks for the help on that.. how much would you think is in focus xt?
My guess is as good as yours, but in a 9.8g prop blend its the 3rd ingredient so it is pretty hefty. Ancedotally speaking, it FEELS like 1g but I'm not positive on that.
 
titanman31

titanman31

Member
Awards
0
My guess is as good as yours, but in a 9.8g prop blend its the 3rd ingredient so it is pretty hefty. Ancedotally speaking, it FEELS like 1g but I'm not positive on that.
Bad A thanks how do I rep on here with my phone lol
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
Coop you ever play around with any racetams?
Yes sir. I haven't gotten to use them consistently, but I've dabbled with oxi, ani, and phenyl, and generally stick with piracetam and pramiracetam for my work if I need it, which is rare these days.
 
Conagher

Conagher

Active member
Awards
2
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
ALCAR is good stuff.Gives me wicked headaches sometimes,though.
 

GaDawgs29

New member
Awards
0
Yes sir. I haven't gotten to use them consistently, but I've dabbled with oxi, ani, and phenyl, and generally stick with piracetam and pramiracetam for my work if I need it, which is rare these days.
which do you feel works better ravetams or ALCAR?
 

mr.cooper69

Legend
Awards
0
which do you feel works better ravetams or ALCAR?
Very different effects IMO. Whereas ALCAR aids primarily in sharpness and focus, racetams generally aid in elaboration of thought (though different racetams such as pram and phenyl increase focus as well).
 

Daycrawler

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Nice, cy. I agree on the leanness part. Definitely does something good there.

And, because it must be done: SAN's Black Friday Sale is the perfect time to pick up ALCAR (capped or powder!) and top quality NA-R-Ala, b1g1 free!

http://www.sann.net/shop/index.php?main_page=page&id=34
Jesus. 60 caps for $15... Dosed properly @ 600mg it lasts 10 daysss. Fuuuuui


I also have taken ALCAR @2g daily for the last month. I agree with cyrus on this one. It's truly a great, great thing. I also do take 1/2-1 scoop daily of FXT in the morning.. It's better then a cup of coffee IMO.
 

McBurly

Active member
Awards
2
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
what about using GTE as an anti oxidant w/ alcar?
I have been using alcar for several months now and i love it, even have my mom and a couple friends hooked on it now.
 
bigdavid

bigdavid

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
How much would this help someone that already has high focus abilities? I have never tried a product for mental focus/function so I am completely inexperienced in this area. Is this something that would literally benefit everyone?
 

Daycrawler

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
How much would this help someone that already has high focus abilities? I have never tried a product for mental focus/function so I am completely inexperienced in this area. Is this something that would literally benefit everyone?
Yeah. Your description describes me. I tried this out of curiousity and I.operate fine off of it, but I enjoy being on ALCAR more. However, if I had to stop using it i'd be good still. Its benefits everyone.
 

Similar threads


Top