The short explanation is – Smart Drugs are medications used for improving cognitive functions in healthy human beings. The long explanation is the entirety of this article. Keep reading to know more.
Smart Drugs are also called Nootropics. This word and usage of formulaic synthetic medication to improve function of the ‘brain’, is new to allopathic medicine but the concept of cognitive improvement in normal human beings is not. In fact, cognitive medication has been in use in Chinese and Indian medicines for centuries.
Western medicine is just beginning to take note of the enhancing effects of drugs on cognitive behavior of people. The premise of ‘becoming smarter’ by using medicines does not sit well with the established norms of allopathy, which allow medicines only to ‘cure or alleviate’ an existing medical condition. There is, however, no denying that smart drugs do indeed increase the mental, sensory and perceptive abilities in human beings.
The Exciting World of Nootropics
Most of the nootropic drugs are actually medications used for brain and neuro ailments like ADHD, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. The alleviating effects of the medication on people suffering from these ailments, convert into enhancing effects on normal people.
Much of these positive effects are yet to be definitively ascertained by scientific research but initial studies have definitely shown that smart drugs work. Since these studies (and the entire nootropics field) are still in their nascent stage, the possibilities of smart drugs and their benefits are exciting. In fact, some scientific experts believe that nootropics are going to bring about revolutionary changes by increasing the mental faculty of human race multifold in the coming years.
Side Effects?
The primary reason why western medicine is wary to accept the positive effects of smart drugs is because of the risk of them causing unwanted side effects. Since many formulaic medicines cause side effects, some experts are concerned that the smart drugs may also induce side effects in normal people.
Their contention is since normal people can live without smart drugs, they don’t have any need to use them at the risk of contacting unwanted side effects and compromising their healthy status. The study of side effects caused by smart drugs is also in its infancy stage and so, we do not definitively know if that is a concern or not.
All said and done, there are many medicines for various ailments, that are known to cause side effects. This has however not stopped Doctors from prescribing and using them. So, the argument of side effects of smart drugs stands on shaky ground because the cognitive benefits outweigh the risk of side effects. And humans are only going to benefit from nootropics, just like they have for all the other side effects causing prescription medications. We are on the threshold of a big leap in the medical world, thanks to nootropics. Our generation has the good fortune of seeing the effects and benefits of the smart drugs taking shape in our lifetime, right in front of our eyes.
Conclusion
Smart drugs are here to sta and there is no doubt that they can have positive effects on helping improve study habits, and many severe ailments, while prescription nootropics are commonly prescribed, there are many new supplements that can have similar if not the same effect as prescription nootropics without the side effects.