Milk of Paradise Tattoo

Nootropics put you brain into overdrive
Nootropics are low toxicity ‘smart drugs’ that boost brain activity and memory without affecting the nervous system
Some pharmaceuticals are called 'smart drugs' because of their ability to enhance the brain's function. Some smart drugs aren't a drug at all, they’re nutrients. A more accurate description of chemicals that can boost brain performance is Nootropics (from the Greek, meaning 'acting on the mind').
Nootropic is a term coined by Dr. Giurgea to describe the first substance found to have beneficial effects in the treatment of memory loss, age related memory decline and lack of concentration. That substance was Piracetam (branded Nootropil). Not only was it a beneficial treatment, it was also found to have only negligible side effects.
One of the primary differences between Nootropics and other ‘memory enhancers’ is that Nootropics have a beneficial effect upon the brain's Corpus Callosum. This area of the brain joins the two hemispheres, it links the logical side of the brain with the creative side of the brain, allowing the user to draw on greater brain potential.
Nootropics have three basic actions on the brain: minimise damage to the brain and natural deterioration to brain functions, repair existing damage, and enhance brain functions beyond normal levels.
The human nervous system deteriorates with age largely due to an oxidation process. This process destroys brain cells and forms free radicals that cause further damage in the brain. Nootropics deactivate free radicals and repair some of the earlier damage, such as by stimulating dormant ‘communication’ chemicals within the brain.
Nootropics can enhance the brain's natural function by helping it build additional neural connections. Neurones (brain cells) are connected to thousands of other neurones, which together form a huge neural net. The more connections you have the easier it is for one neurone to send information to another neurone, hence the better your brain works.
Oxiracetam maximises your memory
Oxiracetam, the first analog of piracetam, is a nootropic with greater potency producing further improvements in memory
Oxiracetam is the closet derivative of piracetam, and is used in the industry as the standard by which all nootropics (‘smart drugs’) are judged.
With greater potency than piracetam, tests using Oxiracetam exhibit an improvement in memory significantly greater than a corresponding dose of piracetam.
Dosage:
Neuromet doses are one 800mg tablet twice daily. All nootropics are synergistic with each other and with other brain nutrition products (such as choline, DMAE, hydergine and centrophenoxine). When combining these products the individual doses may have to be reduced in order to avoid possible side effects of nausea and headaches.
Caution:
Possible insomnia if taken too late in the day, agitation, occasional gastrointestinal upsets, headaches.

Wake up your brain! - With Piracetam (Nootropil)
Piracetam (Nootropil) improves brain function and stimulates the central nervous system without any toxicity or addictive properties
Piracetam is a member of the class of drugs known as nootropics or 'smart drugs'. Nootropics are known commonly as cognitive enhancers, improving cognitive functions of the brain such as memory, attention and intelligence.
Piracetam also has a beneficial effect upon the brain's Corpus Callosum. This is the area of the brain that joins the two hemispheres, linking the logical side of the brain with the creative side of the brain, allowing the user to draw on greater brain potential.
Piracetam has been used successfully to treat alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal syndrome in animals and man. It has brought improvement, or slowed deterioration, in ‘senile involution’ dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Piracetam has improved recovery from aphasia (speech impairment) after stroke, and restored various functions (use of limbs, speech, EEG, state of consciousness) in people suffering from acute and chronic cerebral ischaemia (decreased brain blood flow). Piracetam has improved alertness, co-operation, socialisation and IQ in elderly psychiatric patients suffering from ‘mild diffuse cerebral impairment.’
Piracetam has increased reading comprehension and accuracy in dyslexic children. It increased memory and verbal learning in dyslexic children, as well as speed and accuracy of reading, writing and spelling. Piracetam potentiated the anticonvulsant action of various anti-epileptic drugs in both animals and man, while also eliminating cognitive deficits induced by anti-epileptic drugs in humans. It has improved mental performance in ‘aging, non-deteriorated individuals’ suffering only from ‘middle-aged forgetfulness’. Elderly out-patients suffering from ‘age-associated memory impairment’ given Piracetam showed significant improvement in memory consolidation and recall. Piracetam reversed typical EEG slowing associated with ‘normal’ and pathological human aging, increasing alpha and beta (fast) EEG activity and reducing delta and theta (slow) EEG activity, while simultaneously increasing vigilance, attention and memory.
The effect of Piracetam can be increased if taken with DMAE, Centrophenoxine, Choline or Hydergine. When Choline and Piracetam are taken together there is a synergistic effect that causes a greater improvement in memory than the sum of each when taken alone.
Dosage:
A common starting dose is three 800mg tablets twice a day, lowering to one or two tablets twice a day after a month.

Caution:
Remember that all nootropics are synergistic with each other and with other brain nutrition products (such as, Choline, DMAE, Hydergine and Centrophenoxine). When combining these products, the individual doses may have to be reduced in order to avoid possible side effects of nausea and headaches.

Stimulate your mind, calm anxieties with Picamilone
Picamilone improves blood flow in the brain, increasing alertness while easing stress and anxiety
Picamilone is a chemical derived from gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) and nicotinic acid. It possesses high cerebrovascular activity, exceeding the effect of cinnarizine, papaverine, xanthinol niacinate and piracetam.
Picamilone rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases the rate of intracranial and cortex blood circulation. It has been cited as a better vasodilator than either Hydergine or Vinpocetine. Officially it is an anti-anxiety drug, but is also possesses stimulatory properties and anti-depression qualities.
The combined effect of Picamilone is to act as a mild stimulant, yet depresses aggression. This could be the clear actions of Niacin and GABA (after all diazepam's such as valium increase or enhance the activity of GABA).
But what makes picamilone unique is that while it counteracts stress and anxiety, it doesn't have a sedative action. In fact quite the opposite; it can have a mild stimulatory action. Picamilone may be the first anti-anxiety drug that doesn't make-you drowsy. Russian studies going back to 1989 have compared picamilone with other psycho-stimulant drugs including piracetam (Nootropil), phenazepam, diazepam, vinpocetine, xanthinol nicotinate, and papaverine. It was noted that the stimulant properties of picamilone were greater than that of piracetam. After taking picamilone the patients felt better and giddiness and tremor disappeared. Further benefits of picamilone over the traditional tranquilizing drugs are that it does not display any signs of inducing muscle relaxation, lethargy, or drowsiness.
Other Russian studies with Picamilone show it to improve patients with a mild to moderate memory impairment, emotional, hearing and speech difficulties.
A common use of Picamilone to speedily restore mental and physical fitness after trauma. It is effective for ischemic disturbances of cerebral blood circulation, discirculatory encephalopathy, vegetative dystonia, and for prevention and treatment of the simple form of migraine. Picamilone has proven an effective medicinal treatment for patients with disorders of a neurotic level, with accompanying manifestations of anxiety, fear, emotional and vegetative instability. Picamilone finds a use in the complex treatment of alcoholism and acute alcoholic intoxication. In fact, the list of indications for prescription of Picamilone is constantly growing.
Clinical studies have shown that Picamilone even possesses favorable properties in opthalmological practice in the treatment of primary open glaucoma, diseases of the retina and the optic nerve of vascular genesis. It has been adapted also in urological practice for treatment of neurological disorders of urination in children and adults.
Dosage:
Take 50mg or 100mg once, twice or maximum three times daily with occasional breaks. The effects of Picamilon are usually felt quickly, with most people noticing impact within an hour.
Side effects:
Minimal - occasional headaches, dizziness and nausea
Caution:
Picamilone may be synergistic with other nootropic drugs, (such as Centrophenoxine and Piracetam); therefore always remember to reduce overall dosages in order to avoid headaches, nausea and vertigo. At high dosages seek your physicians advice if combining with potent vasodilators such as, ginkgo biloba, nicergoline, vinpocetine or xanthinol nicotinate. Also, due to its mild reversible MAO-A inhibition, at high dosages, without your physician's advice, avoid combination with other MAO-A drugs including Deprenyl and Gerovital-H3 and general anti-depressants (such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft etc.).

Adrafinil / Olmifon Enhances Mental Clarity and Alertness
Adrafinil / Olmifon improves brain chemical processes to boost alertness without affecting normal sleep patterns
Adrafinil is part of a new class of drug called ‘eugeroics’, which means ‘good arousal’. Designed to promote vigilance and alertness, it is a stimulant and anti-depressant that helps to sharpen mental focus by enhancing the chemical processes within the brain without affecting heart rate or pressure.
Approved in many European countries for treating narcolepsy, a condition characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and other unusual symptoms, Adrafinil has also been found to provide benefits to non-narcoleptic users. Generally, they find that Adrafinil gives them increased energy and reduces fatigue, while improving cognitive function, mental focus, concentration and memory. It has been reported that quiet people who take Adrafinil become more talkative, reserved people become more open and passive people become more active.
Compared with more familiar stimulants, ranging from caffeine to methamphetamine, Adrafinil is considered gentler because it provides similar benefits but with much less of the anxiety, agitation and insomnia associated with these conventional stimulants. In particular, Adrafinil’s unique ability to only arouse when stimulation is required means that the user is able to sleep when he or she wishes to.
The effect of Adrafinil, unlike conventional stimulants, builds subtly over a period of days to months. This appears to be based on its ability to selectively stimulate adrenergic receptors in the brain. These receptors normally respond to norepinephrine (noradrenaline), a neurotransmitter linked to alertness, learning, and memory. This is in contrast to conventional stimulants, which stimulate a broader spectrum of brain receptors, including those involving dopamine. Its more focused activity profile may account for Adrafinil's relative lack of adverse side effects.
Dosage:
Take one or two 300mg tablets twice a day, but not continuously without liver enzyme blood tests.
Side effects:
Adrafinil may occasionally cause headaches, stomach pains and skin irritations, and in certain cases, inner tension.
Caution:
Testing of this product has been carried out only on elderly users. The preparation contains an active ingredient, which could induce a positive result in anti-doping tests for athletes. If you suffer from epilepsy, or serious hepatic or renal disorders, consult your doctor before taking this product. Long-term use has also been associated with occasional instances of elevated liver enzymes, specifically SGOT, SGPT, GGPT and hepatic alkaline phosphatase. Thus, if you plan to use Adrafinil for an extended period of time, you should have your liver function tested to establish a baseline, and then after 3 months and again every 6 months thereafter. If abnormalities appear, reducing the dose or stopping the drug should permit a return to normal.

Modafinil increases alertness and concentration
(Alertec / ProVigil / Modiodal)
Modafinil is an mind and mood enhancing stimulant that is not addictive, has no side effects and does not affect sleep
Modafinil is an eugeroic drug, (which simply means ‘good arousal’). This unique class of drug contains only two at present, Adrafinil and Modafinil.
Modafinil is a memory-improving and mood-brightening psychostimulant. It enhances wakefulness and vigilance, but its pharmacological profile is notably different from the amphetamines, methylphenidate (Ritalin) or cocaine.
The basis of its uniqueness lies in its ability to stimulate only when stimulation is required. As a result the ‘highs and lows’ associated with other stimulants such as amphetamine are absent. Modafinil does not bring about the anxiety, agitation and insomnia associated with these more familiar stimulants. Normal sleep patterns are not affected, nor is Modafinil addictive or accompanied by the number of side effects present with currently prescribed stimulants.
Modafinil induces wakefulness in part by its action in the anterior hypothalamus. It appears to only stimulate alpha-1 brain receptors that are responsible for the uptake of nor-adrenaline. Its dopamine-releasing action is weak and dose-dependent, making the chances of a euphoric response, dose-escalation or becoming tolerant to the drug very unlikely.
Modafinil is proving clinically useful in the treatment of narcolepsy, a neurological disorder marked by uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness. Experimentally, Modafinil is also used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, depression, attention-deficit disorder, myotonic dystrophy, multiple sclerosis-induced fatigue, post-anaesthesia grogginess, cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, spasticity associated with cerebral palsy, age-related memory decline, idiopathic hypersomnia, jet-lag and everyday cat-napping.
Dosage:
Take one 100mg tablet for a period of up-to 8-hours stimulation, once or twice daily. Avoid use in the evening.

Desmopressin will help you stop forgetting
Desmopressin improves the brain’s ‘filing mechanism’, allowing memories to be recalled quickly and easily
Desmopressin is the synthetic version of vasopressin, a peptide hormone found naturally in the brain and partly responsible for ‘inserting’ memories in the hippocampus, the region of the brain where memories are stored.
Desmopressin rapidly improves short-term memory and enhances memory imprinting. Desmopressin is sometimes used for the treatment of diabetes insipidus, a condition of frequent urination and extreme thirst. In some countries, Desmopressin is used for amnesia and to treat narcotic-related mental problems.
Whereas many common memory drugs improve the capability to remember past events easier and faster, Desmopressin helps us to remember future events better! That is, taking Desmopressin before an event, firmly imprints the event in the mind, enabling it to be recalled with more detail later. Consequently, Desmopressin is of particular benefit before lectures, business meetings and other such occasions.
Dosage:
Insert one or two sprays into each nostril (each spray contains 10mcg) 15 minutes before recall or concentration is required. The effect can take place within seconds and last for up to several hours.
Side effects:
Nausea and headaches
Caution:
Desmopressin should be used infrequently. It should be avoided completely if you suffer from cardiovascular problems. Avoid the intake of large amounts of liquids as Desmopressin tends to decrease the frequency of urination.
Please note:
Vasopressin (also known as Diapid®) is of bovine and porcine origin, and has now been withdrawn from the world market. Desmopressin is more potent than Vasopressin and should be used in lower doses. Also, Desmopressin affects other brain receptor sites to a greater degree than the Vasopressin version.
Storage:
Desmopressin should be kept in a fridge although it is stable for several weeks at room temperature.

5-HTP calms moods, relieves depression and aids sleep
5HTP is the direct precursor to serotonin, alleviating the harmful effects of worry and stress. Stress causes more serotonin to be released into the body, and the longer the period of stress the greater the danger of serotonin depletion. Low serotonin levels are associated with irritability, aggression, impatience and anxiety, and significantly decreased levels in serotonin have been found in suicidal patients.
Some patients that fail to respond to standard antidepressant drugs found relief in 5HTP. The benefits of 5HTP are very similar to those of L-Tryptophan, such as the assistance of sleep and alleviation of age related mental depression, as well as alcohol withdrawal. Unlike other antidepressants, such as L-Tryptophan which has other roles throughout the body, 5HTP affects the brain only.
Dosage:
A normal daily dose is 50mg to 100mg (maximum 200mg). Very high doses of 5HTP must be avoided, unless also taking carbidopa to avoid serotonin crossing into the bloodstream.

Side effects:
Side effects are rare but may include mania, anxiety, and dermatitis.

Caution:
Not to be used with other serotonin enhancing drugs, such as L-Tryptophan and Prozac®, without your physician's guidance.
Beat age related mental decline with Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Acetyl-L-Carnitine protects and increases the brain receptors that would otherwise deteriorate with age
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) is a naturally occurring amino acid that is related to L-carnitine. ALC has been proven in human clinical trials to treat age related mental decline. As such, it is being used in high doses and in combination with other Nootropics to treat senile dementias.
ALC has been classed as a Nootropic with rare side effects of nausea and headache. These will pass with continued use or lower doses.
Effects included enhanced cognitive and motor ability and a lessening of depression. ALC has also been shown to help remove lipofuscin a potassium age build-up (see Centrophenoxine for further details). Individuals discover that their short-term memory improves and their attention to detail is enhanced.
Clinical trials have revealed that ALC increases blood oxygen, inhibits oxygen starvation, restores blood pressure and is showing a possible beneficial effect on sperm mobility. In addition, recent observations demonstrate that ALC may have beneficial results on those suffering strokes, Alzheimer's disease, Down's syndrome and various neuropathies.
Perhaps most importantly for anti-aging, ALC has been shown to improve the condition of the essential mitochondria in animals. These are the vital source of energy production in the body.
Dosage:
Take two or three 500mg doses a day.

Rejuvenate your body and brain with Bromocriptine
Bromocriptine enhances dopamine, which declines with age, and restrains prolactin, which increases with age
Bromocriptine is a semi-synthetic derivative of the ergo group that boosts dopamine (a neurotransmitter and a precursor of other substances including adrenalin) and slows down the production of prolactin (a hormone released from the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates milk production after childbirth).
Past the age of 40 it is estimated that the healthy person undergoes a dopamine decline of approximately 13% per decade. As dopamine is essential for brain activity, some neurologists have stated that if we increase life expectancy we shall all be senile! Therefore, protection and enhancement of the dopamine producing neurons is a key strategy for anti-aging medicine.
Bromocriptine, therefore, is not only used in the management of mental degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, but as a preventative medicine for those wishing to delay age-related mental decline.
Its second major anti-aging use of Bromocriptine is the inhibition of Prolactin. Prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland, and is one of the few hormones that increase with age. It has been described as a fat synthesis hormone because one of its primary functions is to trigger lactation (milk production) and weight gain in pregnancy. In women, Bromocriptine has been used to help restore ovulation, but it also helps to reduce serum Prolactin levels in men, (although the precise role of Prolactin in men is unclear). In addition, some researchers believe Prolactin levels play a significant part in immune system suppression.
Bromocriptine also effects the most famous of all pituitary hormones, Growth Hormone (GH). Bromocriptine increases GH secretion in individuals with normal GH concentrations, but paradoxically suppresses GH secretion in patients suffering from acromegaly (a condition of excessive GH production).
An interesting clinical study administered a component of tobacco called DMBA to rats, at a level where it is known to be very effective in producing breast cancer. However, rats that had been pre-treated with Bromocriptine completely avoided any cancer development. Bromocriptine therefore appears to also offer itself as a very potent free radical quencher.
One of the most recent studies indicates that Bromocriptine may be a candidate for the treatment of Type-II diabetes. This is because Bromocriptine has been shown to suppress lipogenesis and improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance.
One animal study suggested that a further action of Bromocriptine is to alter the CNS (central nervous system) regulating metabolism, which helps to prevent weight gain.
Dosage:
Take 1.25mg or 2.5mg daily, unless treating a serious medical disorder where dosage may differ according to your physician's guidance.
Side effects:
Nausea, dizziness, lowering of blood pressure, hypotension and confusion. The first three are relatively common, especially when undertaking initial use. It is also known to increase fertility.
Caution:
Bromocriptine is a very potent substance and it must not be used by pregnant or lactating women, unless under the guidance of a physician. Bromocriptine does contraindicate with psychoactive and hypotensive drugs and other Dopamine enhancing drugs, such as Cabergoline, Deprenyl and Sinemet ® CR. Although often dependant on the dosages used, these should only be administered concurrently under a physician's guidance. Its effects can also be exaggerated when combined with other ergots, including Hydergine and Nicergoline.

Centrophenoxine revitalizes your brain
Centrophenoxine ‘cleans out’ the cells in your body and brain, improving their function and their longevity
Centrophenoxine has long being known to be extremely effective at reducing lipofuscin levels. Lipofuscin describes the potassium build up in the brain, heart, lung and skin cells. This biochemical clutter accumulates over a lifetime, sometimes reaching 30% of the cell volume in aged animals.
The more lipofuscin a cell accumulates, the less functional it becomes, and once a critical threshold has been reached the cell may die. Both human and animal studies have shown that low lipofuscin levels correlate with healthy cellular function, while high lipofuscin accompanies poor cellular health.
Through a variety of animal experiments measuring learning abilities and memory, aged animals whose high lipofuscin levels were reduced by Centrophenoxine, also had their memory and learning abilities restored to a level similar to healthy young animals, while untreated high lipofuscin control animals did not.
Centrophenoxine also generally improves brain function. It enhances neuronal glucose (the chief brain fuel) and oxygen uptake, while increasing carbon dioxide production. In addition, Centrophenoxine raises neuronal RNA (derived from DNA in the cell nucleus) which enables neurons to form proteins which help encode memory, as well as repair cell damage.
Centrophenoxine reverses the age-related drop in RNA and protein production. One study with 76 healthy elderly, who suffered from significant intellectual deterioration, found that Centrophenoxine increased storage of new information into long term memory, while also increasing vigilance and alertness, after only several weeks of treatment.
Dosage:
Elderly people with significant intellectual decline/ may need three to six 250mg tablets per day taken preferably with breakfast and lunch, in order to avoid insomnia. Healthy younger people may need only one or two 250mg tablets daily with breakfast or lunch. To avoid any slight acetylcholine excess occurring, it is wise take occasional breaks from dosage (say, one day a week).
Caution:
Centrophenoxine is a powerful enhancer of brain and peripheral nervous system acetylcholine levels, and too much acetylcholine can lead to headaches, neck, jaw and shoulder muscle tension, insomnia, irritability and hyperexcitability, agitation and restlessness. If any of these occur, simply discontinue Centrophenoxine for a few days and then try a reduced dosage. Also, those with major depression, mania, seizure disorders or Parkinson's disease should avoid Centrophenoxine, as too much acetylcholine may worsen these conditions. Also, pregnant women should avoid Centrophenoxine.

Coenzyme Q10 The cell energizer
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 is an essential component of all energy production throughout the body. It has been found to be particularly prominent in heart cells and has been taken as an important supplement to help the heart perform properly.
An interestingly but not well known fact, is that statins (drugs to lower cholesterol levels) often impede CoQ10 in the body. In a worse case scenario, statins can through this action prevent the heart from having its full energy quota, leading to heart problems- the very thing they were being taken for in the first place to guard against! The answer is simple, if you are using statins you should be supplementing liberally with CoQ10.
CoQ10 can help support normal cholesterol levels and keep the heart energised, accordingly it has become one of the most popular supplements in recent times.
Dosage:
Dosages are 30 mg. two or three times daily.

Idebenone is one of the safest and most potent antioxidants known to man
Idebenone is a cerebral stimulant that increases brain energy levels and has a rejuvenating effect on the whole body
Idebenone is a synthetic variant of one of life's most essential biochemicals, Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10). Co Q10 is an important antioxidant component of the lipid (fatty) membranes that surround all cells, as well as the lipid membranes surrounding the various organelles ("little organs"), such as mitochondria and microsomes, inside cells.
Co Q10 is also an important member of the Electron Transport Chain (ETC) within mitochondria, which are the ‘power plants’ of the cell. Most of the oxygen we breathe is used inside the electron transport chain to produce much of the ATP bioenergy that powers virtually every activity of our cells and bodies.
When blood flow is seriously reduced to any part of the body - as in a heart attack, stroke, trauma, shock or chronic poor blood circulation - cellular/ mitochondrial oxygen (O2) levels quickly drop in the affected region. Free radicals quickly damage cell/organelle structure and function, as well as rapidly halt ATP energy generation by the electron transport chain. Brain and spinal cord cells are especially prone to such damage, and may be irreparably damaged or even destroyed within minutes.
Studies have shown that in such circumstances Idebenone prevents the free radical damage and maintains relatively normal cell ATP levels. In short, while Idebenone can effectively substitute for Co Q10's positive and life essential functions, it doesn't have Co Q10's free radical producing feature which occurs under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions.
Idebenone's potential benefits fall into five categories:
1. Anti-aging
2. Energy enhancement
3. Cognition enhancement
4. Organ protector
5. Protector against excitatory amino acid neurotoxicity
Anti-aging benefits
The mitochondrial power plants produce over 90% of all cellular ATP bioenergy. They are also generally the richest sites in Co Q10 (or Idebenone). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) allows mitochondria to reproduce themselves.
Over the course of a lifetime our mtDNA becomes ever more damaged, and the mitochondria produced become ever more ineffective in their energy generation.
Studies comparing heart tissue from young people with that from elderly people have shown almost no significant mitochondrial dysfunction in young hearts, with significant, often severe mitochondrial dysfunction in elderly hearts. The cells that are most susceptible to mitochondrial energy depletion with advancing age are the brain, skeletal muscle and heart muscle cells.
Idebenone, therefore, provides an anti-aging effect here in several ways. Unlike Co Q10, even under the low oxygen conditions that may occur periodically over a lifetime, Idebenone will serve as a powerful mitochondrial free radical quencher, lessening the ever-increasing mtDNA damage that occurs with age. Idebenone will work even better than Co Q10 within the electron transport chain to keep energy production high, even under hypoxic conditions. This is especially critical to brain and heart cells that may be rapidly damaged during low ATP production episodes that occur due to poor tissue oxygenation.
A variety of studies using brain cells (animal and human) have shown Idebenone's ability to enhance brain structure and function. These tests have demonstrated that Idebenone can enhance serotonin production, even under far less than optimal conditions, such as in patients with cerebrovascular dementia.
Dosage:
Take 30mg two or three times daily.
Side effects:
Possible gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness, headaches, anxiety and uneasiness and sleep alterations.

DHEA builds up your immunity
DHEA is an anti-aging hormone that improves the immune system and increases the effectiveness of brain neurons
DHEA is a natural sterone produced by the adrenal gland, and is the most common sterone in human blood.
Levels of DHEA decline rapidly with age. Secretions are highest during the early twenties and begin to decline at around age 25, by the time we reach 70 years of age, DHEA production is only a small fraction of what it was 50 years earlier. Research has shown a correlation between low DHEA levels and a declining immune system. Consequently, DHEA is being used in the fight against HIV and cancer.
It has also been clinically shown that DHEA helps brain neurons establish contact – and it is known that Alzheimer patients have low DHEA levels. Which is why DHEA is now being considered as a treatment for senile dementia. An additional feature of DHEA is that a small amount of sulfate DHEA and micronized DHEA can convert into the steroid hormone testosterone.
DHEA's most over-looked, yet vital, role may be its relationship with cortisol. Research is indicating that DHEA is the counter-balance to cortisol. That is, when DHEA is low cortisol levels are high and vice-versa. Cortisol is one of the few hormones that tend to increase with age, it is known to induce stress and when allowed to circulate at high levels for long periods may affect many bodily functions, including damaging insulin resistance and the endocrine system including the hypothalamus. Maintaining healthy levels of DHEA to lower cortisol levels may be its most important role for aging and stressed individuals.
Caution:
Certain countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Norway and the United Kingdom have classified DHEA as a controlled substance. DHEA should NOT be used by persons who suffer from, have suffered from or may be suffering prostate or testicular conditions including cancer. Because DHEA can convert to testosterone, and because testosterone can convert to estrogen, we recommend use of an Estrogen Detoxer containing DIM with regular DHEA use.
Oral Micronized
DHEA is now available in micronized capsule form, improving absorption and bio-availability.
Dosage:
Take 25mg to 100mg daily with occasional breaks.
Oral 7-Keto
7-keto is a DHEA specifically targeted towards the immune function. In addition, 7-keto DHEA is known NOT to convert to androgens (and therefore NOT to testosterone or estrogen also) and may be more suitable for those wishing to avoid that effect. This may be particularly beneficial for women, especially those experiencing the menopause, who often complain of ‘testosterone side effects’ such as facial hair and acne when using other forms of DHEA.
Dosage:
7-keto DHEA as a final metabolite is believed to be two and a half times more potent per mg than other forms of DHEA. Doses of 7-keto DHEA are 25mg to 50mg daily with occasional breaks.

Gerovital-H3 the fountain of youth!
Gerovital is an anti-depressant with a cortisol-inhibiting effect that provides a whole host of revitalising properties
This famous and original anti-aging drug, discovered by Professor Ana Aslan of Bucharest, consists of primarily procaine (the familiar dental anaesthetic) stabilized with small amounts of benzoic acid, potassium metabisulfate and disodium phosphate.
The active ingredient, procaine hydrochloride, breaks down in the bloodstream into two bionutrients that naturally occur in the body but become deficient as we age; para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA) and diethylaminoethanol (DEAE).
PABA favorably affects glands, hair, intestines, blood cell formation, protein metabolism and all function of the skin. PABA also stimulates manufacture of other essential vitamins, such as B1, K, folic acid and pantothenic acid. DEAE is a building block of two body substances important to the central nervous system; choline and are acetylcholine. Both are parts of the body's stress reaction system and are important in memory functions. DEAE has been proven to produce mental stimulation, mild euphoria and has a positive effect on mood states.
All-round rejuvenation
Gerovital-H3 improves cell metabolism and has an effect on many mental and physical afflictions usually associated with aging: arthritis, migraine, abnormal blood pressure, peptic ulcers, acne, Parkinson's Disease, Hodgkinsons Disease, atherosclerosis, sickle cell anaemia, hypoglycaemia, senility, poor hearing, poor eyesight, failing memory, muscle fatigue, bad circulation, heart disease, angina, pectoris, impotence, varicose veins, greying hair, wrinkles, oedema and excessive cholesterol.
Gerovital can also help to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is an unusual hormone in that it increases with age. It is believed that high-cortisol levels lead to accelerated aging because cortisol attacks the hypothalamus (the area of the brain that controls the endocrine system). Ironically, cortisol may run out of control due to its ability to damage the hypothalamus that controls the adrenal glands that produce cortisol! Thus this vicious circle leads to an impaired endocrine system.
Gerovital-H3 is also a reversible inhibitor of the brain enzyme MAO, a substance that increases with age and breaks down neurotransmitters, having a detrimental affect on brain function. This is what accounts for Gerovital-H3's anti-depressant affect.
Anti-aging trials
Clinical trials have shown Gerovital to improve recall, increased psychomotor activity and muscle strength in the elderly. Another study discovered that patients had a better memory for numbers, felt more alert and had superb concentration and hand-eye coordination.
Other benefits of Gerovital reported in journals over the years include stabilizing brain cell membranes in ways that reverse ‘normal’ age related membrane deterioration; increasing general intracellular metabolic rate, especially in muscle cells; and increasing intra cellular DNA levels necessary for optimal regeneration and repair of age induced cellular wear and tear.
How such a relatively simple, procaine-based, product can lead to such a broad and seemingly unrelated host of benefits for body and mind, comes down to one simple fact. It is through Gerovital’s antagonism of the broad spectrum degenerative effects of stress-induced chronic cortisol excess, so common in the modern world, that Gerovital can claim to be, not just the original, but one of the most important anti-aging drugs.
Dosage:
Take Gerovital daily on an empty stomach. Those who find it too stimulating should use a lower the dose and/or not take it later than early afternoon. Due to its energizing tendency, it may be necessary to take a periodic break from use, the original protocol is 5 days off each month.
Caution:
Gerovital may amplify the stimulating effect of other ‘neuro-energizers’ which increase dopamine and/or noradrenalin activity, such as deprenyl, L-dopa, modafinil (adrafinil), Hydergine or DLPA/phenylalanine/tyrosine. It is especially important to take periodic GH3 breaks if you are using such neuro-energizers.

Aminoguanidine holds back the signs of aging
Aminoguanidine inhibits the ‘cross-linking’ (or glycosylation) of proteins which may cause many of the problems of old age
It is believed that the cross-linking of the proteins that make up the human body play a role in the human aging process. Cross-linking is the process that causes food to turn yellow and become tough with age. Similarly with humans, cross-linking may be responsible for many of the problems of old age, including senile cataracts, thickening of the arteries, some cancers and damage to the immune system.
A weakened immune system increases the body’s susceptibility to infection. An increased likelihood of some cancers can also occur due to the effects of glucose on DNA. DNA contains all the information necessary to create a normal cell, however it can react with glucose to produce damaged DNA, which in turn causes abnormal cells to be produced.
One study conducted on animals showed that Aminoguanidine prevented age-related enlargement of the heart. The membrane surface area was reduced by 30%. Furthermore, the collagen content of their arterial walls was increased by 24-30%.
Studies conducted at the University of Milan over the last 25 years have shown Aminoguanidine’s ability to reduce the ability of very low density lipoprotein (‘bad cholesterol’) to bind itself to blood vessel walls. In turn, blood platelets are less likely to coagulate and form dangerous clots.
In addition, Aminoguanidine has an ability to treat patients whose blood vessels are constricted by arteriosclerosis. In 1992 at the University of Milan, 11 patients with peripheral vascular disease were treated with Aminoguanidine. Their blood vessels were so clogged that they couldn’t walk for more than 500 yards, but after treatment the patients blood flow improved on average by 30% and the patients exercise abilities improved by 50% to 105%.
Most interestingly of all, Aminoguanidine may have the potential to slow the aging process by protecting the proteins that make up the human body. These include the skin proteins (collagen and elastin), eye lens protein, nerve protein and kidney proteins. All these vital proteins deteriorate with advancing age, even more so in diabetics who have 2-3 times the number of cross-linked proteins than non-diabetics. The result of this being that Aminoguanidine may be able to protect us from (or slow down the progression of) age-related toughening and yellowing of the skin as well as cataract conditions.
Diabetes is often seen as a form of accelerated aging and research into diabetes has provided support for the idea that cross-linking causes aging. A number of different studies with diabetic rats indicate that Aminoguanidine administered rats have significantly superior survival rates than those who are untreated. Diabetic clinical trials with humans have also highlighted Aminoguanidine’s ability to prevent oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Not surprisingly, therefore, Aminoguanidine is an exciting new weapon in the armoury of anti-aging medicine.
Dosage:
Take 75mg two, three of four times a day. Aminoguanidine has a half-life of approximately 4-hours, therefore it is preferable to spread the dosage over the day.
Side effects:
Possible nausea and headache. But as human clinical trials are still relatively limited, dosages shouldn't be exceeded unless under the supervision of a physician.
Caution:
Aminoguanidine can inhibit the uptake of vitamin B6, so a B6 supplement is recommended whilst using Aminoguanidine. Aminoguanidine may be synergistic with Acarbose and Metformin.
Please note:
We supply a hydrochloride (HCL) based tablet. This is more expensive than a bicarbonate based version, but the HCL is more soluble, less irritating and is the type used in the clinical trials.

Put a stop to mental decline with Hydergine
Hydergine stimulates oxygen flow to the brain, relieving symptoms of deteriorating mental capacity
Hydergine is an ergoloid mesylate (derived from rye) and it has become one of the world's most useful and popular ‘smart drugs’. It is known to have all the following effects:
· Increase blood supply to the brain.
· Increase oxygen delivered to the brain.
· Enhance metabolism of brain cells.
· Protect the brain from insufficient oxygen supply.
· Slow the deposit of the age pigment lipofuscin in the brain.
· Prevent free radical damage to brain cells.
· Increase intelligence, memory, learning and recall.
Oxygen and the brain
Either too much or too little oxygen can upset the balance and generate the production of free radicals, which in turn can lead to aging. One of the major ways in which oxygen generates free radicals is its reaction with unsaturated fats, a process called peroxidation. Brain cells contain more unsaturated fats than any other part of the body, therefore it is our brains that are most susceptible to peroxidation.
Peroxidation and the formation of massive amounts of potent free radicals can occur during heart attacks, stokes and through the effects of smoking and pollution. Consequently, many countries use Hydergine for emergencies and accidents that involve heart attacks and strokes. Hospitals give Hydergine to patients before an operation in order to gain time in case of any ensuing crises. This is because Hydergine helps to stabilize brain oxygen levels, if they are too high Hydergine lowers them, if they are too low then Hydergine improves them.
This effect was demonstrated when two groups of cats were anaesthetized and their brains electronically monitored. The scientists reduced the brain’s blood supply (and therefore oxygen supply). The cats in the control group (with no Hydergine ) had brain damage within 5 minutes and died within 15 minutes. However, the cats in the pre-Hydergine treated group had strong brain wave patterns up to 45 minutes later. This experiment proved two things. Firstly, that a decrease in the normal oxygen balance results in tremendous free radical damage; and secondly, that Hydergine protects against this free radical damage when the oxygen level is upset.
Rejuvenation properties
There is also evidence that Hydergine stimulates the growth of dendrite nerve fibers. Dendrites can normally be expected to decline with aging and some scientists have associated the number and density of dendrites with intelligence.
A group of Italian scientists have studied the ultra-cellular features of synaptic mitochondria (contains enzymes for respiration and energy production) to see if long-term Hydergine treatment could delay or prevent the loss of synaptic connections. The scientists found that the number of mitochondria are greatest at about 12-months of age in rats (equivalent to a 25-year old in human terms) and then progressively decreases. However, the size of the mitochondria increased progressively after 12 months. Thus in young adult rats, the energy required at synaptic regions is provided by a large number of small, highly efficient mitochondria, whereas in old rats, energy is produced by a smaller number of larger, less efficient mitochondria. After treatment with Hydergine, it was seen that the total mitochondrial volume of old rats was nearly the same as the young rats. Furthermore, the mitochondrial was altered to a size more youthful.
Dosage:
Usual dosages are 2.25mg to 9mg daily, but always build up the doses slowly. We offer hydergine in 4.5mg tablets (which are scored so that half a tablet or 2.25mg can be taken). We also offer a more easily absorbed liquid hydergine, which provides precise titration because dosages of 0.5mg increments can be taken. Liquid hydergine is also less likely to cause any stomach upset.
Side effects:
Side effects even quite high dosages have few side effects as long as the dose is gradually built up. Otherwise side effect of nausea and headaches may occur.

Brighten your moods with L-tryptophan
L-Tryptophan is a natural anti-depressant, plentiful in protein foods but largely lost through cooking and processing
L-Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino-acid. It is a precursor for the mood-regulating serotonin the brain neurotransmitter linked with pleasure and fulfilment.
L-Tryptophan's is used to alleviate depression, support alcohol withdrawal and to aid weight loss. It plays an important role in our diets, and aging individuals are often in need of it as a supplement.
Unlike some product, ours is pharmaceutical quality of German origin, extracted from plant material and contains no filling agents apart from cellulose.
Dosage:
There are a wide range of doses, from a general supplement at 500mg to 1000mg daily, to treatment of severe depression and senile dementia at 2000mg to 3000mg daily.
Caution:
Avoid combining L-Tryptophan with other serotonin increasing agents such as 5HTP or SSRI drugs, such as Prozac, without your physician's advice.

Preserve youthful sleep patterns with Melatonin
Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle, allowing the body to benefit from a good night’s sleep
Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland, a pea-size structure at the center of the brain, as our eyes register the fall of darkness. At night, Melatonin is produced to help our bodies regulate our sleep-wake cycles. The amount of Melatonin produced by our body seems to lessen as we get older. Scientists believe this may be why young people have less problem sleeping than older people.
Melatonin's main use has been to regulate sleep and circadian rhythms and allow the individual to feel more refreshed and alert the following day. As Melatonin is directly involved with sleep regulation, the supplement's use in the treatment of age-related sleep disorders, jet lag or shift work is impressive. Furthermore, Melatonin has also been shown to improve the condition of Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD).
Antioxidant effects
As an antioxidant, Melatonin has been shown in vitro to be a highly efficient scavenger of the very reactive and toxic hydroxyl radical. Indeed, on an equimolar basis, Melatonin proved significantly more efficient in neutralizing the hydroxyl radical than the two well-known scavengers, glutathione and mannitol. Likewise, Melatonin was found to also scavenge the peroxyl radical which is generated during lipid peroxidation; in this regard it was roughly twice as effective as vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol).
Melatonin’s antioxidant activities have been well documented. When rats are treated with the chemical carcinogen safrole, this agent induces the generation of free radicals which in turn extensively damage nuclear DNA; this damage is almost totally eliminated if the animals are cotreated with Melatonin. Also, damage to DNA in human lymphocytes due to ionizing radiation, another treatment which is known to induce free radical formation, is greatly reduced if the cells are treated with Melatonin prior to radiation. Cytosolic protein seems also to be protected from free radical damage when melatonin is present. When newborn rats are treated with a glutathione-depleting drug at birth, by 2 weeks of age the animals have cataracts. Cataracts form because oxidants damage protein in the presence of low intracellular levels of glutathione. Cataracts induced by this means are essentially prevented if the glutathione-depleted rats are supplemented with Melatonin.
Finally, membrane lipid peroxidation, induced either in vivo or in vitro by any of several means, all of which involve free radicals, is drastically attenuated in the presence of Melatonin. Considering Melatonin’s ability to cross all morphophysiological barriers and to enter every cell, and all subcellular compartments, the implication is that this indole may play a very important role in the antioxidative defense system of the organism. These findings potentially have important implications for a wide variety of age-related diseases and to aging itself.
Anti-aging effects
Tests on both rats and mice Melatonin caused a significant 20% increase in their lifespan. If Melatonin does allow you to live longer and healthier it could be because Melatonin reduces free radical damage; stimulates an aging immune system; protects the cardiovascular system; preserves a youthful circadian rhythm; and stimulates the production of growth hormone. For these reasons, Melatonin is considered to be a vital anti-aging substance.
Whilst some Melatonin supplements have become widely available, IAS offers a specific type, that has been formatted by Dr. Pierpaoli called TI-MElatonin®. It is a pharmaceutical grade Melatonin that is bonded with selenium and zinc. These substances work synergistically with Melatonin and produce a much greater affect (even by themselves, zinc and selenium are important anti-aging supplements).
If you've tried other Melatonins and didn’t notice a significant effect, try TI-MElatonin®, and you’ll soon feel the difference..
Dosage:
Take half to one (maximum two) 3mg tablets at bedtime only. Only use TI-MElatonin ® when you are prepared to sleep and have the light switched off, this is because light entering the eye destroys Melatonin.
Side effects:
A small number of users experience varying degrees of nightmares, headaches, morning groginess, mild depression and low sex drive.
Caution:
Should not be used by women who are pregnant or nursing (since no one knows how excessive exposure to the hormone might affect a foetus or infant); people with severe allergies or autoimmune diseases (Melatonin could exacerbate such conditions by stimulating the immune system); people with immune-system cancers such as lymphoma or leukaemia (for the same reason), and healthy children (who already produce it in abundance). Women trying to conceive should also think twice about taking the hormone, since high doses can act as a contraceptive.

Carnosine extends the life of every cell in your body
Carnosine is a potent anti-oxidant that prevents cell damage and improves cell function
Carnosine is a natural amino-acid with a number of interesting actions. It is a potent anti-oxidant, it helps to chelate ionic metals (flush toxins from the body), it has immune boosting properties, it is known to reduce and prevent cell damage caused by beta amyloid (the substance found in the brain of Alzheimer disease patients) and recent evidence even suggests that Carnosine has a important role in the sense of smell.
Carnosine helps to prevent glycosylation - the cross linking of proteins and DNA molecules caused by sugar aldehydes reacting with the amino acids on the protein molecule and creating Advance Glycosylation End-products (AGE's). Cross linking is the effect that occurs when you cut an apple in half and it gradually turns yellow. Such anti-glycosylation may be beneficial for diabetes, cataracts, neuropathy, kidney failure and skin conditions, as well as more general anti-aging properties, especially improving skin condition.
In 1999, Australian researchers confirmed that Carnosine increases the longevity of human fibroblast cells in the laboratory. Carnosine extended the Hayflick limit (the maximum number of times a cell can divide) from 50 to up to an additional 10 times. It has also been shown that animals with higher levels of Carnosine appear to live longer. Although research is still taking place in this area, Carnosine may become a common supplement for longevity.
The Russian's use carnosine in an eye-drop form to help eradicate senile cataract problems with great success. This type of carnosine eye-drop may have very important anti-aging eye functions because it is breaking protein cross-links, not just inhibiting them. It is important to note however, that the Russians have been using a 'special' kind of carnosine known as N-alpha acetylcarnosine or NAC for this purpose. For further details see Can-C.
Dosage:
Usual anti-aging dosages are from 100mg to 200mg (maximum 300mg day) per day with occasional breaks. The synergetic and protective use of Centrophenoxine may be beneficial with long-term oral Carnosine use.
Caution:
We do not recommend oral dosages larger than 300mg per day. We are aware of cases of muscle twitching with 1g plus dosages. (Note: We are aware that some companies are suggesting dosages of 1000mg per day. The potential reasons against these mega-dosages are discussed by Marios Kyriazis MD, Dr. Hipkiss and Ward Dean MD in the Product Questions and Answers section). You can also read the IAS interview with Dr. Kyriazis by clicking here.

Fortify your body and brain with Pyritinol
Pyritinol is a vitamin B6 derivative nootropic that may be the oldest smart drug in the world!
Since its development in 1961 (by Merck Laboratories- branded Encefabol®), Pyritinol has been found to have a wide ranging number of affects and benefits. These benefits include improving brain glucose uptake, potent antioxidant abilities and enhancing the immune system by improving neutrophil activity (the white blood cells that kill germs).
Whilst Pyritinol's generally accepted use is to improve memory, vigilance and concentration, it is also beneficial because of its antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties.
Dosage:
Pyritinol can be utilized in an anti-aging program our current brand of Pyritinol is called Cerbon 6®. It can be utilized in an anti-aging program at one 100mg tablet one to three times daily.
Side effects:
Possible nausea, gastrointestinal upset and skin rash.
Caution:
Do not use doses in excess of 300mg daily without your physician's advice. Pyritinol has also shown promise as a treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis, but before embarking on a course of treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis you should read the highlighted Bulletin article.

Resveratrol defends against cancer & cholesterol
Resveratrol, found in grapes and wine, reduces the harmful effects of cholesterol and halts many stages of cancer
Resveratrol is one of the most versatile and effective plant compounds there is It represents a novel solution to many common problems encountered by aging humans.
As early as the 1920's, Dr. Johanna Brandt wrote a book proclaiming that grapes cured her of cancer. Since then it has been known that there are several beneficial substances in grapes (wine also of course) that assist in lowering cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and have antioxidant benefits.
Resveratrol (chemical formula 3,5,4’-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is only found in any quantity in the skin of young unripe red grapes, (as well as the skins of peanuts and a herb known as Knotweed). Despite press reports regarding the health benefits of drinking wine, the quantities of Resveratrol in most processed wines is miniscule. Consequently, a supplement is the best way of obtaining sufficient quantities of the chemical.
It should be noted that another chemical exists within the grape, 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-cis-stilbene. This can also be called Resveratrol, however the -cis- version is not as active as the -trans- version available here. Specifically -trans- Resveratrol can help inhibit all three stages of cancer by:
1. Inducing quinone reductase activity, an enzyme that is capable of detoxifying carcinogens.

2. Inhibiting cyclo-oxygenase, a substance that causes the production of prostaglandins that stimulate tumor growth, suppress the immune system and activate carcinogens.

3. Inducing the expression of nitroblue tetazolium reduction activity, a marker of non-specific acid esterase activity and macrophage formation.
Furthermore -trans- Resveratrol can inhibit the development of cardiovascular disease. This is performed through its ability as an antioxidant to inhibit platelet aggregation and eicosaniod synthesis and its ability to modulate lipoprotein metabolism.
Animal studies suggest that Resveratrol can prevent the initiation of cancer and can inhibit the promotion and progression of cancer.
Another benefit of this unique natural chemical is its action of the ’calorie restriction’ gene, the one proven method of life extension at present. Dr. Leonard Guarente of the M.I.T. said of this feature of Resveratrol, “Even someone who started at age 50 could expect to gain an extra 10 years of life."
Dosage:
For the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease, take 5mg or 10mg daily. For the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease, take 15mg to 30mg daily.
Caution:
Anyone who suffers from platelet deficiency or blood-clotting difficulties, or taking blood thinning drugs should only use Resveratrol under medical supervision.

Energize and revitalize with SAMe!
SAMe is a natural chemical that plays an essential part in energizing chemical processes throughout the body
SAMe is involved in methyl-donor conversion. That is to say that it is used in varied chemical processes throughout the body and consequently has a major role in the production of the ‘energy of life’ molecule, ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
There is also a correlation between SAMe and melatonin. When melatonin levels are low SAMe levels are high and vice-versa. SAMe has been described as the day-time alertness hormone, in the same way that melatonin has been described as the night-time sleep hormone.
SAMe is the 3rd most concentrated chemical in the liver, so it has been widely used to correct liver disorders such as cirrhosis and even hepatitis. A better liver, means better detoxification, that has an impact on general health and well-being. Also, being natural, SAMe doesn't have any of the serious side effects that are associated with many other liver drug treatments.
Due to its energy enhancing action, SAMe has become one of the most sought after anti-depressants in recent times (though its use should be avoided by patients suffering from manic depression).
SAMe has even been found to reduce pain and swelling in osteoarthritis sufferers.
Dosage:
Anti-depressant doses are 800mg to 2000mg daily. Osteoarthritis doses are 400mg to 1200mg daily. Liver disorder doses are 500mg and 1600mg daily. General anti-aging requires about 300mg to 500mg daily.
Caution:
Keep the tablets cool and out of sunlight, and do not remove the tablets from the blister pack until you are ready to take them. SAMe tablets are enteric coated so they should not be crushed or broken.
As in keeping with IAS policy, we only offer a pharmaceutical grade product that is produced and packaged correctly, in order to be effective when you consume it. Avoid the use of SAMe's that are not enteric coated and not protected from light, they will be ineffective.
Only use with other anti-depressant drugs with your doctor's guidance.

Prevent blocked brain arteries with Vinpocetine
Vinpocetine treats and prevents strokes, senile dementia and memory disturbances by improving brain blood flow
Vinpocetine is a vasodilator (improves brain blood flow) that, uniquely for this type of drug, affects only the areas that need to treating. This action has lead to Vinpocetine being used to improve hearing (particularly tinnitus), eyesight and even alleviate problems related to the menopause.
Clinical research indicates that Vinpocetine has a positive effect upon damaged areas of the brain and raises brain energy levels. But perhaps most importantly, Vinpocetine can protect against brain arteriosclerosis, which if left unchecked, can lead to strokes.
The condition of the heart’s arteries is a familiar concern of many people. The brain, however, where their capillaries and arteries are at their thinnest, is a prime target for the occurrence of arteriosclerosis. Vinpocetine is also known to be an anti-oxidant, and in this way may further protect the brain from aging.
Dosage:
Take one 5mg tablet two or three times daily (up to two tablets, three times daily for treatments).
Caution:
At higher dosages, seek your physicians advice if combining with potent vasodilators such as ginkgo biloba, Hydergine, Nicergoline, Picamilone, or Xanthinol Nicotinate.

Transform Your Health With Rhodiola, The Herbal Breakthrough of the 21st Century!
By Richard P. Brown, M.D., & Patricia L. Gerbarg, M.D. with Barbara Graham
“(Rhodiola) has got everything to become an herbal superstar---a high-safety profile, compelling benefits and a reasonable amount of scientific research.” (Newsweek, February 2003)
From two leading physicians, one the co-author of Stop Depression Now, comes this groundbreaking book that introduces Americans to the amazing healing powers of Rhodiola rosea. With unprecedented access to more than 30 years of compelling scientific research, including top-secret studies from the former Soviet Union, Dr. Richard Brown and Dr. Patricia Gerbarg offer exclusive proof of rhodiola’s remarkable ability to:
· Maximize energy
· Fight stress and aging
· Sharpen memory and concentration
· Enhance sexual function and physical performance
· Protect against heart disease and cancer
· Help melt away extra pounds
The Rhodiola Revolution also offers fascinating insight into Rhodiola rosea’s rich and intriguing history, as well as concise directions on using the herb for maximum medicinal effect. It’s a very good rhodiola rosea resource for anyone wishing to optimize their health and vitality.
Rhodiola rosea is very effective for improving mood and alleviating depression. Russian research shows that it improves both physical and mental performance, reduces fatigue, and prevents high altitude sickness. In one study, the Rhodiola rosea group decreased proofreading errors by 88% while the control group increased proofreading errors by 84%. Rhodiola rosea's effects are attributed to its ability to optimise serotonin and dopamine levels and to its influence on opioid peptides such as beta-endorphins.
The stimulant substances involved are referred to as adaptogens.
Rhodiola Rosea As it turns out, this northern Asian root packs a potent adaptogenic punch, helping the body to adapt to 21st century living in many ways. As ABC's Mark Blumenthal told Newsweek's Ms. Underwood, "It's got everything to become an herbal superstar - a high safety profile, compelling benefits and a reasonable amount of scientific research." In fact, it has been treasured in Russia and Sweden for many hundreds of years for increasing mental focus, physical endurance, productivity and fertility while fighting depression, fatigue, impotence, hypoxia, anemia and infections.
Promising "second-generation" adaptogen Rhodiola Rosea (Russian Rhodiola) is a perennial plant with red, pink, or yellowish flowers. It has no biological relation to the "common" rose, but due to its similar fragrance it has been used as a substitute for Attar of Roses. One of the greatest things Rhodiola does is enhance mental and physical performance. It has been widely used by Russian athletes and cosmonauts to increase energy. Rhodiola is cardio-protective, normalizing the heart rate immediately after intense exercise. It improves the nervous system and mental functions such as memory, by increasing blood-supply to the muscles and brain, and it also increases protein synthesis (1,2,3). Rhodiola Rosea has extraordinary pharmacological properties as an anti-mutagen and anti-depressive agent. In this respect Rhodiola Rosea is much more powerful than other adaptogens. In one study done by O.M. Duhan and colleagues (4), the anti-mutagenic activities of Panax Ginseng and of Rhodiola Rosea were compared. It became clear that the extracts of Rhodiola Rosea had a higher capacity to counteract gene mutations induced by various mutagens (up to about 90% inhibition in some cases). The anti-depressive and anti-stress activity of Golden root is higher than that of St. John's Wort, Ginkgo biloba and Panax Ginseng. Furthermore, Rhodiola Rosea is five times less toxic than Panax ginseng. In an experiment on rats with Pliss lymphosarcoma (PLS) it was shown (5) that partial hepatectomy, a course application of Rhodiola Rosea extract or combined effects inhibit the growth of tumors by 37%, 39% and 59%, respectively, and that of metastases by 42%, 50% and 75%. In one human study (6) oral administration of Rhodiola Rosea extract to 12 patents with superficial bladder carcinoma (T1G1-2) improved the characteristics of the urothelial tissue integration, parameters of leukocyte integrins and T-cell immunity. The average frequency of relapses for these patients was found to fall twice. In another clinical trial 150 individuals suffering from depression took Rhodiola Rosea extracts for a period of one month. At the end of that period two-thirds of them had full remission of clinical manifestations of depression, and had become more active and more sociable. Daytime weakness and general weakness disappeared. Rhodiola rosea extracts reduce significantly the yield of cells with the chromosome aberrations in vivo and inhibit unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by N-nitroso-N-methylurea in vitro (7). It is emphasized that Rhodiola Rosea extracts have rejuvenative properties due to their ability to raise the efficiency of the intracell DNA repair mechanisms.

Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a plant which has long been used medicinally. It is used in traditional Indian and African medicine as an anti-inflammatory, for fever relief, and against infectious disease. Many believe ashwagandha to be effective in stimulating the immune system. It also appears to inhibit swelling and aid memory and can act as a general health tonic. Ashwagandha contains flavonoids and many active ingredients of the withanolide class. Several studies over the past few years have indicated that ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-stress, antioxidant, mind-boosting, and rejuvenating properties. Ashwagandha is commonly found in ayurvedic herbal formulas.

The active constituents in ashwagandha include withanolides which are believed by many experts to account for the many medicinal applications of ashwagandha. Withanolides are steroidal and are similar to the active constituents of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) known as ginsenosides.

Ashwaganha as An Antioxidant

Researchers from Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India have asserted that some of the chemicals within ashwagandha are powerful antioxidants. They tested these compounds for their effects on rat brains and found an increase in the levels of three natural antioxidants-superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. They say, "These findings are consistent with the therapeutic use of W. somnifera [ashwagandha] as an Ayurvedic rasayana (health promoter). The antioxidant effect of active principles of W. somnifera may explain, at least in part, the reported anti-stress, cognition-facilitating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging effects produced in experimental animal and in clinical situations."

A study done in 1991 at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center indicated that extracts of ashwagandha had GABA-like activity. This may account for this herb's anti-anxiety effects.

Brain Support Theory

Ashwagandha is used in India to treat mental deficits in geriatric patients, including amnesia. Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany wanted to find out which neurotransmitters were influenced by ashwagandha. After injecting some of the chemicals in ashwagandha into rats, they later examined slices of their brain and found an increase in acetylcholine receptor activity. The researchers say, "The drug-induced increase in acetylcholine receptor capacity might partly explain the cognition-enhancing and memory-improving effects of extracts from Withania somnifera [ashwagandha] observed in animals and humans."

A 2002 laboratory study indicated that ashwagandha stimulates the growth of axons and dendrites. A 2001 animal study showed ashwagandha had memory boosting ability. A 2000 study with rodents showed ashwagandha to have anti-anxiety and anti-depression effects. However, no clinical studies have been carried out to support its efficacy in humans.

Dosage and Administration

A common recommended dosage of Ashwagandha is 4 to 6 grams of the dried root per day. This can be taken in a capsule or in a tea preparation.

The Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Researchers made one of the first important associations between omega-3 fatty acids and human health while studying the Inuit (Eskimo) people of Greenland in the 1970s. As a group, the Inuit suffered far less from certain diseases (coronary heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, psoriasis) than their European counterparts. Yet their diet was high in fat from eating whale, seal, and salmon. Eventually medical researchers realized that these foods were all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which provided real disease-countering benefits.

Emerging evidence from several types of research supports the wide-ranging health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 essential fatty acids appear to have a positive effect when used in connection with coronary artery disease, high cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Additional research also suggests that large doses of fish oil may be effective for conditions and maladies including Parkinson's disease, depression, bipolar disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, alcoholism, postpartum depression, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

Uses of Lecithin

Phosphatidylcholine (Lecithin) may be useful in helping to restore liver function in a number of ailments including alcoholic fibrosis and possibly viral hepatitis. It has also been used in connection with some manic conditions. There is also some evidence that Phosphatidylcholine may be useful in the management of Alzheimer's disease and some other cognitive disorders including tardive dyskinesia.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral not only to the human body, but also to a variety of important biological functions. In fact, magnesium is involved in well over 300 metabolic processes. It is required for every major biological process, including the production of cellular energy and the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins. It is also important for the electrical stability of human and animal cells, the support of cell membrane integrity, muscle contraction, nerve conduction, and the maintenance of vascular tone.The total amount of magnesium found in an adult human is approximately 25 grams. About 50%-60% of this amount is found in the body's bones. Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular substance; potassium is the most abundant extra cellular. Only about 1% of the body's magnesium is found extracellularly.It is also important to know that magnesium is intimately interlocked biologically with calcium. Magnesium and calcium cooperate in the production of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. Conversely, in many metabolic processes, such as the synthesis of nucleic acids and protein, calcium and magnesium are antagonistic in nature. Magnesium is necessary for these processes, while calcium can inhibit them. Magnesium has been called by many the "nature's physiological calcium channel blocker" since it appears to regulate the intracellular flow of calcium ions.Medicinal Indication and Health Benefits of MagnesiumAs magnesium required for so many metabolic processes in the body, the exact reasons for some of its effects are not fully understood. For example, analysis of the results of preliminary research indicates that magnesium may reduce hyperactivity in children. In one trial, 50 ADHD children with low magnesium (as determined by red blood cell, hair, and serum levels of magnesium) were given 200 mg of magnesium a day for nearly six months. When compared with 25 other magnesium-deficient ADHD children, those that were given magnesium supplementation appeared to experience a decrease in hyperactive behavior.Magnesium supplementation has also been reported to improve symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in some individuals, although intravenous injections of magnesium were necessary. However, other trials provided no compelling evidence of magnesium's ability to improve symptoms of people suffering from CFS.Diabetics tend to have lower than normal magnesium levels. Supplementation with magnesium may help diabetics to maintain adequate magnesium levels as well as improve glucose tolerance.Magnesium may also help to treat a number of other problems including bladder control in women and dehydration of red blood cells in sickle cell anemia patients.

Pycnogenol®

Pycnogenol® is a liquid extract from the bark of the French maritime pine grown in Europe's largest single forest, spread over the coastal region of south-west France, les Landes de Gascogne. Although the term pycnogenol is now confined to procyanidins from the French maritime pine, the term was originally intended to serve as scientific name for this class of flavonoids.Laboratory studies have demonstrated that pycnogenol has a number of antioxidant effects. Similar studies also indicate that pycnogenol has anti-inflammatory effects. All of pycnogenol's effects are thought to be due, in large part, to pycnogenol's capacity as a scavenger of reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species. Additionally, pycnogenol also appears to have the ability to inhibit the property functioning of NF-kappa B and AP-1. NF-kappa B and AP-1 upregulate the expression of several inflammatory agents such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). The inhibition of ICAM-1 expression by pycnogenol could also account for possible anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic activities of pycnogenol in treating some inflammatory skin conditions, such as lupus erythematous, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.Many claim that pycnogenol is useful for boosting the immune system, relieving neuro-degenerative disorders, is an anti-allergen, an anticancer agent, an anti-diabetic agent, relieves arthritis, prevents liver cirrhosis, and fights arthritis; however, these claims are not well founded. Recent research suggests that pycnogenol may indeed have some cardio protective effects useful for fighting a few vascular disorders and it is very possible that in the future research may emerge to show that pycnogenol may have some immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects

SAM-e (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) is not an herb, vitamin, hormone, or dietary nutrient; it is a synthetic form of a chemical that is naturally produced by the human body. SAM-e exists in cells and is involved in a variety of essential biochemical processes, including cell maintenance and nerve function. It is considered to be a metabolite of the essential amino acid L-methionine. SAM-e is also known by many as ademetionine, S-adenosylmethione, SAM, and SAMe. Among the numerous supplements marketed, SAM-e is one of the few worthy of attention from researchers and consumers.

SAM-e supplements are marketed for use in connection with a variety of conditions including osteoarthritis, depression, fybromyalgia, and liver disease. Many individuals maintain that SAM-e is as effective for pain relief as aspirin, but does not produce the same side effects such as stomach irritation. It is also believed by some people to be more effective for relieveing depression than many common anti-depressants. Since SAM-e is not regulated by the FDA, it does not require a doctor's prescription. However, in other regions such as Europe, SAM-e is sold as a prescription drug for treating depression, arthritis, and liver disease.

SAM-e is normally produced in the liver from the amino acid methionine found in most healthy diets. Both folic acid and vitamin B12 are required for the synthesis of SAM-e, and deficiencies of either of these vitamins may result in low concentrations of SAM-e in the central nervous system. Lower than normal levels of SAM-e have been detected in individuals with liver cirrhosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and depression.

Suggested Benefits of SAM-e

While healthy people do not need to supplement with SAM-e researchers suggest that many people may benefit from this supplement. Suggested benefits of SAM-e supplementation include the following:
§ Osteoarthritis. A number of double-blind studies indicate that SAM-e may help individuals with osteoarthritis. Studies show that SAM-e may reduce stiffness, pain and swelling in arthritic joints, as well as improve overall joint health. Results of some studies even go as far as to suggest that SAMe may be as effective in some instances as ibuprofen and naproxen. However, there is no evidence that SAMe will be effective in any form of arthritis other than osteoarthritis.
§ Liver Cirrhosis. Preliminary research indicates that SAM-e may also be helpful for various liver conditions including cirrhosis. In one trial, people with liver cirrhosis caused by alcoholism who took SAM-e for two years experienced a nearly 50% lower death rate and/or liver transplantation rate, compared with study participant who received a placebo. The results of this trial, however, where not statistically significant. The results of similar trials conducted using people with less severe forms of cirrhosis has yielded more promising results.
§ Fibromyalgia. Preliminary research suggests that SAM-e may assist those with fibromyalgia. In one double-blind study in which people with fibromyalgia were given supplemental SAM-e showed beneficial effects, such as a decrease in fatigue, pain sensation, and stiffness. Study participants also noted a significant improvement in mood. Notwithstanding, not all studies have reported such beneficial results.
§ Depression. SAMe may be helpful for promoting mood and emotional well-being and has been used by some people for the treatment of depression. This has resulted in a series of preliminary studies using oral and parenteral SAMe to treat depression. While the results of these studies are promising they are still inconclusive.
Additional research suggests that SAM-e may also be helpful for cholestasis, liver injury due to alcohol, Gilbert's syndrome and migraines. It may also anti-depressant and hepatoprotective activities.

Again, early results supporting the health benefits of SAM-e are encouraging but not conclusive.

Possible Side Effects of SAM-e

Unlike many traditional antidepressants, SAMe has few reported side effects. It also has a rapid onset of action (usually only two weeks compared to the four week onset for standard antidepressants). A few people taking high doses have reported mild gastrointestinal upsets (such as stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and flatulence), anxiety, insomnia, hyperactive muscle movement, and hypomania. However, many of these symptoms will diminish with time, with lower dosages, or when supplementation is stopped.

If you are suffering from severe depression, you should seek advice from a doctor before supplementing with SAM-e. It has also been reported that individuals with bipolar disorder should avoid SAM-e since it may bring on manic episodes.

Dosage and Administration of SAM-e

While there are no recommended doses of SAM-e researchers working with individuals suffering from various conditions have used the following amounts:

Osteoarthritis (Joint Health) - 800 to 1,200 mg a day
Depression - 400 to 1,600 mg a day
Fibromyalgia - 800 mg per day
Liver disorders - 1,200 mg per day
Migraine - 1,200 mg per day
Researchers have suggested taking supplemental B6, B12, folic acid and possibly trimethylglycine (particularly in people with elevated homocysteine levels) with SAM-e. These vitamins help metabolize homocysteine which, at elevated levels, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as a few other disorders.

Effects from SAM-e, if any, are usually evident within a few week of starting supplementation with SAMe.

Mucuna Pruriens
NRx Mucuna Pruriens is the most powerful available today. Standardized to contain 250mg of L-Dopa in each capsule.After the discovery that Mucuna seeds contain L-dopa, an anti-parkinson’s disease drug, its demand in international market has increased many fold (Farooqi 1999) and demand has motivated Indian farmers to start commercial cultivation. Macuna Pruriens is commonly known as cowhage (Latin) and kiwanch (Sanskrit). Traditionally, Mucuna pruriens find use in number of diseases and is commonly used as carminative, hypotensive & hypoglycemic agent. From phytochemistry point of view, the drug contains L-dopa, tryptamine alkaloids, lecithin and tannins. Traditionally Mucuna Pruriens has been used to increase sexual desire and ability, The seeds of the mucuna pruriens plant produce chemicals that support healthy levels of testosterone in both men and women. It also aids in the production of a hormone commonly associated with the "pleasure system" of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and motivation. L-Dopa is an amino acid that converts into dopamine. Dopamine is an essential component of our body and it's required for proper functioning of the brain. Research discovered the body converts the amino acid tyrosine into L-dopa; L-dopa is then converted into dopamine. Without the neurotransmitter dopamine to serve a damping effect on neural transmissions, muscles become tense and tremble. L- Dopa contains natural secretagogues which may support the body's ability to stimulate the natural release of growth hormone. The blood carries the dopamine into the brain, where it naturally increases HGH production from the pituitary gland. The increased dopamine levels also optimize the production of other hormones, including testosterone, leading to increased sex drive and improved sexual performance for both men and women, beneficial in stimulating muscle growth, as well as burning fat from fat cells.

Milk of Paradise Tattoo

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Elusive Silver Tattoo Ink

Ink colors - Metallic ?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Milk of Paradise is 9 months from opening officially! (Legally)

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Brain & Body Rejuvinated with Piracetam! (Nootropics)

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Milk of Paradise is 9 months from opening officially! (Legally)

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