Top products from r/Nootropics

You linked me to melatonin, a very powerful anti-oxidant that's also important in regulating the sleep cycle. Lack of melatonin has been attributed to the increase in mortality risks associate with night shift workers. Too much melatonin does however disrupt the sleep cycle however and 'less is more' is definitely in the case for it. I think most studies say the theoretical production of melatonin is around 150mcg of melatonin at night for adult males. I just put these on after about 8pm when I'm at home though instead, or on a night out I try to dose myself with like 250mcg of melatonin.

While a great many supplements have been linked to an increased cancer risk in supra-physiological doses, that's usually not the case in healthy individuals. The most common ones that I can think of from the top of my head is beta-carotene supplementation being linked to an increased cancer risk in smokers; and Vitamin E alpha-tocopherol at 400IU being linked to an increase in mortality risk (the DRA is only 15IU, and alpha-tocopherol is just one type of Vitamin E we need, there's alpha,beta,delta and gamma tocopherols; and there are also tocotrienols which have never had an observed toxicity and confer a lot more of the benefits). Also huge doses like 1g of Vitamin C is bad news obviously because the Vitamin C breaks down into oxalate which is actually harmful for the body. Again, a supra-physiological dosage. Iron supplements are just always a bad idea if anyone is getting enough food for the day. Iron overload is one of the worst problems in the western world; and it's usually caused by iron deposition in soft tissue because of a lack of folate, b12 and other co-factors required for shuttling the iron into red blood cells.

Also quite a few things that you might not be aware of are anti-oxidants. Stuff like Carnitine, (except in large doses it's a pro-oxidant and is harmful) stuff like Taurine, and stuff like Beta-Alanine. Supplementation of the three of these have consistently been shown to improve the benefits of exercise.

The link you linked me to puts Sardines at $1 a can, they're usually about the same at most super markets. =P

Also for Alibaba you can get a lot of 'sample' sizes of stuff, and a lot of providers do provide with 1kg or 100g of a lot of stuff. That's what I did for lipoic acid, grapeseed extract, biotin, coenzyme q10, vitamin d, vitamin k, and fucoxanthin. I actually decided against ordering the sulbutiamine after reading some of the medical literature around it.

Here are some medical journals I think you might be interested in:

Choline and exercise, beta-alanine and taurine are anti-depressive and anxiolytic, taurine prevents exercise induced oxidative stress, and again, theanine is a good supplement for reducing mental fatigue after exercise, vitamin k reduces coronary heart disease possibly, ALA is good for lead poisoning, arginine promotes wound healing, beta-alanine and creatine improve exercise performance, beta-alanine again, beta-alanine improves wound healing (well technically carnosine does, but beta-alanine is the rate limiting amino acid), beta-alanine, carnitine and ala are good for the heart, carnosine is important for preventing aging, carnosine in vitro reverses aging, and another one, choline is important for brain development, coenzyme q10 which is a very powerful antioxidant protects the brain against damage, creatine improves brain performance in those who were previously creatine deficient.

So yeah, you might want to do a little bit more of your own research regarding antioxidants. Here's a good website for research. I totally agree with you that a lot of anti-oxidants in excess are bad for you like

• Vitamin E tocopherols, but not tocotrienols
  
  
• Vitamin A or provitamin carotenes... xanthophylls usually don't have that problem though
  
  
• Vitamin C definitely in high doses
  
  But then there's also stuff like ALA which recycles your Vitamin E and Vitamin C stores, Carnosine (from Beta-Alanine), Taurine, and Carnitine (although not too much because otherwise it causes oxidizing effects on fatty acids and could be harmful without something like ALA alongside it), Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin D (which upregulates glutathione, one of the most powerful bodily antioxidants, again not too much though because otherwise it causes calcium deposition in soft tissues if there is a lack of Vitamin K), Vitamin K, Grapeseed extract (although again not too much because it has blood thinning effects at really high doses).

Wow, I'm amazed you guys haven't heard about the massive importance of lights on your energy level. I'd actually rate is as way more important than any kind of supplement/nootropic.

Light in the blue spectrum boosts the production of seretonin, giving you great, pure and clean energy. I often go from being grumpy, borderline depressed in the early morning to downright joyful after using my lamp for around 30 minutes.

The lamp I have is a Philips goLITE BLU. It's downright awesome. It's small, effective, easy to use (touchscreen) and portable. Some may think it's expensive, but it's actually not considering how big an impact it'll have on your life and for how many years it'll last you.

While blue light is great during the day it's harmful in the evening, since it prevents you from producing melatonin (the sleep hormone), both reducing your tiredness/ease of falling asleep and your sleep quality when you eventually do. To combat that I use glasses that filters out the whole blue spectrum, Uvex S1993X - just $8. It's much more effective than solutions like F.lux (it covers everything, not just your computer screen - and Flux can't stop all the blue light from the screen), and much easier to use too.

http://www.amazon.com/Uvex-S1933X-Eyewear-SCT-Orange-Anti-Fog/dp/B000USRG90.

I've just ordered the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain hoping to get some answers to exactly that question.

What exercise, how much and what benefits are shown? I was rather surprised the other day, when I saw that a meta-analysis about prescription stimulants and cognitive performance compared the enhancement from said stimulants (effect size: small) with exercise, and quoted this meta-analysis.

>e.g., physical exercise, the cognitive effects of which have been found to be similarly small; see Chang, Labban, Gapin, & Etnier, 2012, for a meta-analysis.

Full reference >[Chang, Y. K., Labban, J. D., Gapin, J. I., & Etnier, J. L. (2012). The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: A meta-analysis. Brain Research, 1453, 87–101]


I haven't had time to look it up and investigate it yet - but, I must say, it's rather disheartening if the effect size is "similarly small" for exercise. I honestly thought it had quite drastic effects on cognitive performance.

We'll see how (if it does) the book differs in contention.

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EDIT:

I grabbed some interesting meta-analyses' for you that may be of your interest:

> Roig, M., et al. (2013). "The effects of cardiovascular exercise on human memory: A review with meta-analysis." Neurosci Biobehav Rev 37(8): 1645-1666.

EXCERPT: "Data from 29 and 21 studies including acute and long-term cardiovascular interventions were retrieved. Meta-analyses revealed that acute exercise had moderate (SMD=0.26; 95% CI=0.03, 0.49; p=0.03; N=22) whereas long-term had small (SMD=0.15; 95% CI=0.02, 0.27; p=0.02; N=37) effects on short-term memory. In contrast, acute exercise showed moderate to large (SMD=0.52; 95% CI=0.28, 0.75; p<0.0001; N=20) whereas long-term exercise had insignificant effects (SMD=0.07; 95% CI=-0.13, 0.26; p=0.51; N=22) on long-term memory.... Strategically combined, acute and long-term interventions could maximize the benefits of cardiovascular exercise on memory."


>Verburgh, L., et al. (2013). "Physical exercise and executive functions in preadolescent children, adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis." Br J Sports Med.

EXCERPT: "Results suggest that acute physical exercise enhances executive functioning. The number of studies on chronic physical exercise is limited and it should be investigated whether chronic physical exercise shows effects on executive functions comparable to acute physical exercise. This is highly relevant in preadolescent children and adolescents, given the importance of well-developed executive functions for daily life functioning and the current increase in sedentary behaviour in these age groups."

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A review article that may also be interesting to read called Reviewing on physical exercise and the cognitive function.

I haven't looked for a comparative study re: exercise vs. nutraceuticals/meditation - but that would definitely be interesting to see, so do tell if you find something relevant and share it!

For your specific situation, 500mcg of melatonin and 400mg of magnesium glycinate should fix you right up. Melatonin is extremely safe and nontoxic. Same with magnesium (to a far lesser extant than melatonin, though).

A note on melatonin dosages: Less is more. It is frequently sold in 5-20mg pills. This is way way way too much for most people^[1].

As far as taking other things like St. John's Wort, kava, etc: Do not start out with these. You are a young person. There are many other things to try before these things. If the magnesium and melatonin don't work for you, feel free to PM me, and I'll do my best to give advice however I can.

Here are some links to brands of melatonin and magnesium that I would recommend:

Pure Encapsulations - Melatonin 0.5mg - 60 capsules for $9.30: this is the one I would most recommend in terms of quality, and the price happens to be pretty reasonable. If it's too much, let me know.

Pure Encapsulations - Magnesium (Glycinate) - 90 capsules (120mg each) for $19.50: Once again, this is ideal but if it's too much let me know. Here is a cheaper option that will work.

Best of luck to you my friend. I have had sleep problems before, and I know all too well that they will fuck your life up. This is an important issue to me, so I'm quite serious about offering my help. Feel free to PM me. Hope this helps.

HIIT with plyometrics thrown in. It's what I do every day and it has upped my game in a big way.

Also, I can't find the research, but there are studies supporting the idea that increased demands on kinesthesia during intense exercise increases its neurogenic properties. it makes sense, since more complex activities would provide bloodflow to more parts of the brain, providing a more diffuse delivery of the different growth factors that get released by exercise.

If you are interested into learning more of the details of boosting your brain with exercise, the book Spark is a great place to start.

> I imagined myself painstakingly measuring it into each capsule.

I kind of do something like that sometimes, though I just wrap it in thin paper and swallow it before the whole mess comes loose. It's...probably not the best solution, to be totally honest.

If you want to experiment on a budget, I'd strongly recommend theanine+caffeine as a base. It's very inexpensive and works pretty well, though caffeine tolerance is annoying. Also, while it's more for anxiety than energy, I really enjoy Ashwagandha.

Oddly, caffeine and Ashwagandha are two of the few things I'd recommend buying in pill form. Caffeine because it tastes awful and is so cheap (like $5 on Amazon for 100 pills), and Ashwagandha because I happen to rather like this specific brand which is both high quality and quite affordable.

Right now I'm trying to write a romance, actually. New for me, though I'm enjoying it more than I would've expected. I just need to get a firm grasp on the subgenre, because it seems to be slipping away from me a little bit.

edit: Also, one other recommendation: Melatonin. It's dirt cheap and getting a good night's sleep helps with energy the next day. Melatonin kind of has a bad rap because most bottles of it have like 3-10mg doses, which is too much. Even the bottle I linked is 1mg, so I'd recommend cutting them in half.

edit2: So many typoes. Sorry. I basically didn't sleep last night.

2-3 99mg potassium pills at once, taken with food and/or a full glass of water. You'll notice a burning sensation if you don't drink enough with it. With a meal and plenty of water, I've taken 6 or more at once with zero side effects, so 2-3 is definitely safe.

I'd strongly suggest eventually tapering up to one 22mg zinc per day - zinc is a very widely used cofactor. More info - https://examine.com/supplements/Zinc/

Almost any vitamin c should be fine. Pretty cheap, consistent supplement. For a B complex, anything is better than nothing, so if you've got one already, I'd recommend taking that (or half doses if you respond poorly, which isn't uncommon) until you get a new one. If you can find Jarrow B-Right, that's a good one, otherwise look for one with a similar formula. (including rough ratios of each component - some companies put absurd amounts of one B vitamin, and a comparatively tiny amount of another, which can exacerbate an already sensitive balance as you discovered)

https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-B-right-Supports-Cardiovascular/dp/B0016003Z0/

I've heard good things about Jarrow, but I've never tried any of their products.

Magnesium:

https://examine.com/supplements/magnesium/


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD0RT0/

Fish Oil:

https://examine.com/supplements/fish-oil/


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004O2I9JO/

Vitamin D:

https://examine.com/supplements/vitamin-d/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004N8TTBQ/



You'll see in the examine article for Magnesium that I linked why I suggest it and Vit D; people are a lot of times deficient in one, or both. Fish Oil is just generally also seen as a good thing to supplement, and it also helps the Vit D be absorbed.

These things, in my experience, give you a much better baseline. Unless you have a really solid/varied diet/lots of sun exposure, these can really help.

This magnesium an hour before bed works great in combination with melatonin. For nights when I’m extra anxious, I also add in a cup of chamomile tea.

Magnesium: (2 tablets 1 Hour before wanting to be asleep)

Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate, 100% Chelated, Non-GMO, Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, 100 mg, 240 Tablets (packaging may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BD0RT0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rY66CbHAC95CP

Melatonin I use: (I put around 10 drops under my tongue about 15min before I wanna be asleep)

Life Extension Fast-Acting Liquid Melatonin Citrus-Vanilla Flavor, 2 Fl. Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DBG625G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6066CbGN9CS5T

Chamomile I use: (1 bag 1 hour before wanting to be asleep. Two bags if you’re super anxious)

Traditional Medicinals - Organic Chamomile, 16 Bag (2 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L9U9KIC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0166CbKMMR0G8

I agree that sleep is incredibly important, and using electronics before bed isn’t exactly conducive to good sleep. I’ve been using 100% blue light blocking glasses at night for a few years, and these really help (though be careful when buying because some don’t block all, but imply they do - these look gnarly but have been tested to block 100% of blue light).

This, however, isn’t a perfect solution because the content most of us read on our electronics is stimulating. Personally I’ve had better results by donning my glasses, putting my phone in airplane mode, and reading an ebook that doing the same but keeping signal on and browsing reddit/reading articles.

I like Natural Calm Tea:

Natural Vitality Calm, The Anti-Stress Dietary Supplement Powder, Raspberry Lemon - 16ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BPUY3W0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TIlBCbS0Q47PN

Raspberry Lemon flavor is my fave and I drink it before bed.

Hello! great to hear that melatonin has worked for you. As far as 300mcg and time release, please look here! I found one yesterday! :D

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Melatonin-Released-Vegetarian/dp/B00CDABRUW/ref=sr_1_3_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479610586&sr=1-3&keywords=melatonin%2Bmcg&th=1

As far as the dreams go, i havent taken anything over 300mcg yet, so I may never experience them- they sound cool though :)

I've resigned myself to believing if I were a doctor, my first move for anything other than diarrhea would be to prescribe magnesium.

I tested for a considerable deficiency ~2 years ago, and periodically after that, and found that supplementing with Glycinate forms has helped me a lot. I've found the Doctor's Best Chelated Version to be the best in terms of price/effectivness:

https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Absorption-Magnesium-Supplement/dp/B000BD0RT0

I've tried just about every type of mag there is, including shots, and the Glycinate forms have by-far been the best for me in terms of bowel tolerance and effectiveness.

Well the problem is I literally cant afford to just up the dosage, as it is already expensive for me. I take 2 a day, which makes it only last 25 days. This other curcumin seems more cost effective. I already bought it so why not try it and see if it's a decent replacement for the longvida? This new curcumin is the highest rated on amazon with over 9000 reviews, all raving about its effectiveness with bodily pain, I didn't see many people talk about curcubrain helping with their body inflammation, just the mental benefits.
edit: also if you know of any well reviewed high dosage curcumin products, i'd love to check them out. This is the one I just got:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DBTFO98/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Holy shit! That scales "Acceptable Tolerance (+-)" is 200mg! Source

In case I'm not being clear: 100%, you cannot trust that scale.

If you're measuring anything below 1g, it requires extreme accuracy, which that scale cannot provide!

Here is the recommended scale of /r/nootropics:
American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G

I have this scale. Even though it measures down to 1mg (.001g), the acceptable tolerance is still +-5mg. It also measures up to 20g, so that's an overall accuracy of +-0.025% compared to the max weight, which is extremely accurate for a scale (note: your scale comes in at 0.033% compared to the max weight)

If you have any questions, let me know. Good luck!

I just dump the powder in my mouth and down it with some water. At first the taste was awful, but I've become inured to it. The taste leaves your mouth immediately, unlike other powders.

I don't suggest mixing it into a beverage because that would just prolong the experience of ingesting it. You can put it into a capsule. When I want to put powder into a capsule, I'll just run the capsule along the weighing dish.

If cost is an issue, then I think it is well worth it to invest in the powder, a scale and some gelatin capsules.

Here's a scale. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Gemini-20-Portable-Milligram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368944322&sr=8-1&keywords=milligram+scale

Here are some capsules. http://www.ebay.com/itm/120836817211?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

And check the FAQ for nootropic vendors. I recently ordered 100 grams of piracetam for about $15 from Newstar Nootropics. They are very professional, but you can probably get a slightly better price elsewhere. I really like the container it came in though (a plastic amber jar, as opposed to a flimsy bag).

I bounce between several, but can definitely recommend Doctor's Best. I have not noticed a difference between all of the top brands on amazon.

Natural Calm makes magnesium citrate that's flavored with stevia that tastes pretty good: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Vitality-Magnesium-Organic-Raspberry/dp/B00BPUY3W0

You can buy this 0.001 scale for $25, I use it, it's excellent and comes with a tray and two calibration weights. It's a good investment and you'll be able to safely dose the next ever-so-potent substance you try.

Phenomenal products:

Doctor's Best High Absorption... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BD0RT0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Doctor's Best Brain Magnesium,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NIHCS4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

>My guess is that obviously the caffeine is being absorbed more efficiently than the l-theanine. And I’m left with a caffeine high that the L-theanine simply cannot compensate.

A balls out way to get L-Theanine if you drink coffee (bulletproof coffee that is) is to get L-Theanine that comes in the gel caps in a coconut oil base, cut open the caps and squeeze the gel into your bulletproof coffee (I do 400 mg) and blend it up on high speed. Happy and focused all day long!
Product with coconut oil base:
https://www.amazon.com/Suntheanine®-L-Theanine-Double-Strength-Cold-Pressed-Organic/dp/B00TXY32FY/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1526705717&sr=8-3&keywords=sports+research+ltheanine&dpID=41m1rM8JdAL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

**Since bulletproof coffee already has coconut oil, it might work just the same to empty a couple of veggie caps into the mix before blending.
Whatever the mechanism, I definitely feel the theanine/caffeine synergy more by doing it that way in the blender.

I found that Time Released Melatonin 1mg is very powerful. Too powerful for me but maybe an option for you?

Also Natural Calm Magnesium Is a particularly sedating form of magnesium in my experience.

The least practical form of magnesiumon a regular basis is a hot epsom salt bath. For me it’s about as sedating as a double dose of benzos.

[edit: Apology: reread your question and realized you’re looking for alternatives to melatonin. Will leave up that first sentence though, since I haven’t seen much discussion about time release melatonin and I was really surprised at how different it felt than 0.5mg quick dissolve melatonin.]

Context is king.

Quote from the above study.

>A search using 5 Internet search engines and the search terms Ayurveda and Ayurvedic medicine identified 25 Web sites offering traditional Ayurvedic herbs, formulas, or ingredients commonly used in Ayurveda, indicated for oral use, and available for sale.

The near decade old study looked solely at Ayurveda websites not mainstream brands. This is not a study of 20% of all ashwagandha sold in the US moreso companies who just sell Indian herbs which potentially raises red flags on that alone.

KSM-66 was the brand used in the Testosterone study and the company is considered to have high quality standards.

http://www.ksm66ashwagandhaa.com/quality_control.html

Their material is in many brands such as;

Jarrow Formulas, LEF, Nootropic Depot, Pure Nootropics, Vitacost, Swanson, Doctor's Best, etc. As long as you buy any of these there should be no concern over metal content since the material is the same. No different than buying Suntheanine.

Best value seems to be Jarrow on amazon $11.56 for 300 mg 120 capsules so great choice OP.

https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Ashwagandha-Supports-Resistance/dp/B0013OQEO8

They even have a 40% off coupon when you select Subscribe so I'll switch to this after I use my first bottle.

Edit: Formatting.

My mood is heavy reliant on my sleep quality, so is my willingness to accomplish tasks and focus.

I honestly dont understand the diffrent forms of mag here's the one I'm taking:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BD0RT0/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought the gemini 20 scale on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM

Acurate around 5mg up or down. The 10g thing shows up as 9.995g on it.

You can def measure 10mg accurately, if measuring smaller doses like 1 or 2.5mg it won't really work. I don't really see it change until 4mg at least.

For smaller doses I would measure out 10mg and then "eyeball" it into 4 equal doses in four different capsules, and hoped it would be accurate enough.

Will work for things like caffeine or normal noots/drugs that you just need to measure in mg.

Powder city has a scale that's like 11 dollars I think, but idk how good it is.

the problem is that melatonin production is disrupted not just during specific sleep-time, but throughout the evening, when it would naturally get darker over time.

it's good advice to make sure that all lights are blocked while sleeping (including blinking lights from electronic devices, cable boxes, etc); however, it's kind of impractical tip to suggest that people should avoid all sources of light after sundown. flux is a good technological work-around to an unavoidable technological "problem".

edit: these glasses do a great job of blocking all blue-light from monitors, phones, TVs, etc: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000USRG90/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We always suggest using a balance/scale for dosing as scoops are highly unreliable in measuring. We do not include any type of scoop as they are not reliable nor do they measure in mg. All powders have different densities and therefore they shouldn't be measure using one.

We do not carry scoops, as we feel they promote the misuse of products. You should never use any compound without accurately weighing it with a milligram scale. It's for your own safety. Our customer's safety is priority #1.

We have found that the Gemini 20 is a decent scale at a decent price. Of course, this isn't an official endorsement of it. I have provided a link below.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422903756&sr=8-1&keywords=gemini+20+scale

I'm a fan of: https://www.amazon.com/Sundown-Naturals-Melatonin-300-Tablets/dp/B000GG2I9O?th=1

You'd think people and especially doctors would want to go with the minimum effective dose as supported by the literature, but the mentality of "if a little is good, a lot must be great!" is so common.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Gemini-20-Portable-Milligram/dp/B0012TDNAM/

I can vouch for this scale being awesome, and both more accurate and easy to use than most that are twice that price.

That product also contains magnesium oxide. If it says "buffered" on the label, that often means it's mixed with magnesium oxide. Also, look at the "other ingredients" list; magnesium oxide is listed. A good magnesium glycinate that isn't buffered, and is very cheap, is Doctor's Best Magnesium - http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Absorption-Magnesium-Elemental/dp/B000BD0RT0/

I don't think more is necessarily better. I'm 6'1"/185lbs and I take 600mcg a night and that works nicely for me.

​

It's hard if not impossible to find the small dosage ones in stores, so I ordered 300mcg tablets on amazon and take 2.

​

heres the ones I have:

https://www.amazon.com/Sundown-Naturals-Melatonin-300-Tablets/dp/B000GG2I9O/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_121_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5KWC0WVHS7BBM9T0NJJ8

This is pretty awesome that you put that much work into it, but why not buy something like this? It would be safer in the long run.

FYI, there are convenient 0.3 mg pills available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sundown-Naturals-Melatonin-300-Tablets/dp/B000GG2I9O/
I take the same dosage myself, and find these to be very effective.

Wellbutrin doesn'r raise dopamine so much as norepenephrine.

Do you remember a time in your life where these symptoms were better, or have you always been this way?

Do you masturbate too much?

Do you have drug addictions?

Do you have signs of inflammation?

Do you have stimulation in your life (consistent social exposure and support, goals, curiousity, novelty, adventure)?

Do you have unresolved emotional trauma that you haven't addressed, and are carrying around?

Do you have a good diet?

There are great nootropics options for dopamine deficiency but not worth going into if you aren't going to tackle the cause. For me I take one of these a day.

If that wasn't just a panic attack, it's probably because you took A LOT of methylB12 (5mg) and methyl folate (800 mcg).

I like the B-Right B-Complex from Jarrow. According to the nutrition label it has:

• 100mcg of methylB12, which is already 1,670% of DV
  
• 400mcg folate, which is 100% of DV
  
  Now, Daily Value isn't necessarily the threshold, but you took 50 times the amount of methylB12 as is in that supplement, which is 83,500% of your Daily Value.

What kind of scale do you have? I strongly recommend using a digital scale like this one: http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/

I use this caffeine and this l-theanine. Couldn't say if they're the best on Amazon, but they work well for me and are well-priced.

Doctors best from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD0RT0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Are you familiar with Circadian Rhythm Disorders? r/DSPD and r/n24 seem to be the main places to talk about them on reddit. There's also a mailing list that a bit more active but a different format at Circadian Sleep Disorders Network. I'm not saying fixing your circadian rhythm will help, or that it's the cause for depression, or that the inverse is true, but they are often comorbid. You may decide the circadian rhythm issue is less important to you, and attack your mood symptoms first - but sleep quality could be related to your mood and DSPD could hurt sleep quality. Basically I am saying it's a clusterfuck. At least you may be able to find some management strategies (e.g. controlling light/dark exposure). Before you go hunting for solutions, though, I'll share that the single best thing for me has been scototherapy, and the cheapest way to try it out is with Uvex SCT-Orange. Note: glancing at your previous posts, it seems you may still be on APs? If the DSPD is a side-effect from them, I don't know how well scototherapy will work. Still, it's something to try.

I've always been taking this brand. Take 2-3 a day depending on what I have going on. I usually mix with caffeine, as I notice what seems to be a synergistic interaction between the two substances (of course there may not be, it just seems like it to me). I tend to find it much easier to focus, and all around I feel as though I can "think" better. Also feel more motivated much of the time.

It could be a placebo effect, but I recently also started taking ashwagandha and haven't noticed much of an effect from it even though I was expecting one.

This scale is probably the best bang for your buck. I have one and haven't had any problems with it.

I have been taking Wellbutrin for a month now and have had constant anxiety and sleeping problems since day one and haven't found anything that would calm me (except maybe some kava), and then today I got samples of this stuff called Natural Calm, it's Magnesium Citrate (From mixing Magnesium Carbonate and Citric Acid in your beverage) and in less than 20 min I was extremely relaxed. Sort of muscle relaxer relaxed. For me one packet was too much because I was tired all day but I can't believe how effective it was. Here's a link:

https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Vitality-Supplement-Raspberry-Lemon/dp/B00BPUY3W0?th=1

I wonder if it's the carbonate version that makes it so effective for me since I've tried magnesium citrate before and it wasn't like this stuff at all. It says the carbonate version is for better absorption.

http://www.amazon.de/Smart-Weigh-GEM20-Precision-Milligram/dp/B00ESHDGOI

This has served pretty well.

I don't think anyone should include microscoops. It promotes the idea that volumetric dosing is accurate, which cannot be further from the case. A milligram scale is ALWAYS needed to accurately measure lower dosages. Not to mention all the plastic waste is causes. The only things I use scoops on are products that need larger dosages, have a low side effect profile, and that I have already calibrated using an accurate scale. So things like creatine or mushroom powder extracts I will use one of my stainless steel scoops to dose my powder, as I have already determined which scoops deliver a specific weight for that batch powder, and I know a little variability in the dosage is not going to cause any issues for me. I can wash the stainless steel scoops, and make sure they are sterilized. Plus, they can be used forever, instead of me wasting tons of them by throwing them out. Even with the stainless steel ones, I do not use them for things that need small dosages, like Noopept or Tianeptine. Those ALWAYS get weighed on an accurate milligram scale every time. Accuracy matters. The Gemini-20 is an inexpensive scale that you can get for like $20 on Amazon. There is no reason to not get one.

These are the stainless steel scoops I use: https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-3080-Stainless-Measuring-smidgen/dp/B0009X1P9S/

Here is the Gemini-20: https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/

Buy a Gemini-20 for $20. It's what most people here use and it works great.

Just buy powder. I get it from ▼

Star Nootropics.

This scale is great too

Well I tried 600mg 3x a day and it helped, but I'm going to try a lower dose. 600mg 3x a day numbed my emotions, which is why I'm going to try a lower dose. To be more specific, I'm ordering Jarrow sustained release NAC next:

https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Sustain-Supports-Function/dp/B0013OVVK0/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1522106458&sr=8-1&keywords=jarrow+nac&dpID=41cNTe%252BWi9L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

600mg instant release would wear off too quickly and was too strong that it blunted emotions for me, so I had to dose 3x a day. I hope that Jarrow's sustained release will last all day, and it's releasing 600mg total throughout the day. Instead of taking 1800mg total. It says that the first 200mg of it releases instantly, which sounds good cuz 600mg instant release was numbing. And then the last 400mg of the 600mg pill releases sustained over time.

https://www.amazon.com/Suntheanine®-L-Theanine-Double-Strength-Cold-Pressed-Organic/dp/B00TXY32FY/ works great for me.

I paid just under $20 for 15 grams (15000 mg) and the average dose is between 10mg and 30mg. 30 mg was a bit much for me, unless you dose only once a day then it might be better. I take about 10-15mg twice daily.

From what I've read, addiction is unlikely, at least on a chemical level. I strongly suggest using a digital scale that is accurate down to the 0.001g, or 1mg. I use this scale http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESHDGOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I buy Suntheanine on amazon. It's pretty cheap and there are 90 capsules
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OXTGVG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I used to have the same issue.

Dosing just once a day, it took about 2 weeks for the fatigue to convert into just a calm, relaxed, mood-uplifted state of mind.

Where do you get your Bacopa?

I use this:

http://www.amazon.com/Nutrigold-Bacopa-Clinically-proven-BacoMind-capsules/dp/B004S5SN66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373938603&sr=8-1&keywords=bacopa

• Magnesium L Threonate Capsules
  
  
• Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate
  
  Not sure if these are the best ones.

I also have sleep issues, the time release melatonin has been amazing, this is what I've been using. I was getting symptoms of anhedonia from larger doses.

Threonate is a total scam. Just get Glycinate from Doctor's Best and save $50 on a year's supply.

http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Absorption-Magnesium-Elemental/dp/B000BD0RT0/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1462655322&sr=8-1&keywords=doctors+best+magnesium

6 month+ supply for $15.

I see that yellow doesn't work from that study, but I don't see that they tested orange. I'm using these: http://www.amazon.com/Uvex-S1933X-Eyewear-SCT-Orange-Anti-Fog/dp/B000USRG90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417854129&sr=8-1&keywords=amber+glasses

The community Q&A on there says they block blue light, and I can verify it- blue lights such as the one on my fan actually look green with these things on. Amber might be a little better, or maybe this color is actually pretty close to amber and I just have trouble telling the two apart. Do you have a different brand you've used?

I just received it from ND today as well.

1: It's a typo, 100mg is the dosage.

2: Get a scale. You should not be eyeballing substances. Especially when it's a substance like Polygala. Scale on Amazon

Lol I bought this one off amazon for about $20. Not gonna lie I can't wait to use it

Orange (or blue light blocking) glasses.

Sleep deprivation can improve mood but if it becomes hypomania you get some of the cognitive issues anyone would get. People often become more functional and focused but it can be hard to direct that focus. It might be working extra hard at work or school but is (more?) likely to be skipping work to re-plumb your kitchen or spending way too much money shopping. Pulled away from that special hypomanic project it looks more typical. You are likely to become more distractable, impulsive and irritable which is pretty typical of not sleeping enough.

You could buy caffeine and theanine tablets on Amazon if you want to experiment. You can easily break the 200mg tablets into approximately 100mg or 50mg pieces.

Have you tried regular cold-pressed oil vs. an essential oil? I only link these because I know and trust these vendors/brands, and that they all do lab testing on their products (in fact for this reason I exclusively use RMO for my essential oils)

http://www.amazon.com/Bacopa-Monnieri-Extract-Bacognize-Caps/dp/B0017OAI8C/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Like I said, it's super subtle. The worse off your ltm is beforehand, the more of an effect you're going to see.

If you cannot remove lights or stop staring at screens, I highly recommend these glasses - http://www.amazon.com/Uvex-S1933X-Eyewear-SCT-Orange-Anti-Fog/dp/B000USRG90/

They help me fall asleep on time everyday.

I don't have it but I have seen a bunch of folks like this Gemini one.

https://smile.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM?crid=DW595P6G2QV8&keywords=gemini+milligram+scale&qid=1538150925&sprefix=gemini+mill&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3

I was told by a neurologist that anything over 300 mcg (micrograms) will either offer no benefit up to 1mg and cause sleep problems above 2mg. He told me that 5mg pills aren't going to hurt you, but are sold to the American "bigger must be better" buyer.

I've not tried time release, but I limit my caffiene after noon and take half a 1mg tablet.

They do sell 300mcg melatonin, I can't help but think there's a reason for that.

This doesn't always work as you may use a multitude of devices including having dumb devices around with blue LEDs and etc. What I did was buy these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000USRG90/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They work like a charm. Just put them on when you're home up past a certain hour.

> At the very least have a scale that weighs down to 0.001g (i.e. GEM20)

Thanks. will take your advise on that.

Thing is, there are two scales with an uncanny resemblance, one is:

• Smart Weigh GEM20
  
  
• American Weigh GEMINI-20
  
  Do you mean the American Weigh one?
  

These orange glasses are another good option if you have many screens. They also prevent blue light from light fixtures, although that isn't as important as screens.

Just buy a scale, if you're willing to spend money on nootropics, then buy a milligram scale. It's not like you'll ever have to buy another one.

I can personally recommend the American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20, $24 on Amazon.

Really?? What about occasional L-dopa use, like this this? https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Mucuna-L-Dopa-Vcaps/dp/B001QG5F0W

Caffeine pills have too many additives and fillers in my opinion.

Also, it is definitely not cheaper to buy pills.

50 grams of caffeine powder - $5 with shipping

50 grams of caffeine pills - $22.5 with shipping

1 dose of this (2 pills). Shows 120mg active L-Dopa.

https://www.amazon.com/NOW-DOPA-Mucuna-Veg-Capsules/dp/B001QG5F0W

The book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" includes a lot of research that describes benefits to morning exercise.

Fyi, from my own experience, the New Star 10–15 mg scoop is grossly inaccurate (…otherwise, my Gemini-20 mg scale is seriously out of whack). Each scoop measures out about 3.5–4.5 mg of Noopept (loose-ish scoop = approx. 3.5 mg; packed scoop = approx. 4.5 mg); 7–8 scoops of powder = one dose (aiming for approx. 30 mg).

That stuff looks way overpriced.

I'd recommend these instead.

If you can afford a luxury like agmatine, you can afford a scale. A Gemini-20 is cheap enough.

To be fair, that brand claims to test for heavy metals: https://www.amazon.com/Turmeric-Bioperine-Available-Standardized-Curcuminoids/dp/B01DBTFO98

LOL I made a mistake it's 300 mcg not 3. I use this product: https://www.amazon.com/Sundown-Naturals-Melatonin-300-Tablets/dp/B000GG2I9O/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1521575135&sr=8-3&keywords=300+mcg+melatonin

Dunno about in Europe but Amazon sells Jarrow's Ashwagandha
extract (KSM-66), 120 capsules at 300 mg's for under 12 bucks.

To add to this, blue blocking glasses or goggles are also a cheap way of taking the f.lux effect outside of your laptop. One I've seen recommended is http://www.amazon.com/Uvex-S0360X-Ultra-spec-SCT-Orange-Anti-Fog/dp/B003OBZ64M/ref=pd_sim_hi_3

I bought it off [amazon.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TXY32FY/). I didn't see the list of recommended providers until after I had bought it. IIRC there were a few choices.

Sundown Naturals makes a cheap 300 mcg melatonin that you can buy from multiple places including Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GG2I9O/ref=sxts_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1540152813&sr=1

Uvex Skyper Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses with SCT-Orange Lens https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000USRG90/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_M5jIybS98Y61P

Dirt cheap, blocks pretty much all blue light. I can't even tell blue led indicator lights on electronics are on when I'm wearing them. They're mega sexy looking, though.

Make a nasal spray or just cap some up after you purchase a $20 scale on amazon that can weigh milligrams.

​

https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM

try these:

www.bulkpowders.fr

fr.myprotein.com

Even if I suggest to take sun-theanine, which you can buy from amazon (I use this one)

> Here is the COA for the Swanson brand Bacognize bacopa capsules.

So, worries about metals was what was stopping me from buying any bacopa, and now I'm looking at what's on offer, but I'm a little confused here. I thought 'Bacognize' was a particular source of bacopa (how else can they promise a clinically-standardized bacopa product with a particular % content?) and I could just buy whatever Bacognize was cheapest, but looking on Amazon, I see two competing products:

• Swanson, Bacopa Monnieri Extract Bacognize 250 mg 90 Caps (90x250mg for $14)
  
• Vitacost, Bacopa Extract Featuring Bacognize -- 300 mg - 120 Capsules (120x300mg for $13)
  
  Does this COA apply only to the Swanson one, or what?

1mg of melatonin is still too much. 300mcg is what you want, in a timed-release formula.

http://smartdrugsmarts.com/episode-140-melatonin/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CDABRUW

I used to hate it (sluggish/brain fog all day after) until I discovered these. I take it a few hours before I want to fall asleep and it knocks me out faster than the higher doses ever did. As long as I get enough sleep (7-8 hours) I have no noticeable side effects.

Don't quote me on this, but I remember reading that the 3mg+ doses were based on a misreading of the original study and companies just ran with it.

I know about Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.

Amazing herbs. Always go for the liquid or pure powder option if you can, it's way cheaper.

Doctor’s Best

I buy this brand https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Absorption-Magnesium-Glycinate/dp/B000BD0RT0

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-0-01g-Digital-Scale/dp/B0012LOQUQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413322144&sr=8-1&keywords=american+weigh

$10 for the real deal, and this is the one I got:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1413322144&sr=8-8&keywords=american+weigh

I have this scale: Gemini-20

Cap it. http://www.swansonvitamins.com/capsule-connection-the-capsule-machine-00-1-unit

You'll need this as well: http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449532522&sr=8-1&keywords=mg+scale

https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469570868&sr=8-1&keywords=gemini+20

Is it this one? https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012TDNAM/

ksm-66, standardized hplc verified extract with over a dozen research articles.

https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Ashwagandha-Supports-Resistance/dp/B0013OQEO8

Can't beat Jarrow B-Right

Would this contain the Bacognize in question?

http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Suntheanine-L-Theanine-Vegetable/dp/B001OXTGVG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395606982&sr=8-3&keywords=theanine

I found this on Amazon, but the first image is different from the others and its $60 fucking dollars!

Then theres this and IDK if this is a good site or not, but it sells it for $16

Try this one: http://www.amazon.com/Nutrigold-Bacopa-Clinically-proven-BacoMind-capsules/dp/B004S5SN66

Nutrigold Bacopa Gold

Amazon.com has Bacopa Monnieri capsules for ~$18
>http://www.amazon.com/Nutrigold-Bacopa-Clinically-proven-BacoMind-capsules/dp/B004S5SN66/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1375681198&sr=1-1&keywords=bacopa+monnieri



And if you go to the manufacturer's website (Nutrigold) they also operate under GMP-approved and FDA registered facilities:
>http://www.nutrigold.com/Info/The-Nutrigold-Advantage

I didn't say it needed 300mg of bacosides. It should have at least 100mg preferably 150mg or more.

The only time I said 300mg I was talking about how much non-extract was in the product you linked.

this product has 320mg at 55% bacosides for a total of 176mg of bacosides. Plus additional bacosides from the non-extract portion.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TXY32FY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$15 - 60 days supply

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TXY32FY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Did you check Schwartz Bioresearch brand?
https://www.amazon.com/Turmeric-Bioperine-Available-Standardized-Curcuminoids/dp/B01DBTFO98/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1493220185&sr=8-1&keywords=curcumin+bioperine

This is the one I've been taking.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Herbs-Black-Seed-Cold-Pressed/dp/B0009EYIQ4?th=1

You can also get it in 500mg (or 1025mg) capsules if you don't want to drink it.

I am not sure but I am taking this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD0RT0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would this theoretical stack cause any toxicity problems? The theoretical stack would look something like the following:


Substance | Dose | Doses/Day | Timing
---|---|----|----
Modafinil | 100 mg | 1 | morning
Noopept | 20 mg | 3 | morning+noon+afternoon
Piracetam | 2000 mg | 3 | morning+noon+evening
CDP Choline | 300 mg | 3 | with Piracetam
Rhodiola | 500 mg (3% total, 1% sal.) | 2 | morning+noon
Bacopa | 1 Bacopa Gold capsule | 2 | morning+afternoon
Caffeine| 100 mg | 4-6 | as needed
Theanine | 200 mg | 4-6 | with caffeine


*Sublingual RoA


** NOW Food Rhodiola

**1 Bacopa Gold capsule:
-275 mg USP Grade Bacopa Standardized Extract (20% triterpene)
-225 mg BacoMind Bacopa Standardized Extract

NOW
https://www.amazon.com/NOW-DOPA-Mucuna-Veg-Capsules/dp/B001QG5F0W


Shit is strong though.

yeah, I take 300 mcg nightly and it's plenty. even bumping to 600mcg makes for a noticeably more dreary awakening.

http://amzn.com/B000GG2I9O

those apps are all shit.

get some real "blue" blockers, ala

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000USRG90?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Put them on and see how much blue your monitor was leaking with flux or whatever shitty app you were using.

Spoiler:

a shit ton.

You can program a driver or app or whatever to basically set the blue portion of the RGB of every pixel to zero, but the LCD/plasma is still emitting A LOT of blue light. For example, darken your room and and go to MS paint, make a black background, then open the image in picture view or some app and full screen it, and just see the bright glow of the "black" pixels.

Use a blue light filter app on your phone/computer screens during the night time. Or wear glasses that block blue light like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000USRG90/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487477720&sr=sr-1&keywords=blue+light+glasses

blue light inhibits melatonin secretion.

I bought some, but when I take it there is a nasty aftertaste in my mouth for about 6 hours afterward, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is on my breath it is so strong. Does your brand leave the insanely strong aftertaste mine does?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009EYIQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I dunno bud, I use the Jarrow Formulas NAC Sustain that's supposed to release it throughout my day a bit while taking Adderall, am I confused too?

This is a stupid question that I don't think deserves its own post. I bought a pair of blue light blocking glasses from Amazon. These ones good reviews and come up first.

I can still see blue. I thought blue was meant to appear as black. Does that mean they're not working?

NSI freebase 20mg sublingual is a good starting dose, imo.
I can be pretty irresponsible with my drug use but not using a scale is plain stupidity. Do not take any until you purchase a mg scale.

The gemini-20 is about $20
https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM

If you cant justify that cost you shouldnt be buying the drugs.

Based on the label on the back, no.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0756/4987/products/Ashwagandha_3D_right.jpg?v=1469763171

Here's the ksm-66 I use:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013OQEO8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487017883&sr=8-3&keywords=ksm-66

Notice the back label says KSM-66 on the back

Just one capsule in the morning has a nice subtle effect. Sometimes I'll take one more at night if it's been a stressful day.

I'll see your link and raise you:
UVEX blue blocking glasses

The one's with the black frame don't block /quite/ as much as these. And I lost this pair... so I use the ones with the frame now.

Purely anecdotal, but I've been taking it daily (KSM-66, 900mg) for around seven months now and I've definitely noticed a reduction in everyday anxiety.

It hasn't done much for my social anxiety, but that nagging voice, that "WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS?!" voice that plagued me throughout the day, has been severely reduced, which is nice.

No lie, I wear these after 8:30-9pm most nights:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003OBZ64M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00741II8E&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0V783CSM4JBRYQDXETTJ

I tend not to follow Dave Asprey, but I assume he suggests them to minimize screens' disruption of melatonin release?

Anyway, that's why I wear them, and I do think they've had a positive impact on sleep inducement. I tend to read on my iPad til a few minutes before sleep and I have no trouble winding down with these.

Hmm, I used to use NAC, but I found it consistently made me tired and dumb. My experience with 600mg NAC (taken in the afternoon/nighttime) is characterized by an unusually strong heaviness of mind and body upon awakening in the morning that makes it very difficult to get up.

Discontinuing use brought my mornings back to normal within two days.

I use the L-Theanine, Caffeine, creatine stack and nothing else.

You don't need to make pills. L-theanine can be taken sublingually (under the tongue) or mixed into a hot drink (It doesn't dissolve easily, forget about cold drinks). You don't need a milligram scale for L-theanine, as servings are big enough to eyeball - The Liftmode brand powder comes with an appropriately small scoop for 200mg. There are L-theanine pills out there but they are overpriced.

Don't get caffeine powder. A teaspoon of caffeine powder can kill someone. Making your own pills out of white powders also looks completely sketchy to onlookers. Pills are dirt cheap (and can be cut for smaller servings). Or just drink coffee/tea.

I realize this isn't what you asked, so here goes for benchmarks. I study languages using flashcards, and speed/accuracy measurably goes up when I'm on caffeine + L-theanine.

I actually have some personal experience in this! I used to get really bad anxiety and depression after orgasm. I started wearing blue light filter glasses 4 hours before bed because it apparently blue light supresses melatonin production in the body. I don't seem to have any more depression and anxiety after orgasm anymore, HOWEVER its way to early to tell because I've only tested this once out of fear of getting anxiety and depression again.

My theory is that improper sleep cycles mess with prolactin related stuff, and orgasming makes it worse. But uhh... Honestly, take this with a grain of salt. But if you wanna try this yourself, here is where I bought the Blue light filter glasses.