Natural Alternatives to Ritalin for Study Help

[cafetimes1991]

Basically, what the thread title says. I looked into Ritalin today, and decided that it wasn't for me. I don't have ADD anyway, but I know of students using it as a study aid; it seems to give them an edge (in the short run anyway).
So are there any natural alternatives? I know there must be some. For example, I know that folic acid is supposed to be much more effective at combating depression than Prozac.
So are there any special pills? Vitamin C or something?
I'm talking specifically pills here, but also any other tips you may have to help concentration and study. E.g. is caffeine bad for study?

Thanks

[rosix]

whatever you're studying is very likely shit anyways, don't fuck up your body in order to learn something that's not worth it!

if it's found in pill form and acts as a 'study aid' it's very hard for it to be natural isn' it lol

[cafetimes1991]

Thanks for the reply.
I know a lot (not sure how much) of what I learn at prison (school) is crap, but if I don't get good grades, going to university will be very difficult.

[eyepod]

I would avoid any of the pharmacuetical speed like substances like Ritalin, Modafinal if I was you although there is evidence that it does improve peoples learning abilities. It seems to be rife among students these days. You're still young and your brain is still developing - no point screwing it over permanently over a few exams. In the long-term exams mean FA, just a bit a paper that might give you a foot in the door.

You may want to look into Ginkgo Biloba. I don't have experience of it personally for learning but I have heard good stuff about it. It's good for you on a number of levels anyway.

Also do a search on nootropics - there are various "drugs" in this catagory that claim improved mental abilities. Some are natural, some are not. I don't have experience of them myself but could be worth a look.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba
Ginkgo has many alleged nootropic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nootropic) properties, and is mainly used as memory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory)[19] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba#cite_note-Mahadevan-18) and concentration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention) enhancer, and anti-vertigo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertigo_%28medical%29) agent. However, studies differ about its efficacy. The largest and longest independent clinical trial to assess ginkgo biloba’s ability to prevent memory loss has found (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/health/research/18gingko.html) that the supplement does not prevent or delay dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Some controversy has arisen (http://www.slate.com/id/2165042/pagenum/all/) over the conclusions drawn by some studies that were allegedly funded by a firm which marketed Ginkgo. Slate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_%28magazine%29), an Internet-based magazine owned by The Washington Post Company, reported in April 2007 (http://www.slate.com/id/2165042/pagenum/all/):

[cafetimes1991]

Thanks, eyepod. Will look out for it at our local health shop.
I take a B complex (well, I used to), which seems to help. E.g.
Vitamin B6
Research indicates that 10-20% of autistic children will benefit from B6
supplementation when combined with magnesium supplements. It appears to improve the activity of several important brain neurotransmitters.
But, are vitamins from companies like Quest (Birmingham, UK) safe, or are they make-believe vitamins that really do nothing?

On a side note, is an aspirin a day good for health?

[cafetimes1991]

Woah, just found this as well:

http://www.nativeremedies.com/images/products/215/STU001.jpg

StudyPlus Benefits:

* Support mental alertness and clarity for best study habits and academic performance
* Maintain overall brain and nervous system health
* Support all brain functions including memory, concentration and optimum performance
* Support all cognitive functions such as alertness, mental processing and organizing of facts learned
* Support alertness and endurance during long study sessions
* Maintain a calm approach to your work, despite a heavy workload

[eyepod]

Thanks, eyepod. Will look out for it at our local health shop.
I take a B complex (well, I used to), which seems to help. E.g.

But, are vitamins from companies like Quest (Birmingham, UK) safe, or are they make-believe vitamins that really do nothing?

On a side note, is an aspirin a day good for health?

I don't take vitamins pills personally these days although I have in the past. They're often manufactured by a chemical process rather than extracted naturally and are loaded with bulking agents such as magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide which don't get such good press. Also the body does not absorb many of these vitamins so well from pills.

You'd be much better of if you want to do it naturally to maximise you vitamin intake from natural foods. Knock up a friut or raw veg smoothy every day and you'll probably doing yourself a much bigger favour.

Some people do take aspirin everyday as it thins the blood and is often given to heart attack victims for this very reason. I wouldn't say it good for you unless you're prone to heart attack or blood clots. It also quite bad for the stomach and in excess can cause stomach ulcers and stomach haemorrage. It also interferes with the bloods ability to clot (hence it use for heart attacks). I don't think you need to be taking it at your age!

[eyepod]

Woah, just found this as well:

http://www.nativeremedies.com/images/products/215/STU001.jpg

They look exactly like ginkgo capsules to me - same colour and everything. I would check out the ingredients / millgrams of active ingredients first. No point in paying over the odds just because they say "StudyPlus" on them if it's just Ginkgo with a funky marketing name.

[rosix]

I too remember when it was 'discovered' that some pain-relievers were 'good for you' but frankly I cannot imagine that it can ever be more 'good for you' than other alternative routes of achieving the same supposed improvements. Afterall, pain is almost always your body saying "hey BITCH you could be treating me better in some way!" :)

I would HEAVILY encourage you to really think about why you're wanting to go to any extreme lengths to try and make extra sure you will get into university. WHY do you want to go? Really try and be honest with yourself. The majority of my friends and best friends are in uni or went to uni and a lot of them only went to be part of a pretty expensive social club :)

[rosix]

everyone,
one thing to look into for whatever your reasons may be is polyphasic sleeping. I've never done it properly for extended periods of time myself - I know people who have.

to summarise it - you spend the minimal amount of time in your day/week sleeping while maximising the effectiveness of YOU while awake (for example: so instead of sleeping 8 hours a day and being groggy the hour after you wake up and the hour before you go to bed, you sleep 4 hours a day total being groggy 0 of the remaining 20 hours)

also - most school exams are just there to test how good you are at comprehensively regurgitating (dis)information/data and further close your brain to being one-sided :( why would you ever wanna be good at those exams hehe

[gripit]

Basically, what the thread title says. I looked into Ritalin today, and decided that it wasn't for me. I don't have ADD anyway, but I know of students using it as a study aid; it seems to give them an edge (in the short run anyway).
So are there any natural alternatives? I know here must be some. For example, I know that folic acid is supposed to be much more effective at combating depression than Prozac.
So are there any special pills? Vitamin C or something?
I'm talking specifically pills here, but also any other tips you may have to help concentration and study. E.g. is caffeine bad for study?

Thanks

Hey cafetimes1991, hope all is well! Here is a good forum (http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=15125&st=0) on Brain Enhancers (Nootropics) ;)

[paolo]

Australian Bush Flower combination Cognis Essence is a great study aid/memory enhancer/grounder
http://www.healthlines.co.uk/FLOWER_ESSENCES/Bush_Essences/Aus_Combis/Aus_Combi_Cog.php

[cafetimes1991]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. :cool:
I read about the truth of exams in Infinite Love, but I'm failing some subjects at the moment, and I still don't think life would be as good for me if I didn't go to university. :o

[gods sun]

psycodelics are the only key to education and advance your brain power in tests etc as sometimes you actually take you test in different dimension with answers, funny how many people have said a sence of de ja vu afterwards.

mild trips can open youre mind and show you secrets, try reading books on alchemy etc arabic mathamatics etc

[nosferatu_dj]

psycodelics are the only key to education and advance your brain power in tests etc as sometimes you actually take you test in different dimension with answers, funny how many people have said a sence of de ja vu afterwards.

mild trips can open youre mind and show you secrets, try reading books on alchemy etc arabic mathamatics etc

this is somthing that is not very well known.... look back in history and u will find almost EVERY single genuis, person in high power ect.. has used A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance in there life at some point in time.

[crimsonblade]

20 drops of organic Ginkgo Biloba tincture 3 times a day will do the trick.

[picha]

http://www.auravita.com/products/aura/BIOA128874.asp?RefId=220&adid=BIOA128874

u could try this. I used a different version of it and it made me feel like I was on E all day but in a quite natural way.

[cafetimes1991]

look back in history and u will find almost EVERY single genuis, person in high power ect.. has used A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance in there life at some point in time.

Like, am, cigarettes? That's as close as I can get right now.:rolleyes::D
Are there any legal versions, like that orange peel and toothpaste one?

[nosferatu_dj]

Like, am, cigarettes? That's as close as I can get right now.:rolleyes::D
Are there any legal versions, like that orange peel and toothpaste one?

this is as best as i can do for u right now i am sorry.. i do not know the laws where u live, only where i live..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Psychotropic_Substances

try looking on google natural psychotropic and laws.

[cafetimes1991]

Thanks, nosferatu. :cool: