I know this is a little off topic, but my son who just started high school is really having difficulty studying and concentrating in his classes. Are there any supplements that might be beneficial to him to do better in school?
I know there are a lot of wise individuals who are quite knowledgeable in this area here. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Memantine?
Personally, I would look at all other factors first. For example, is he secretly staying up until 2:30 am playing on his phone or Xbox when he has to get up for school? Does he stay up really late on weekends?
Is he socially adjusting to high school? Does he fit in? Is he depressed? And if things weren’t going well, would he hide it from you or would he let you know?
Does he have friends? Does he feel well? Is he feeling tired all the time?
Is he underweight? Does he get lots of protein and a good diet? Regular exercise?
These are just examples. In other words, an overall evaluation.
One I take for concentration is the nootropic Noopept. Unfortunately, its biggest drawback for me is its short half-life and the fact that it seems to lose its effect if used regularly.
You need to use it intermittently and for me, the time off needs to be at least as long as the time on. I have never experienced any adverse side effects.
I am of course not recommending to anyone to use it. I am just reporting my personal occasional use.
“Noopept, or N-Phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, is a peptide derivative of Piracetam with some exceptional benefits for cognition, memory, mental energy and concentration. This nootropic supplement has really exploded in popularity since 2011 on the strength of peer review published study results that show Noopept to be 1000 times more potent than Piracetam.”
The last reference is a good overview of Noopept.
“The effect of Noopept is physiological, and is based on the natural formation of cyclopropyl glycine, a memory peptide. As a result, Noopept is completely safe and legal to buy in the US and other countries.”
Those are all good questions. First, I can say that he goes to bed around 10:30 and gets up about 6 am. He doesn’t stay up later than that.
He just transferred to a new high school where some of the kids knew each other because about 50% of them came from the same middle school. He has made a couple of friends though.
He is doing about average to slightly below average in his classes. This is what worries us. He doesn’t take notes and plays with his stationery during lessons.
He is a bit overweight.
Considering everything, he’s not terrible, but you always strive for better results. Especially since I and my siblings and my wife were all high achievers in school.
“Especially since I and my siblings and my wife were all high achievers in school.”
Maybe this is the issue - he feels under too much pressure to perform.
Maybe some reassurance on this point would help him.
nicotine (nicorette), and alpha gpc but increase choline and mental alertness and focus
Exercise is the most powerful supplement for both acute and chronic concentration. Very high performers tend to be very fit but it might just be a correlation. But all the RCT’s show an increase in cognitive performance, because it is stimulatory. Other then that omega-3 can help with concentration and adhd. But like others say it can be other factors, and I think it likely is. They might roll their eyes at a suggestion a supplement is what was needed! Something else probably.
I use methylene blue almost daily, 60mg based on the work of Dr Francisco Gonzalez-Lima (University of Texas, Austin). I take it mainly for brain health but it does have a nootropic effect.
DesertShores, Do you have a source for noopept and phenylpiracetam that you feel provides a safe product? And, do either or these seem to have any addictive properties that you noticed? I’ve investigated piracetams before, but on finding your comment I’ll take another look. Thanks.
Neither Noopept nor piracetam nor most of the legit nootropics are addictive as far as I know.
Phenabut has some addicting properties if taken often in high doses.
Mostly I get my nootropics from Nootropics Depot.
“https://nootropicsdepot.com/”
Concestor0, Do you still take methylene blue, 60 mg daily? I’ve tried it for several extended periods at 10 mg daily, but never noticed any effect except possibly feeling a bit depressed for several days after stopping. Can you tell me what benefits you’ve experienced and what bad side effects you’ve experienced? In particular, I’d like to know if you think it will help me continue my 1.25 mile lap swims (3 weekly) which are becoming more difficult to achieve as I age? Thanks.
Is this the first time he has struggled with focus/attention, or is it completely new? Think back to parent/teacher conferences from the past if these issues were discussed before. Attentional issues (ADHD) don’t just happen suddenly in teens. Anxiety, however, often masks as attentional issues. In a person with anxiety, so much of their attention is on whatever is making them feel anxious that they can’t really seem to focus on anything else. I’m of course not saying this is what is going on with your son, but something that, along with real attentional difficulties (ADHD), is quite prevalent in children of all ages, as well as adults.
DeStrider, It’s been a while since you asked the question, but I’ll give my two-cents worth opinion anyway. From my experience in high school and in talking recently to a parent of a student entering high school and having no particular focus on direction or achievement, getting involved in some type of school activity such as Band, Swim Team, Cross Country, etc. was a big key to success. Being part of a focused group that involved working the mind and body was great for me and the parent I mentioned. The activity made me feel better and being part of the group made me feel better. I became motivated to plan ahead and use high school as a way to reach my goals. Doing this doesn’t provide an immediate change, but gradually it can take place.
As an adult I’ve tried a variety of supplements such as modafinil, piracetam, and macuna pruriens to help me recover capabilities I used to have, but with these medicinal crutches I’ve found problems that I highly dislike. So, I recommend avoiding supplements at the teenage level if possible.
I had same problem when I was in high school, but had a very good reason for that. My math teacher was smoking hot 
. LOL
I’m no expert on this, but be very careful please. Many so-called /concentration/attention inducing supplements/substances tend to be addictive.
It’s hard to say, I don’t take it to treat anything, for me it’s mostly an extra precaution against neural deterioration as I get older. My mental and physical health are good so I’m just carrying on with the protocol. I also use lithium orotate daily for the same purpose.
…IS it addictive?
Just googled it and according to this link Methylene Blue treats every single disease ever known to man . Is it really that good?
The Extensive Health Benefits of Methylene Blue (earthclinic.com)
It’s that good if you think the placebo effect is that good.
My son has/had similar issues. We have had good luck with Adderall. We tried Magnesium and supplements first. They didn’t work. Biggest impact was no video games on school nights and reducing sugar.