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Nootropics

  Tags: Brain
 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
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soclydeza85
Senior Member
United States
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 Message 1 of 20
04 July 2014 at 9:25pm | IP Logged 
For those who don't know what they are, they're essentially brain supplements (legal) that people take in order to increase focus, concentration, learning, etc. Has anyone on here experimented with them for their language learning? I'm interested to hear your experiences.
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Jeffers
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United Kingdom
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 Message 2 of 20
04 July 2014 at 10:01pm | IP Logged 
You've only got one brain. Take care of it by eating right, sleeping well, exercising, and studying lots of languages.
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Elexi
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United Kingdom
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 Message 3 of 20
04 July 2014 at 10:17pm | IP Logged 
Personally, I think the whole thing is generally bunk - there may be some evidence, but
not enough.

In saying that, in my late teens and early twenties I was into low level nootropics - I
took B vitamin supplements, ginkgo, fish oil and didn't drink alcohol but I can't see
that any of those things did me any good - certainly nothing beat plain motivation and
enjoying what I was doing (if you need my credentials as to study, I have a BA, MA, LLB
and a PhD).

So as Jeffers says nothing beats 'eating right, sleeping well, exercising, and studying'
- and in language learning, talking, reading and writing in one's chosen target
language.
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rdearman
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United Kingdom
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 Message 4 of 20
04 July 2014 at 10:40pm | IP Logged 
soclydeza85 wrote:
in order to increase focus, concentration, learning, etc.


I've heard that being in a life & death situation will increase all that stuff to, but personally I try to avoid it.

:)
6 persons have voted this message useful



soclydeza85
Senior Member
United States
Joined 3906 days ago

357 posts - 502 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: German, French

 
 Message 5 of 20
04 July 2014 at 10:59pm | IP Logged 
Jeffers wrote:
   You've only got one brain. Take care of it by eating right, sleeping well, exercising, and studying lots of languages.


I have a spare that I keep in my lockbox in case of emergencies (now if I could only find the key...)

I've personally experimented with a bunch of the common nootropics in the past but, to be honest, they never really did anything for me besides make me tired and sometimes giving me brainfog. The only things that I take now that I can say actually work for me (and these aren't really "nootropics") are fish oil and good ol' coffee/tea.

I was just interested in what all you guys had to say about it, being that we all dedicate ourselves to a pretty heavily brain-intensive activity. Some people swear by them but they've just never done anything for me.

rdearman wrote:
soclydeza85 wrote:
in order to increase focus, concentration, learning, etc.


I've heard that being in a life & death situation will increase all that stuff to, but personally I try to avoid it.

:)


Later tonight I'll go driving down the highway at 200mph+ with no seatbelt on while practicing the Scriptorium method, I'll let you know how it goes!




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Gemuse
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Germany
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 Message 6 of 20
05 July 2014 at 4:39am | IP Logged 
Gotta ask, anyone done Ritalin/Adderall? I gather they are quite common in the military as stimulants.
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Elexi
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 5564 days ago

938 posts - 1840 votes 
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Studies: French, German, Latin

 
 Message 7 of 20
05 July 2014 at 11:28am | IP Logged 
As I understand it the base of most commercially available nootropics is fish oil and
caffeine - so you are on the right track there.

In the university where I use to teach some students apparently had a thing for illicit
modafinil - which is used to treat narcolepsy. Apparently it stopped them going to
sleep in the afternoon so they could study all day. Trouble is, I didn't actually
notice that they had done any studying, the maxim crap in, crap out proving true in most
cases, but there you are... But then if they didn't go out drinking all night, they
wouldn't feel the need for the drugs in the first place.

Personally I would not touch such things unless I needed them for a genuine condition.

Edited by Elexi on 05 July 2014 at 11:28am

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AlexTG
Diglot
Senior Member
Australia
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178 posts - 354 votes 
Speaks: English*, French
Studies: Latin, German, Spanish, Japanese

 
 Message 8 of 20
05 July 2014 at 9:14pm | IP Logged 
I feel like overthinking is more of a problem in language learning than underthinking. So marijuana might be
worth trying?


1 person has voted this message useful



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