What Is Vinpocetine?
Vinpocetine is a chemical derived from Vinca Minor. This plant naturally grows in Europe and some parts of Southeast Asia. It is a traditional remedy for headaches.
Vinpocetine was originally developed to treat some symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Other applications include treating stroke and seizure patients1. It is commercialized under the brand name Cavinton in Germany.
Vinpocetine is also available as a nootropic supplement. Because this chemical boosts blood flow to the brain, taking this supplement can help with cognitive performance. Benefits include being able to learn new things more easily, focusing, and remembering things.
This is something you should consider taking if you need to study more efficiently or if brain fog has been impacting your performance at work. It will definitely make a difference if you need to study for an exam since this supplement helps with retaining new information and with remembering things. It can also make it easier to stay focused for long periods of time.
From a technical point of view, Vinpocetine is a synthetic alkaloid. It is based on a naturally-occurring alkaloid found in the plant Vinca Minor. The plant and the synthetic chemical have similar effects.
Vinpocetine works by increasing your blood flow. This results in your brain being more oxygenated and receiving more nutrients.
It also protects the nervous system from toxins and stress. Vinpocetine can lower inflammation in the brain, and treat symptoms such as fatigue, amnesia or brain fog. Alzheimer’s patients are typically able to remember things and be more mentally active thanks to this treatment.
When used as a nootropic supplement, Vinpocetine helps with learning, remembering, and overall focus and mental performance2.
Vinpocetine Dosage
A typical dosage for Vinpocetine would be 10mg three times a day with your meals. Like with most nootropics, you won’t get better results if you take more. The ideal level for cognitive performance enhancement is somewhere between 30 and 45mg a day. You should start with 30mg a day and gradually take more if you want to get better results.
Some sources recommend not to exceed 40mg a day. while others mention 60mg a day as the maximum dose3. If you aren’t satisfied with the results you get with 30mg a day, try taking 40 to 45mg a day for a while before deciding if you want to try larger doses.
What Are The Top Benefits?
Your brain needs oxygen and glucose to function properly. This is why 1/7th of your blood goes to your brain. If the brain isn’t properly oxygenated, damage to brain cells can occur.
A healthy circulatory system inside of your brain is crucial for cognitive performance. You have probably noticed that you can focus and think more clearly right after you exercise – because your brain is properly oxygenated.
As you get older, blood vessels become narrower and less supple. This results in decreased cognitive performance and in symptoms like amnesia in Alzheimer’s patients.
The main benefit of Vinpocetine is that it reverses this effect. This supplement works by keeping your brain young and oxygenated.
Vinpocetine does two things. It dilates the blood vessels to increase blood flow, and it inhibits the tendency that red blood cells have to stick to the walls of blood vessels.
You can expect to remember things better and will find that concentrating is easier. If you suffer from brain fog and fatigue, it is likely that these symptoms will go away. Vinpocetine can also help improve your well-being and decrease your anxiety.
There are other benefits associated with Vinpocetine, such as better vision, hearing and improved liver function.
What Are The Potential Side Effects?
It is possible to experience some minor side effects when taking Vinpocetine. You might get an upset stomach, skin rashes, a dry mouth or a rapid heartbeat. There are no severe side effects reported and Vinpocetine is considered as being safe to take.
Some Reddit users report experiencing irritability after taking Vinpocetine as well as difficulties sleeping.
However, a study followed Alzheimer’s patients who took 60mg of Vinpocetine on a daily basis for an entire year and didn’t find any side effects. It is possible that irritability and nervousness can be avoided by properly dosing the supplement.
Because Vinpocetine affects blood flow, you should stay away from this supplement if you suffer from a bleeding disorder or if you take an anticoagulant.
Supplementing Your Diet With Vinpocetine
You will get the most benefits from Vinpocetine if you take three daily doses with your meals. Taking this supplement with your food is the best way to avoid experiencing an upset stomach4.
Because there are no serious side effects associated with Vinpocetine, stacking is highly recommended if you want better results or need to boost more cognitive performance areas.
Vinpocetine Tea
Vinpocetine is a chemical based on the plant Vinca Minor, also known as periwinkle. You can easily make your own periwinkle tea at home. This is a common remedy for headaches, but you can drink it to improve memory and focus.
Boil some water and add a teaspoon of dried periwinkle leaves. Let the leaves steep for 10 minutes. You should add some honey or sugar to mask the bitter taste of the periwinkle leaves. If you plan on making periwinkle tea often, invest in a tea infuser so you can easily steep the leaves and remove them from your tea.
You can also try to crush a Vinpocetine supplement and dilute it in hot water. You will get a cup of tea with a much higher concentration of Vinpocetine compared to periwinkle tea. This could be an ideal way to boost your memory and focus before an exam.
Drink your periwinkle or Vinpocetine tea with some food to avoid getting an upset stomach.
Stacking
There are endless stacking possibilities since Vinpocetine doesn’t have any serious side effects and you don’t have to worry about any counteractions with other supplements. If you feel that the effects of Vinpocetine aren’t sufficient, stack it with a nitrate supplement. Both these nootropics improve blood flow5.
Combining Vinpocetine with Huperzine A is also interesting. Huperzine A works by boosting the production of a chemical that is crucial for communication within your brain. Improving blood flow and communication will yield better results when it comes to memory and learning enhancement6.
You could stack Vinpocetine with Ginkgo Biloba to improve overall cognitive performance, or combine it with L-Theanine if you need help with memory, focus, and anxiety.
And if you are struggling with fatigue, taking Vinpocetine with a Multivitamin will improve your energy levels and your cognitive performance.
Who Should Use Vinpocetine?
You should know that the effects of Vinpocetine on pregnant or breastfeeding women have never been studied. It is best to stay away from this product if you are pregnant or breastfeeding just to stay on the safe side.
If you suffer from a health condition that impacts your blood pressure, your cardiovascular health or your ability to coagulate, Vinpocetine is not for you. You should also avoid this supplement if you take blood-thinning medication and similar drugs.
Otherwise, Vinpocetine is an option worth exploring if you suffer from brain fog and memory issues. This product is for you if you want to perform better at work or at school and need help with focusing.
Most people who take Vinpocetine say they achieve good results in the long-term by taking sustained doses. You need to be willing to give this supplement a chance and might have to take it for a while before you notice a difference.
Final Thoughts
Vinpocetine is a safe nootropic that helps with memory, focus and overall well-being. This is a supplement adapted to the needs of students and busy professionals. Anyone who is experiencing brain fog or who has difficulties concentrating and remembering things could benefit from it.
Vinpocetine is worth considering over other similar supplements due to the lack of severe side effects. The downside is that you will need to take sustained doses for a while before you see a real improvement, and some studies suggest that the impact on cognitive functions might only be minor.
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-175-vinpocetine.aspx?activeingredientid=175
- https://examine.com/supplements/vinpocetine/
- https://examine.com/supplements/vinpocetine/
- https://examine.com/supplements/vinpocetine/
- https://examine.com/supplements/nitrate/
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-764-huperzine%20a.aspx?activeingredientid=764&activeingredientname=huperzine%20a