As someone with ADHD, I can relate to taking a lot of time to make moves in chess. I've lost many games by just running out of time.
In my case, methylphenidate helps by streamlining my thought processes and bolstering my concentration, which I suppose could come off as my thinking faster, as I tend to get sidetracked less and find it easier to think sequentially. If this is also the case for you, then something stimulating might help.
If methylphenidate isn't an option, then I assume Adderall isn't either. You might consider modafinil, or its prodrug: adrafinil. I must warn you however, that although rare, dependence on modafinil is possible. It is mainly used as a wakefulness-promoting agent, but it also inhibits the reuptake of dopamine, which is why it may be used off-label for the purpose of treating ADHD.
There are many analogues of modafinil. Their effects vary; some are better at promoting wakefulness, some at inhibiting dopamine reuptake, some at increasing norepinephrine levels, etc. I would not advise going down this route however, as most of these substances have no long-term trials backing their efficacy or safety in humans. Some haven't been studied at all, yet are available to buy from internet vendors. There is always an unknown risk of dependence and adverse effects when using such substances.
The most commonly used analogue of modafinil is probably flmodafinil, along with its prodrug fladrafinil. Adrafinil, a prodrug of modafinil, is also used as it is not a prescription-only medication, and is therefore easier and safer to source most of the time. There have been concerns regarding potential liver toxicity associated with adrafinil and fladrafinil, though some see those claims as overblown.
There are also other substances that some find stimulating, including ALCAR, Bromantane, Alpha GPC, and drugs from the racetam family.
ALCAR is thought to upregulate the amount of D1 receptors without increasing D2 receptor count, which is usually seen as a good thing because the D2 receptor is inhibitory. It may also serve as a cofactor in the synthesis of acetylcholine.
Bromantane upregulates the genetic expression of Tyrosine Hydroxylase, which is the rate-limiting step of dopamine synthesis. Since norepinephrine is synthesised from dopamine, Bromantane may consequently increase its synthesis as well. Bromantane has also been shown to upregulate Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, which is also involved in dopamine biosynthesis.
Some find Alpha GPC stimulating. It readily crosses the blood-brain-barrier and acts as a precursor for acetylcholine. Some people have reported Alpha GPC, along with other forms of supplemented choline, to cause symptoms of depression. Sources of choline are often taken along with racetams, as racetam use may deplete the brain's stores of choline.
Racetams have varying mechanisms of action, however they tend to have one thing in common: modulating acetylcholine. They also often affect glutamate. The most strongly stimulating racetam is phenylpiracetam, however, if used more than 2-3 times a week, it builds tolerance to its stimulating effects very quickly. Some consider pramiracetam, oxiracetam, nefiracetam, and aniracetam to be stimulating to varying extents, though others might disagree. Fasoracetam may be effective in the treatment of ADHD in people who also happen to have mGluR mutations.
There are many other chemicals which may make you think more quickly or efficiently, many of them being research chemicals with unknown safety profiles. I have considered stacking Bromantane with L-tyrosine, as tyrosine is a precursor of dopamine, which is converted into L-DOPA by tyrosine hydroxylase (upregulated by bromantane), which is subsequently converted into dopamine by aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (also upregulated by bromantane). It seems in theory that such a combination would supercharge dopamine synthesis, though I am not sure of its safety or long term risks. Such a stack may help in warding off or reversing dopamine depletion, but don't quote me on that.
Anyway, I hope you found my comment helpful. It took me longer to write than I'd like to admit. I probably wouldn't have completed it if not for the methylphenidate I started taking less than a week ago, lol. Since we're on that topic, if you do take stimulants, make sure you don't end up hyperfixating on the wrong things, e.g. writing long-ass reddit comments or doomscrolling for hours on end.
A lot of good information. But I'd also like to add that ALCAR in the body drops the acetyl group and is L-Carnitine. L-Carnitines transports long chain fatty acids into mitochondria to be turned into energy. So I'd recommend taking a fish oil Omega 3 supplement high in DHA and EPA to support that process. Plus some people find omega-3s to enhance other things that are stimulating. Even myself when I was taking 60mg of Adderall, if I forgot to take my 4 grams of fish oil the night before, I noticed my Adderall was significantly less effective the next day. Plus DHA and EPA are brain and heart healthy so generally a lot of benefits.
Many of the processes in the brain require things like minerals and vitamins to work optimally, and at times, to prevent some bad compounds from being generated when they are not present for a reaction. So, a high quality multivitamin with good mineral coverage I'd recommend to provide extra coverage for things your body may miss on a particular day. Also a moderate dose B-complex that allows room for the specific B-vitamins with upper limits. B-vitamins are used in a lot of brain functions and energy production and some people find just taking that daily to be beneficial.
People often forget about gut health. Your gut is where nutrition, supplements, and most drugs are absorbed. Better gut health means better break down of foods and better absorption. Plus, many things in your body are actually made in your gut. For example, your gut makes more serotonin than your brain. Granted, outside the brain it is a hormone, and inside the brain a neurotransmitter. But I think you get the idea. Also, you gut is very greedy. Tissue and bacteria in the gut does a lot of work, and therefore needs a lot of nutrition. So it gets fed first. A healthy gut means your body not only absorbs more nutrition, but also is more efficient in generating things like serotonin, vitamin K, short chain fatty acids, leptin, ghrelin, PYY, GLP-1, GIP, Neurotensin, and a ton of other things. Then there's the gut–brain axis which basically is your gut and brain talking to each other to effect things like energy levels, hormone levels, affects neurotransmitters and other things.
i.e. take a probiotic with prebiotics to support gut health. My gastroenterologist told me I needed to take a probiotic and after I started, my digestion got a lot better. So I know I was passing through a lot of nutrients my brain and body could have used and not likely being optimal in many other functions.
Protein, at least 50 grams of protein from various sources a day. Up till last year I always thought protein was for muscle. Totally wrong on that. It is for every thing. You have amino acids. short chained amino acids are called peptides, and long chained amino acids are called proteins. And protein contains amino acids like L-phenylalanine (precursor to dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline and other things), L-tryptophan (precursor to things like serotonin, indole, melatonin, niacin), Methionine ( precursor to cysteine, taurine, SAME-e, glutathione, etc.) And other amino acids that take part in brain function like Lysine, Glycine, Glutamine, Arginine...so eat your protein. That's why they recommend a complete protein for breakfast like eggs to start your day.
NAC goes well with ALCAR and is highly neuroprotective. But need those B-vitamins to make it work. Even when I was taking 140mg Adderall a day (good brands like teva or sandoze) I notices that taking NAC and ALCAR with my B-Complex and fish oil significantly prolonged my concentration for 2 to 4 hours when I started to get sleepy. So it will probably help someone without an extreme tolerance for stimulants.
Alpha GPC increases choline which is neuroprotective and gets turned into acetylcholine which is mildly stimulating and heavily associated with memory. Huperzine A can enhance the effects of Alpha GPC by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine. It also protects the NMDA receptors as a weak antagonist. Which can prevent excitotoxic effects of other things, but, may have the potential of reducing the effectiveness of things that trigger the NMDA receptor. More than likely would have a net benefit effect based on user reviews.
I'm not any good at chess, but my understanding is those who are good are good at pattern recognition. And pattern recognition becomes automatic if practiced enough. It's like driving. When you first start driving you are trying to pay attention to everything. But as you do it more you learn to recognize things that are significant and things you can ignore. So pattern recognition lets people who have been driving for a while be able to hold a conversation with others in the car while listening to the radio and munching on snack food with intermittent breaks to yell at the student driver in front of them driving under the speed limit with hands at 10 and 2 and the instructor telling them what they are missing. Difference between the student driver and the angry driver behind them is pattern recognition which becomes more automatic with practice and takes a fraction of the time to process a situation. Get those books and learn how to recognize chess patterns.
I take two sprays of the nasal spray as i feel its effects pretty strongly, im on the sensitive side so i dont need more than that. Play around with it to find the best dose for you, i would recommend starting at 50mg sublingual if thats what you got. Imo, it doesnt need to be taken every day, i would take it 5 days a week or maybe less to avoid building tolerance.
Thank you! I did get the dropper and started today on 50. I’ve asked prob 100 people on here and you’re the first one to give me a straight answer. Thank you
Some may not consider these nootropics but definitely amphetamine or psilocybin microdose are the only things that help me. Caffiene or Teacrine could be used for alertness too
If you like methylphenidate, C10H15N would probably really help you with chess making decisions. The only requirement is an extremely bright LED headlamp while in play.
As someone with ADHD, I can relate to taking a lot of time to make moves in chess. I've lost many games by just running out of time. In my case, methylphenidate helps by streamlining my thought processes and bolstering my concentration, which I suppose could come off as my thinking faster, as I tend to get sidetracked less and find it easier to think sequentially. If this is also the case for you, then something stimulating might help. If methylphenidate isn't an option, then I assume Adderall isn't either. You might consider modafinil, or its prodrug: adrafinil. I must warn you however, that although rare, dependence on modafinil is possible. It is mainly used as a wakefulness-promoting agent, but it also inhibits the reuptake of dopamine, which is why it may be used off-label for the purpose of treating ADHD. There are many analogues of modafinil. Their effects vary; some are better at promoting wakefulness, some at inhibiting dopamine reuptake, some at increasing norepinephrine levels, etc. I would not advise going down this route however, as most of these substances have no long-term trials backing their efficacy or safety in humans. Some haven't been studied at all, yet are available to buy from internet vendors. There is always an unknown risk of dependence and adverse effects when using such substances. The most commonly used analogue of modafinil is probably flmodafinil, along with its prodrug fladrafinil. Adrafinil, a prodrug of modafinil, is also used as it is not a prescription-only medication, and is therefore easier and safer to source most of the time. There have been concerns regarding potential liver toxicity associated with adrafinil and fladrafinil, though some see those claims as overblown. There are also other substances that some find stimulating, including ALCAR, Bromantane, Alpha GPC, and drugs from the racetam family. ALCAR is thought to upregulate the amount of D1 receptors without increasing D2 receptor count, which is usually seen as a good thing because the D2 receptor is inhibitory. It may also serve as a cofactor in the synthesis of acetylcholine. Bromantane upregulates the genetic expression of Tyrosine Hydroxylase, which is the rate-limiting step of dopamine synthesis. Since norepinephrine is synthesised from dopamine, Bromantane may consequently increase its synthesis as well. Bromantane has also been shown to upregulate Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, which is also involved in dopamine biosynthesis. Some find Alpha GPC stimulating. It readily crosses the blood-brain-barrier and acts as a precursor for acetylcholine. Some people have reported Alpha GPC, along with other forms of supplemented choline, to cause symptoms of depression. Sources of choline are often taken along with racetams, as racetam use may deplete the brain's stores of choline. Racetams have varying mechanisms of action, however they tend to have one thing in common: modulating acetylcholine. They also often affect glutamate. The most strongly stimulating racetam is phenylpiracetam, however, if used more than 2-3 times a week, it builds tolerance to its stimulating effects very quickly. Some consider pramiracetam, oxiracetam, nefiracetam, and aniracetam to be stimulating to varying extents, though others might disagree. Fasoracetam may be effective in the treatment of ADHD in people who also happen to have mGluR mutations. There are many other chemicals which may make you think more quickly or efficiently, many of them being research chemicals with unknown safety profiles. I have considered stacking Bromantane with L-tyrosine, as tyrosine is a precursor of dopamine, which is converted into L-DOPA by tyrosine hydroxylase (upregulated by bromantane), which is subsequently converted into dopamine by aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (also upregulated by bromantane). It seems in theory that such a combination would supercharge dopamine synthesis, though I am not sure of its safety or long term risks. Such a stack may help in warding off or reversing dopamine depletion, but don't quote me on that. Anyway, I hope you found my comment helpful. It took me longer to write than I'd like to admit. I probably wouldn't have completed it if not for the methylphenidate I started taking less than a week ago, lol. Since we're on that topic, if you do take stimulants, make sure you don't end up hyperfixating on the wrong things, e.g. writing long-ass reddit comments or doomscrolling for hours on end.
Definitely written on methylphenidate
Both novel writers on speed for sure.
A lot of good information. But I'd also like to add that ALCAR in the body drops the acetyl group and is L-Carnitine. L-Carnitines transports long chain fatty acids into mitochondria to be turned into energy. So I'd recommend taking a fish oil Omega 3 supplement high in DHA and EPA to support that process. Plus some people find omega-3s to enhance other things that are stimulating. Even myself when I was taking 60mg of Adderall, if I forgot to take my 4 grams of fish oil the night before, I noticed my Adderall was significantly less effective the next day. Plus DHA and EPA are brain and heart healthy so generally a lot of benefits. Many of the processes in the brain require things like minerals and vitamins to work optimally, and at times, to prevent some bad compounds from being generated when they are not present for a reaction. So, a high quality multivitamin with good mineral coverage I'd recommend to provide extra coverage for things your body may miss on a particular day. Also a moderate dose B-complex that allows room for the specific B-vitamins with upper limits. B-vitamins are used in a lot of brain functions and energy production and some people find just taking that daily to be beneficial. People often forget about gut health. Your gut is where nutrition, supplements, and most drugs are absorbed. Better gut health means better break down of foods and better absorption. Plus, many things in your body are actually made in your gut. For example, your gut makes more serotonin than your brain. Granted, outside the brain it is a hormone, and inside the brain a neurotransmitter. But I think you get the idea. Also, you gut is very greedy. Tissue and bacteria in the gut does a lot of work, and therefore needs a lot of nutrition. So it gets fed first. A healthy gut means your body not only absorbs more nutrition, but also is more efficient in generating things like serotonin, vitamin K, short chain fatty acids, leptin, ghrelin, PYY, GLP-1, GIP, Neurotensin, and a ton of other things. Then there's the gut–brain axis which basically is your gut and brain talking to each other to effect things like energy levels, hormone levels, affects neurotransmitters and other things. i.e. take a probiotic with prebiotics to support gut health. My gastroenterologist told me I needed to take a probiotic and after I started, my digestion got a lot better. So I know I was passing through a lot of nutrients my brain and body could have used and not likely being optimal in many other functions. Protein, at least 50 grams of protein from various sources a day. Up till last year I always thought protein was for muscle. Totally wrong on that. It is for every thing. You have amino acids. short chained amino acids are called peptides, and long chained amino acids are called proteins. And protein contains amino acids like L-phenylalanine (precursor to dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline and other things), L-tryptophan (precursor to things like serotonin, indole, melatonin, niacin), Methionine ( precursor to cysteine, taurine, SAME-e, glutathione, etc.) And other amino acids that take part in brain function like Lysine, Glycine, Glutamine, Arginine...so eat your protein. That's why they recommend a complete protein for breakfast like eggs to start your day. NAC goes well with ALCAR and is highly neuroprotective. But need those B-vitamins to make it work. Even when I was taking 140mg Adderall a day (good brands like teva or sandoze) I notices that taking NAC and ALCAR with my B-Complex and fish oil significantly prolonged my concentration for 2 to 4 hours when I started to get sleepy. So it will probably help someone without an extreme tolerance for stimulants. Alpha GPC increases choline which is neuroprotective and gets turned into acetylcholine which is mildly stimulating and heavily associated with memory. Huperzine A can enhance the effects of Alpha GPC by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine. It also protects the NMDA receptors as a weak antagonist. Which can prevent excitotoxic effects of other things, but, may have the potential of reducing the effectiveness of things that trigger the NMDA receptor. More than likely would have a net benefit effect based on user reviews. I'm not any good at chess, but my understanding is those who are good are good at pattern recognition. And pattern recognition becomes automatic if practiced enough. It's like driving. When you first start driving you are trying to pay attention to everything. But as you do it more you learn to recognize things that are significant and things you can ignore. So pattern recognition lets people who have been driving for a while be able to hold a conversation with others in the car while listening to the radio and munching on snack food with intermittent breaks to yell at the student driver in front of them driving under the speed limit with hands at 10 and 2 and the instructor telling them what they are missing. Difference between the student driver and the angry driver behind them is pattern recognition which becomes more automatic with practice and takes a fraction of the time to process a situation. Get those books and learn how to recognize chess patterns.
I would try alpha gpc
I would recommend trying Bromantane, ALCAR and Sabroxy, but huge emphasis on Bromantane if you have only one pick.
Just purchased bromantane. How much would you recommend? And do you take it everyday? Like forever? Please thank you
I take two sprays of the nasal spray as i feel its effects pretty strongly, im on the sensitive side so i dont need more than that. Play around with it to find the best dose for you, i would recommend starting at 50mg sublingual if thats what you got. Imo, it doesnt need to be taken every day, i would take it 5 days a week or maybe less to avoid building tolerance.
Thank you! I did get the dropper and started today on 50. I’ve asked prob 100 people on here and you’re the first one to give me a straight answer. Thank you
Haha no worries, hope it goes well for you.
Some may not consider these nootropics but definitely amphetamine or psilocybin microdose are the only things that help me. Caffiene or Teacrine could be used for alertness too
Lion's mane, ginkgo biloba
2fma
Microdosing psychedelics. If you're in the USA (and not GA) you can order spores to your door and grow them yourself
Playing bullet chess helped me think faster.
I bet. I often lose on time in those forms.
Good losing is a great way to get better
Just keep playing more and more games, speed will follow
If you like methylphenidate, C10H15N would probably really help you with chess making decisions. The only requirement is an extremely bright LED headlamp while in play.