There are a lot of nootropics and vasodilators: Pyritinol,
Piracetam, Pramiracetam (one of the last piracetam analogue and the
most potent), Aniracetam (the second most potent. Some people says
has some excitotoxic activity. I see no few persons had unpleasant
experiences with Aniracetam, but never with Pramiracetam),
Oxiracetam (the first), Unifiram (DM232) and Sunifiram (DM235) -the
best with two novel but under study and not available-, Memantine,
Galantamine, Vinpocetine, Nimodipide, Picamilon, Hydergine. Really a
lot. I suppose through the years, you tried everything, so I guess
you can guide me to the best of them, but I have always present
every person have a different organism that acts different.

[Most of these are xenobiotics that have very little history of usage time,
which means that there is insufficient evidence of safety for them. Except for
piracetam, vinpocetine and perhaps hydergine and picamilon, their is little
evidence that they are beneficial for normally functional people in order for
such people to achieve the highest possible quality and quantity of life. I take
piracetam and vinpocetine currently and I recommend them. I have taken picamilon
and hydergine, but do not currently consider they are worth the expense of
procurement and usage as add-ons to what I already take. --Paul]


I'm 23 years old but I'm under stress conditions, so tired and
nervous person. Also I was thinking to add deprenyl to feeling
better and have a life extension. Reading some articles, they
suggest me I don't need it yet. Maybe 0,5 mg twice or 3 times a
week.

[No. At your age deprenyl might even be counterproductive to your life
extension. In fact, you do not need any of the above supplements either at your
age. For your stress and tiredness, I recommend high dosages of B vitamins,
pyroglutamic acid, tyrosine, alpha lipoic acid, theanine, inositol, perhaps some
SAMe, but most of all start reading and learning relaxation methods and ways to
get good restful sleep. --Paul]


Maybe my stress requires more quantity like an older person
(indeed, I'm feeling like an old person). I want to take the optimum
dosage to achieve the maximum lifespan possible and have a better
life. Since 2 years I feel my brain is destroyed.

[It sounds to me like most of your problem is psychological and you are not
going to fix that by taking supplements/chemicals. You need to soundly analyze
just why you are nervous, stressed and tired and take positive steps to resolve
those factors that are causing these conditions. --Paul]

[If you have not read the many posts here at MoreLife Yahoo on the subject of
stress, I urge you to do so. One of the more recent,
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/morelife/message/615 again addressed
introspection, a self-analytical tool for determining the cause(s) for stress
and methods to eliminate, or at least greatly reduce, it. For additional posts
use the Search box and enter "stress", going back in the archives in the message
groups pre-set by Yahoo. Sweeping the actual causes "under the rug" and seeking
methods to simply treat the symptoms will likely cause you more stress as you
note the expense, time, risk of untoward physical effects and lack of desired
effects. **Kitty]


I'm taking 1,2 g of Choline and 500 mg of CDP-Choline for my mind
since 1 month. I'm not sure to replace CDP-Choline with
Centrophenoxine or take Phosphatydilserine plus Centrophenoxine in
order to achieve it. But CDP-Choline is better for enhancing
phospholipid synthesis, even than Alpha GPC. Alpha GPC is better to
make acetil-choline. Buying absolutely everything is so expensive.
I read at ImmInst.org forums by nootropi Centrophenoxine can boost
Acetyl-Choline, thing that DMAE can't does. DMAE boost Choline, but
when it's in the brain cannot transform that choline in the
different chemicals usually are dirivated from Choline.
Centrophenoxine can do it. I'm sure now I prefer Centrophenoxine.
Alpha GPC also can boost acety-choline, but centrophenoxine has the
great advantage of increases lifespan and I guess 750 mg or 1000 mg
can replace expensive Alpha GPC and add more life to us.

[I am not going to take the time to adequately research and comment on the
validity of the many statements that you have made in the above paragraph,
because at your age none of these chemcials are causes of your problems if you
eat a good diet and look after your psychological needs. A little extra choline
may help, so just stay with what you are currently taking. --Paul]


DLPA (DL-phenylalanine) is another alternative to add.

[Only the L-phenylalanine is energizing and L-tyrosine is even more so because
it is one step closer to the desired neurotransmitters. --Paul]


I think cholinergics like galantamine, memantine or Huperzine A are
essential because avoid acetyl-choline "escapes" from the brain.

[It does not "escape". It is merely converted back to choline as part of the
normal neurotransmitter recycling. Again, at your age you have plenty of enzyme
potential to regulate this recycling in an optimal fashion and you should not be
meddling in pathways which are not likely dysfunctional. If you find that after
an excellent diet, identifying the causes of your stress, eliminating/reducing
these stressors, practice of relaxation and stress reduction methods, and
obtaining excellent restful sleep you *still* have energy and nervous problems
only then would it be the time to look at potential chemical solutions. --Paul]


Huperzine A like cholinergic is much cheaper than galantamine or
memantine, but I'm not so sure about its side effects). Huperzine A
is not very well-known yet. Some, information I could find was not
very permissive with this drug:

http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/hup_0141.shtml


I consulted 3-4 months ago the neurologist and he said me the stress
is the factor that is "burning" my neurons. Nothing was prescribed
to me. In theory, the problem is reversible. But I feel that it was
not enough and I'm not the same person I was. I believe he
underestimated the case because my young age. I told him about
Galantamine or Memantine, but he said after months, my organism
won't acts with the same results it could achieve within the first
months. So, no long-term and permanent results. A pity.

[Your neurologist probably concluded, as I have done, that at your age you need
to learn how to stop being nervous and relax (to which I add eat an excellent
diet) rather than to take potentially harmful chemicals. --Paul]


- What's your opinion about Smi2le.biz. All the things I take are
from an excellent pharmacy in my country which works with
international certified pharmaceutical quality, has an advanced lab,
and makes generic products for many hospitals and persons. I have
very good prices, since I can't buy internationally because I
haven't an international credit card, so I must to pay 80
argentinian pesos (US$27.- because 1 unit of a dollar is 3 units of
an argentinian peso) for a bank transfer or $60.- to send money. But
some nutrients are expensive and my idea is to recommend to them buy
at Smi2le.biz. Smi2le has certified quality and allows make its
customers particular analysis with some lab.

[Please search for comments I have made before here at MoreLife Yahoo about
smi2le.biz. I am highly suspicious of any supplier whose prices are radically
lower than everyone else. --Paul]


I will take also, near 750 mg of GLA and 3 g of EPA/DHA. Essential
Oils helps with mind. Indeed GLA was useful with bipolar disorder.

[Instead, eat fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackarel, tuna), nuts (walnuts,
almonds, filberts) and whole seeds (buckwheat, flax, hemp, sesame) --Paul]


Others could be:


- Vasopressin / Desmopressin

[This should not be taken lightly and only when truly needed. --Paul]


- Ginkgo Biloba and / or Bacopa Extract

- Vincamine or Vinpocetine (natural form: vincamine. But Vinpo is 3-
4 more potent)

[These are all safe and effective, but not necessary at your age. --Paul]


- Xanthinol Nicotinate. And maybe replace the regular B3 (provided
it has the same functions) I take for this one. But do you remember
that post about the excessive NADH enzyme inhibits the longevity
gene Sir2 (because more NADH than NAD). So I guess, better not too
much B3. It's not pure NADH like niacinamide, but niacin can build
up 50% of NADH. I'm taking 170 mg of Niacin per day. Xanthinol
Nicotinate dosage is from 150 mg to 1800 mg (and I suppose 150 mg
won't work for me) and I don't want to break the NAD - NADH ratio.
Maybe I'm too fatalistic and even 500 mg of Niacin not represents a
NADH - NAD imbalance and a potential danger to Sir2.

[The research on all these questions is highly incomplete and there is little
basis for any conclusions about mechanisms for longevity. There are also no
lifespan studies on any of these chemicals (certainly no data for humans).
Therefore, it is best to stay with what is most conservatively known unless one
has current life-threatening problems. In addition, the same effect or better
can probably be obtained from an excellent calorie restricted diet. --Paul]


- Nicergoline (an ergoloid mesylate derivative like Hydergine)

- Chocamine

[I don't know anything about these last two. --Paul]


I was reading at:
http://www.antiaging-systems.com/extract/excitotoxins.htm

"Zinc is necessary for one form of SOD - zinc SOD - and also blocks
the NMDA receptor. However, high levels of neuronal zinc may over
activate the quisqualate/AMPA GLU receptors, causing an excitotoxic
action. Dr Blaylock, the neurosurgeon author of Excitotoxins,
therefore recommends keeping supplementary zinc levels to 10-20 mg
daily"

[There are hundreds of studies that clearly show the benefits of high dose zinc.
So if the second sentence above is correct at all, it must be only true in very
rare cases.

It is clear to me that your actions are like a hypochondriac at age 23 and are
related to your anxiety and stress. Instead the best thing for your longevity
would be to start enjoying life more and quit worrying so much about that which
no one yet understands well enough to control. --Paul]

[As we've said above - and to others who have written similarly here - that the
cause(s) of the perceived stress *must* be identified and dealt with for
meaningful improvement in life quality, and eventually life quantity. If you
continue to avoid doing so, you will continue to spend enormous amounts of time,
energy and money on a "wild goose chase" - ie. going after the wrong things for
the wrong reasons.

In the posts from others mentioning stress, my comments have contained much
about my own experience with its precipitation of bipolar manic episodes.
Eliminating major causes of stress (and reducing lesser ones) in my life in the
past 4 years have definitely made me healthier as well as happier. Others are
welcome to add their "success stories" in identifying and eliminating/reducing
significant stressful factors in their lives and thereby experiencing improved
health. **Kitty]


I must take 80 mg of zinc gluconate plus 4 mg of copper gluconate
daily, for anti-androgenic purpose, due some acne.

[I already answered your questions on zinc in message number 674. Please do not
keep raising the same questions again. Slow down, read what you are told, digest
it, make up your mind, act upon it and then get on with enjoying your life! If
some specific item is not clear after doing these, then post a reply to the
message. --Paul]


Maybe this can makes I need more deprenyl per week or something can
avoid excitotoxic effect.

[No. You don't need deprenyl nor do you need to worry about zinc neurotoxicity.
--Paul]

[Please also reread Paul's intro and my ending comments in message 674
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/morelife/message/674> They apply even more
so now with this message.

Before you post again, please refer to the file on "Researching Our Writings",
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/morelife/files/ It is highly likely that
many - maybe most - of your questions have already been answered either here, on
the sci.life-extension newsgroup (also obtainable through Google Groups) or by
Paul (as Tom Matthews) in comments to posts at LEF Forums before 1/11/02.
**Kitty]