While it may be a myth that you only use 10 percent of your brain at a time, many people are still on the lookout for ways to improve cognitive function. It should be no wonder, then, that nootropics are becoming increasingly popular today. 

Nootropics are a more natural way to improve your mental focus than are prescription amphetamines. Whether you want to advance your performance at work or get a little extra boost in the gym, these incredible supplements can help you do it.

But what exactly are nootropics? And what are the best nootropics ingredients to look for in the right product?

Nootropics are a relatively new type of supplement that may contain natural or lab-created compounds that offer a variety of benefits. Often regarded as The "smart drugs," nootropics are capable of boosting your brain function and eliminating brain fog. 

You may already know one common nootropic: caffeine. For centuries, people have been brewing up a cup of joe to wake up their brains and improve performance in school and at work. 

But caffeine isn't the only nootropic around today. With their rising popularity, you can now find a whole variety of nootropic-containing supplements. Today, we're talking about some of the best nootropics money can buy.

Are Nootropics Safe?

Many nootropics are harvested from natural sources. For this reason, the best nootropics are well tolerated. If it did have adverse side-effects it would not be considered a nootropic. What's more, most natural nootropics have been lab-tested for safety and non-toxicity in humans.

That means you can trust nootropics to be both safe and beneficial for your health.

With many nootropics harvested from natural sources, the best nootropics are completely free of negative side effects.  If you're a healthy adult looking to supercharge your memory, creativity, focus, or motivation, nootropics can help you out. 

For people who already use prescriptions such as amphetamines or methylphenidate, nootropics may be the natural alternative you've been searching for. 

The bottom line is that almost anyone can benefit from taking nootropics. If you're still uncertain about nootropic-containing supplements, speak with your physician about whether they're right for you. 

Nootropics provide a wide range health benefits for your whole body. But the primary reason people are using nootropics is to supercharge your brain, including ridding yourself of brain fog and increasing your brain's overall function.

People who commonly experience brain fog can greatly benefit from nootropics. While it isn't technically a medical condition, experts do think brain fog is a symptom of a more serious underlying problem or problems. 

The symptoms of brain fog include:

• Difficulty remembering
• Inability to focus
• Lack of concentration
• Poor mental clarity

There are many reasons a person might develop brain fog. Some of the most common ones are lack of sleep, stress, and diet. On the more serious side of the coin, changes in hormones, some medications and cancer treatments, and medical conditions like anemia are also known to cause brain fog.

Treatment for brain fog and its symptoms differs depending on the exact underlying cause. For more serious medical conditions, your physician may prescribe medication or therapy. But for some conditions, a simple home remedy will do. That's where nootropics come in handy. 

Brain fog can definitely get you down, whether you're in the gym or running around after kids at home. Consistent use of a nootropic supplement can be the difference between loss of personal productivity and being present, focused, and ready to go!

In addition to eliminating the negative symptoms of brain fog, nootropics offer cognitive-boosting effects. Cognitive function is a catch-all category for the different types of basic skills your brain is capable of doing. Some of these skills include:

• Decision making
• Focusing
• Problem-solving
• Processing
• Reasoning
• Remembering 
• Retaining information

Barring any underlying mental or physical health conditions, most people have healthy cognitive functioning in their youth. As you age, though, your mental abilities slowly start to decline. This decline can ultimately result in neurodegenerative conditions like dementia later in life.

Nootropics help combat the effects of cognitive decline you may be experiencing right now.

Whether you're having trouble staying focused during a workout or always forgetting where you put your keys, there's a nootropic ingredient for that, too.

So, if you want to boost your cognitive function while drastically reducing encounters with brain fog, you need to check out the incredible nootropic ingredients we're talking about next. 

While some nootropic ingredients are synthesized in a lab, many of them can be found in nature. At Upgraid, we ensure our nootropic ingredients are 100 PERCENT natural. That way, you'll never have to stress about whether our products are synthetic.

What are these natural nootropics we loved enough to put in our product? Keep reading to find out what they are, why they matter, and why we consider them the best nootropics out there today.

Ashwagandha is a traditional Ayurvedic herb, which means people have been using it for centuries. The hallmark of this herb is its anti-stress effect and ability to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. It does so by interacting with cortisol, the stress hormone.

But that's not all. Ashwagandha is a nootropic and that means it confers amazing benefits on your brain. For example:

• Repair Neurons: Ashwagandha has been shown to help repair neurons in the brain. This herb may also improve synaptic function, which is how your brain cells communicate with one another. This can restore neural networks damaged by degeneration or stress and improve memory.
• Inhibit Key Enzymes: Ashwagandha interacts with an enzyme known as acetylcholinesterase. In the brain and body, this enzyme breaks down acetylcholine, which is known for assisting with muscle contraction, regulating REM cycles, and boosting learning and memory. That's why this herb can improve muscle repair, help you sleep better, and supercharge your intelligence.
• Mimic GABA: Ashwagandha may mimic the neurotransmitter GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid) in the brain. GABA is a naturally occurring amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter in your brain. Since GABA is the central nervous system's primary inhibiting neurotransmitter, this nootropic means good news for people with chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. In fact, research has shown that this nootropic offers anti-depressant effects that are just as good as leading tricyclics.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic herb, turmeric is worth far more its food flavoring abilities alone. Among other benefits, turmeric can combat depression, enhance libido, and improve focus by interacting with serotonin, the brain's reward neurotransmitter.

Research has shown, time and time again, that this TCM and Ayurvedic herb is truly effective. Yet, the most interesting features of turmeric are its anti-inflammatory and BDNF-increasing actions in the brain. 

Here's what we mean: turmeric is full of little compounds known as curcuminoids, the most well-studied of which being curcumin.

Research shows that curcumin interacts with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is responsible for turning over new cells in your brain. Poor levels of BDNF are typically associated with brain fog, trouble with learning and memory, and even major depression.

Curcumin is also a known anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants have neuroprotectant effects by reducing inflammation in the brain. According to researchers, inflammation in the brain is often a sign of depression, dementia, and even Alzheimer's.

What's the bottom line on turmeric? If you want to feel better overall, improve your brain's ability to make new cells, and reduce the negative effects of brain inflammation, turmeric is the nootropic for you.

Yet another herb that's been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years is ginger root. You may know of ginger's digestion-improving effects but that's not the only reason people take this herb. It's also a nootropic used to supercharge the brain with powerful active constituents - gingerol, Shogaol and Zerumbone. 

Since this herb has been used for over 2,000 years, researchers have studied a variety of benefits on the brain. Some of these findings include:

• It's a Neuroprotectant: Like turmeric, its close relative ginger root has anti-oxidant activity. This helps reduce inflammation, protect brain cells against damage, and may even improve memory loss associated with strokes. 
• It's an Anti-Depressant: Ginger interacts with serotonin and dopamine, which are both known as "feel good" neurotransmitters. Research shows that low levels of both or either of these neurotransmitters can lead to depression. This plus ginger's anti-inflammatory properties can help alleviate symptoms of depression.
• It Improves Memory and Attention: Traditional medicine practitioners have long used ginger to treat dementia and other disorders of memory. This nootropic can help healthy individuals, too, by interacting with acetylcholine (boosting memory and learning) and enhancing cognitive function (reaction times and attention).
• It Reduces the Negative Effects of Stress: Chronic stress can lead to a condition called adrenal fatigue, of which extreme exhaustion is a top symptom. Since ginger modulates stress hormone cortisol, it can help combat adrenal fatigue-related exhaustion.
• It Lessens the Impact of Migraines: Like migraine medication sumatriptan, ginger helps to narrow blood vessels in the brain. Ginger, though, has no side effects, a quality to which over-the-counter migraine medications can't compare.
• It Improves Blood Flow to the Brain: By boosting blood flow to the brain, ginger helps encourage elevated mood and higher energy levels throughout the day. 

With all of these benefits, there's no reason you shouldn't start supplementing with ginger. Many pre-mixed nootropic supplements come loaded with ginger for this very reason. 

If you're an athlete, you may already know the benefits of tart cherry juice for post-workout recovery. Or maybe you've heard of people taking a spoonful before bed to get a better night's sleep. What you may not know, though, is that tart cherry is also a powerful nootropic. 

In fact, a 2019 study uncovered the surprising benefits of this nootropic for people suffering from poor cognitive function. Here's what researchers found.

After 12 weeks of drinking tart cherry juice, participants reported better ability to remember. On cognitive and memory functioning tests, participants scored higher in categories like:

• Boosted memory abilities
• Enhanced learning capacity
• Improved reflex time
• Increased attention span

In addition to these amazing benefits, tart cherry juice is also an anti-oxidant. Like turmeric, this nootropic can help reduce inflammation in the brain. Other studies have shown further health benefits like treating gout, boosting immunity, enhancing vision, and soothing arthritis symptoms.

Our final word on tart cherry juice as a nootropic? As if improved learning, memory, and attention aren't enough benefits on their own, this nootropic also offers a whole host of other positive effects.

Athletes, aging individuals, and anyone who wants to seriously ramp up their health and wellness routines should try tart cherry juice.  

The best nootropics on the market can help you get the competitive edge you need at work, in the gym, or even just boost your energy for fun times with the family. Keep in mind, though, that not all nootropic products are created equal. Do your research and consult a medical professional familiar with nootropics if you want to confirm if they are safe to use for your particular needs.