Pramiracetam is a name that often crops up in the nootropics sphere. But what exactly is it? Here we look at its benefits, how it works, and the important fine print.
Pramiracetam is a powerful synthetic racetam derivative known as a central nervous system stimulant and nootropic agent, primarily used for enhancing cognitive abilities, particularly memory improvement.
At least, that’s it in a nutshell. Here, I’ll explain why pramiracetam is important in the nootropics sphere, how it supports our cognitive functioning and health, plus the warnings that come with it.
What Is Piracetam?

Let’s get into the heart of the matter – what exactly Pramiracetam is. Why has it garnered so much attention in the world of nootropics?
Piracetam is a man-made substance, called a racetam, and was developed in the 1960s. It was originally used to treat motion sickness, before becoming the first drug to be labeled as a nootropic supplement – a supplement used to enhance memory, learning, and other cognitive functions.
By serendipity, it was also discovered to be an effective anticonvulsant in the 1980s.
Since then, we’ve discovered that piracetam can help with age-related conditions, memory, understanding and learning, and dyslexia.
Piracetam has also been investigated for the following conditions, though more studies are needed to determine if it is beneficial for any of them:
- Alcoholism
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Brain injury
- Breath-holding spells
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Dementia
- Dyslexia
- Fetal distress during labor
- Post-stroke
- Sickle cell disease
- Tardive dyskinesia
- Vertigo
How Does Pramiracetam Work In The Brain?
The inner workings of pramiracetam are fascinatingly complex. As a central nervous system stimulant, its main mechanism action revolves primarily around choline uptake, which in the long run influences the secretion of acetylcholine.

For those scratching their heads at the term ‘choline uptake’, let’s break it down.
Choline is an essential nutrient that our bodies use to produce acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter paramount to our nervous system, and plays direct roles in arousal, attention, memory, and motivation.
By stimulating choline uptake, pramiracetam significantly boosts the levels of acetylcholine in the brain.
This brings us to the second part of pramiracetam’s mechanism of action. The extra acetylcholine enhances activity in the hippocampus – the section of the brain playing a crucial role in memory storage and retrieval.
The thought process behind this is quite straightforward: increased activity in the hippocampus leads to better memory formation and long-term memory retention.
And this can be really helpful, especially as we get older and our brains change. As we age, our acetylcholine receptors and levels decline, which leads to reduced cerebral blood flow and nitric oxide levels – and all this leads to cognitive decline.
When this happens, we find it harder to make decisions, learn new things, stay focused, or even recall simple snippets of information.
By supplementing with nootropics like pramiracetam, which passes through the blood-brain barrier with ease, we can help our brain function optimally and prevent cognitive decline.
Is Pramiracetam Legal?
Pramiracetam is not illegal in the United States. If you are buying pramiracetam, choose one that has been tested by a third party to ensure its quality.
Pramiracetam Benefits
With some understanding of how Pramiracetam works, what does this mean in real terms, for us?
As we’ve seen so far, it can help with a number of medical needs and conditions. Indeed, it has shown its efficacy to those of us battling neurodegenerative and vascular dementias, as well as other conditions affected by our brainwaves, such as epilepsy.
Pramiracetam caters to the memory and attention deficits common among the elderly suffering from these complications, offering them a glimmer of hope to reclaim some lost cognitive abilities.
Normalizes Brain Waves
As it stimulates choline uptake, Pramiracetam influences the acetylcholine release, leading to increased hippocampal activity. This stabilizes brain waves, which plays a significant role in regulating mood, focus, and sleep patterns.
This property may be particularly helpful for those dealing with conditions like insomnia or mood disorders, where brain wave activity is often irregular.
Improves Memory
Research supports the claim that pramiracetam improves long-term memory recall, which can provide profound benefits for Alzheimer’s patients and the elderly suffering from memory disturbances due to brain cell degeneration.
Pramiracetam is believed to stimulate the hippocampus – the brain’s memory powerhouse – thereby benefiting both the consolidation and recall of memories. From personal experience, I can vouch for this memory enhancement, noticing a marked improvement in my ability to recall intricate details and even complex concepts.
Enhances Cognitive Function
Research shows that pramiracetam works to improve the blood supply to the brain, vital for normal cognitive function. The influencing factor here is pramiracetam’s indirect modulation of acetylcholine release, which is essential for learning and memory.
Boosted mental energy and concentration and enhanced overall cognitive function enables us to experience sharper and more focused attention.
Our main interest here at SOMA is what it can do in terms of nootropics – and pramiracetam certainly holds its own here. It can significantly help those of us who are in good health, but could benefit from an uptick in focus, concentration, and memory.
From boosting memory and learning capacity, enhancing mood, reducing anxiety, and even providing slight protective benefits to the brain, pramiracetam hits many cognitive buttons.
Do You Feel Different When Taking Pramiracetam?

Pramiracetam gets to work quickly. When I first supplemented with it, I felt an unusually intense ability to focus. I’d even go as far as saying it made me feel confident, and driven.
This sensation does eventually wear off as your body becomes used to it, though its effects seem to continue – perhaps as your brain becomes used to functioning at higher levels, or that you want to continue achieving as much as you have been.
Pramiracetam is often used by students for its ability to help with enduring focus and memory recall. Other professionals who need to maintain focus for long periods – from crucial board meetings to tedious, high-pressured tasks – benefit from supplementing with pramiracetam.
Communicating becomes easier – words come to you more fluidly – as does recalling information, and even solving problems and calculations.
Overall, you’ll likely feel notably slicker mentally and achieve more with confidence and calm when supplementing with pramiracetam. But, as with most good things, it’s not all roses.
Pramiracetam Side Effects
Although Pramiracetam is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, it does come with a handful of potential side effects.
Some users report feelings of anxiety, nervousness, or agitation, while others may experience bouts of depression. Physical manifestations like diarrhea, drowsiness, abdominal pain, weakness, muscle spasm, and even a skin rash are not unheard of.
In some cases, chronic usage may lead to hyperactivity, disrupted sleep patterns, or surprising weight gain. It is paramount to pay attention to your body and consult your healthcare provider in case of severe or persistent side effects.
Will Pramiracetam Affect Other Medications?
Pramiracetam has a broad spectrum of interactions with other drugs, largely due to its influence on cognitive function. Hence, it’s crucial to have a thorough conversation with your healthcare provider before combining it with other medications.
For instance, drugs affecting blood platelet aggregation, anticoagulants, or any medication altering the central nervous system could potentially interact with Pramiracetam, potentially leading to unwanted outcomes.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use Pramiracetam. There’s limited knowledge on how it might affect the fetus or an infant consuming breast milk, so it’s a definite no-go zone.
Recommended Pramiracetam Dose
The recommended daily dosage for pramiracetam is 250 – 400 mg, taken no more than 3 times per day. It doesn’t taste great in powder form, so look for it in capsule or tablet form.
Ideally, you should take it with a quality fat such as coconut oil or olive oil. This is because pramiracetam is fat-soluble, so doing this will help you absorb it better and get the most benefits from it.
Conclusion
To conclude, piracetam provides a solid base for nootropic benefits. The immense boost it provides in cognitive performance is dramatic, yet it doesn’t induce anxiety like some other stimulants can.
That said, there is notable variability in individual responses to it. Be aware of the side effects, and absolutely seek professional advice first if you have any medical conditions or concerns, or if you’re taking any medication.
Pramiracetam can unlock some incredible cognitive benefits, but the final decision should always be a well-informed one. Get personal, professional advice first.
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