Cognitive Enhancement: Do We Really Need It? 

Description: Cognitive enhancement focuses on improving brain function. It may be a necessary solution for those suffering from mental conditions and people who want to improve their everyday performance.

The term cognitive enhancement is not something you hear every day. There are a lot of people who go on with their lives without even hearing this term. And for some who have, they might not even understand what it actually means. They just know that it has something to do with increasing the capacity and performance of the brain. True enough, that’s the gist of it.

Nowadays, some people understand the importance of maintaining a healthy brain. They know that through age, and other factors, the brain would slowly decrease its capacity. This will lead to certain medical conditions, such as memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. If we don’t take care of our cognitive health, at some point in the future, there is a chance we won’t even remember the best days of our lives.

Understanding Cognitive Health

What is cognitive health? Most of us won’t even know how to answer that. Neurologists certainly could, but it would take us a while to understand their explanation. Understanding it is very important to help us reduce the risk of certain cognitive decline and other mental conditions, like short-term and long-term memory loss.

A healthy mind is very important, especially when it comes to older people. It is said that a healthy mind can do all mental processes well. This involves leaning, intuition, judgment, language, and memory. As we age, we can notice a considerable decline in mental function. The same can happen to younger people due to various factors, such as stress, nutrition, and medical conditions.

One of the solutions that companies thought of is cognitive enhancement. This process ensures that the mental decline is slowed, and can even treat conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. They come in the form of supplements or drugs that people can buy online or at their local pharmacy. They often come in a premium and asking a physician first before taking one is recommended.

What are Cognitive Enhancers?

Cognitive enhancers are best known by the public as nootropics, they are also referred to as brain supplements or brain pills. These supplements come packed with certain ingredients that help the brain in one way or another. The bottom line is that all of them promise to give you an increased mental performance, improved mood, increased memory retention and recall, better learning capacity, and improved attention.

Some supplements can reach their full effect within hours after ingestion. Some may take a while, like 2-3 weeks, before all effects are experienced. Some claim that supplements that take a while to take full effect are the best since it ensures them that the components are properly processed in their bodies, thus resulting in few to no side effects.

Out of the vast array available some of these supplements are not FDA approved, but must maintain its quality within FDA regulations. The lack of FDA approval keeps these supplements from some stores, so the only way to purchase some of them is through online stores.

Choosing the Right Supplements for You

With the growing number of cognitive enhancers in the market, there is certainly a question that everybody would like to ask, “Which one is right for me?” To fully answer this, there are certain factors you need to understand and know to get that cognitive enhancement you need.

• Start by reading reviews. For each supplement, there are a number of reviews posted online. You can easily find a review just by searching Google, or any of your trusted search engines. However, be wary about reviews that are done just to promote the product. Look for reviews that have given an unbiased summary of reviews available and/or that are written by people who have actually experienced the product.

One way to do this is to read the reviews of products we have researched here. Another way to do this is to read the reviews on online stores, like Amazon. Most people who buy products there leave reviews for it. You can actually see which among these reviews are made by those who actually used them, and by those who were just paid to write a good review.

• Check the ingredients. You don’t want to purchase something that has a component that you are allergic to. Make sure to research about the ingredients as thoroughly as possible. Most of these products’ key ingredients are divulged by their manufacturers. Their other blend of components, on the other hand, are not, so be careful.

• Check if it has caffeine. If you are one of those people who don’t like caffeine in their system and want to live life “clean”, then see if your desired product has caffeine or not. There are a lot of cognitive enhancers that has stimulants, like caffeine, in their composition.

• Learn about its side effects. The last thing you would want to have when taking these supplements are side effects. Though some of them may not have one, some have unknown side effects, and some have side effects. Even minor side effects, like headache and nausea, can affect your performance during the day.

• Check how much it costs. The price of the product is just as important as the product itself. You don’t want to purchase something that is too expensive and that you can achieve the same effects, or better, for other cheaper products. Make sure to compare supplements and their prices before purchasing.

• See if it can be taken with other medications. There are some supplements that might contradict with your prescription medications. If you can’t find out whether or not you can take that supplement with your current medication, then first consult a physician.

• Check with your doctor first before purchasing. Always remember that you need to have a healthy functioning body all the time. Even if you think that a certain supplement will give you all the benefits without any side effects, it’s best to be sure.

Getting a medical checkup before purchasing a supplement can actually save you a lot of trouble and money. You might have a medical condition you don’t know that might be worsened by that supplement, or you don’t actually to purchase one because you don’t need it.

Do You actually Need One? 

For those suffering from mental conditions, it is best for a physician’s prescription and recommendation. You don’t want something in your system that won’t help you at all. Just save your money for proper treatment and medication.

If you want to have the extra boost in mental performance due to your daily routine, like students, then you may try these supplements. However, for people who just wants the extra focus and alertness, like office workers, then you’d best look for another option. There are other compounds out there that are cheaper and can give you better results, like coffee or tea.

People should actually be worried about their mental health. Whether you are young or old, a healthy brain is important. Cognitive enhancement is an option and a solution to our mental performance needs.