Best Nootropics For PTSD

Research suggests that PTSD is linked directly to blood sugar dysregulation.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is correlated with the risk of development of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 as a comorbidity.¹Jeffrey F. Scherrer, PhD, Joanne Salas, MPH1, Sonya B. Norman, PhD, Association Between Clinically Meaningful Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Improvement and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, JAMA Psychiatry. 2019

Research suggests that the depressive state associated with PTSD is a large contributor to poor glycemic control leading to the development of type 2 diabetes later in life.²Paula M Trief, Paige Ouimette, Michael Wade, Paul Shanahan, Ruth S Weinstock, Post-traumatic stress disorder and diabetes: co-morbidity and outcomes in a male veterans sample, J Behav Med. 2006³Karoline Lukaschek , Jens Baumert, Johannes Kruse, Rebecca Thwing Emeny, Maria Elena Lacruz, Cornelia Huth, Barbara Thorand, Rolf Holle, Wolfgang Rathmann, Christa Meisinger, Karl-Heinz Ladwig, KORA Investigators, Relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and type 2 diabetes in a population-based cross-sectional study with 2970 participants, J Psychosom Res. 2013

Poor glycemic control can also result in poor mental status and mood disorders.

Blood Sugar Breakthrough’s formula includes ingredients that can help regulate blood glucose which is imperative in managing PTSD and it’s associated symptoms.

Mind Lab Pro delivers the nutrition your brain needs to combat PTSD.

The nootropics included in this formula work together to boost neurotransmitters that are needed for mental stability.

Ingredients like CDP-choline, Pine Bark Extract, Rhodiola Rosea, and L-theanine also provide anti-stress and anti-inflammatory properties which help PTSD.

The supplements themselves are 3rd party tested and free of excess fillers and toxic ingredients.

I love this stack for nootropic newbies and experienced nootropic users alike.

Qualia Mind’s formula, which includes 28 high-potency ingredients, is the most advanced nootropic formula on the market.

For anyone with PTSD, the nootropic compounds, neuro-vitamins, amino acids, choline donors, and herbal adaptogens found in this stack can be a powerful aid.

These compounds’ synergistic effects can boost and properly metabolize dopamine while calming the mind.

There’s also the added benefit of reducing stress hormone response, which lies at the heart of trauma. 

This stack is great for anyone who needs a significant boost in brainpower and mood enhancement.

Research suggests that magnesium has potential to prevent cognitive decline by minimizing the loss of synapses in the brain and also modulating stress responses.⁴G. Andrew Mickley, Nita Hoxha,a Joseph L. Luchsinger, Morgan M. Rogers,a and Nathanael R. Wiles, Chronic dietary magnesium-L-threonate speeds extinction and reduces spontaneous recovery of a conditioned taste aversion,
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2013

Magnesium therapy has also been proven to enhance your brain’s aptitude to mitigate conditioned fear and anxiety responses, especially to traumatic memories.⁵Ewa Poleszak , Bernadeta Szewczyk, Ewa Kedzierska, Piotr Wlaź, Andrzej Pilc, Gabriel Nowak, Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like activity of magnesium in mice, Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004

Hence, magnesium supplementation is recommended for a variety of anxiety disorders, including PTSD, various phobias, social anxiety and other panic disorders.⁶Nashat Abumaria , Bin Yin, Ling Zhang, Xiang-Yao Li, Tao Chen, Giannina Descalzi, Liangfang Zhao, Matae Ahn, Lin Luo, Chen Ran, Min Zhuo, Guosong Liu, Effects of elevation of brain magnesium on fear conditioning, fear extinction, and synaptic plasticity in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex and lateral amygdala, Neurosci. 2011

According to the scientific literature, dietary magnesium also has the potential to be used as an adjunct therapy for the effective management of PTSD.⁷Gisèle Pickering, André Mazur,2 Marion Trousselard, Przemyslaw Bienkowski, Natalia Yaltsewa, Mohamed Amessou, Lionel Noah, and Etienne Pouteau, Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited, Nutrients. 2020
Magnesium Breakthrough is made up of numerous forms of absorbable magnesium. One of the main ingredients of Magnesium Breakthrough is magnesium L-threonate. Magnesium L-threonate is known to help people recover from stress related to traumatic events (PTSD).⁸Wei Li, Jia Yu, Yong Liu, Xiaojie Huang, Nashat Abumaria, Ying Zhu, Xian Huang, Wenxiang Xiong, Chi Ren, Xian-Guo Liu, Dehua Chui, Guosong Liu Elevation of brain magnesium prevents synaptic loss and reverses cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease mouse model, Mol Brain. 2014⁹Nashat Abumaria , Bin Yin, Ling Zhang, Xiang-Yao Li, Tao Chen, Giannina Descalzi, Liangfang Zhao, Matae Ahn, Lin Luo, Chen Ran, Min Zhuo, Guosong Liu, Effects of elevation of brain magnesium on fear conditioning, fear extinction, and synaptic plasticity in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex and lateral amygdala, J Neurosci. 2011

Chaga mushroom (aka Inonotus obliquus) is found to support both mental physical health and wellness.

It’s been shown to prevent the production of detrimental cytokines, and reduce chronic inflammation that’s been tied to depression and PTSD.¹⁰Yoo Kyoung Park , Hyang Burm Lee, Eun-Jae Jeon, Hack Sung Jung, Myung-Hee Kang, Chaga mushroom extract inhibits oxidative DNA damage in human lymphocytes as assessed by comet assay, Biofactors. 2004

Along with its cognitive enhancing properties, chaga can also alleviate PTSD symptoms by calming the central nervous system.¹¹Antoine Géry , Christelle Dubreule , Véronique André , Jean-Philippe Rioult , Valérie Bouchart , Natacha Heutte , Philippe Eldin de Pécoulas , Tetyana Krivomaz , David Garon, Chaga ( Inonotus obliquus), a Future Potential Medicinal Fungus in Oncology? A Chemical Study and a Comparison of the Cytotoxicity Against Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells (A549) and Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (BEAS-2B), Integr Cancer Ther. 2018

This medicinal mushroom is also considered an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it helps to improve your body’s capability to resist the destructive effects of long-term stress such as that found in PTSD.¹²Vijayasree Vayalanellore Giridharan , Rajarajan Amirthalingam Thandavarayan, Tetsuya Konishi, Amelioration of scopolamine induced cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress by Inonotus obliquus – a medicinal mushroom, Food Funct. 2011

Freshcap Mushrooms provide the highest percentage of beta glucans and fruiting body nutrients, making this mushroom product my preferred choice for Chaga.

L-theanine is a compound in green tea leaves. It is famous for promoting a sense of calm and relaxation. It can also ease symptoms of anxiety, which may be useful for people with PTSD.

While there are no human studies on PTSD and l-theanine, there is some evidence from animal trials that it may be useful.

Researchers induced PTSD in rats, then studied parts of their brain. The rats who took l-theanine showed significantly fewer signs of PTSD than their counterparts.¹³Ceremuga, Martinson. Effects of L-Theanine on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Induced Changes in Rat Brain Gene Expression, The Scientific World Journal 2014

L-theanine has yet to be tested clinically on people, but there are also anecdotal reports that it can ease some of the symptoms of PTSD in individuals.

Ashwagandha is an ancient herbal remedy with a ton of nootropic potential. This adaptogen can improve mood and cognition in many different ways, and could also help treat PTSD.

One trial looked at overstressed adults and ashwagandha. They concluded that “high-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.”¹⁴Chandrasekar, Kapoor. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults, Indian J Psychol Med 2012

Ashwagandha keeps cortisol levels in balance. Cortisol is a primary stress hormone that often spikes in times of anxiety.

This function is part of the “fight-or-flight” response that can go haywire when people have PTSD.

So, ashwagandha could help smooth out the increases in anxiety associated with this disorder.

Ashwagandha is an ancient herbal remedy with a ton of nootropic potential. This adaptogen can improve mood and cognition in many different ways, and could also help treat PTSD.

One trial looked at overstressed adults and ashwagandha. They concluded that “high-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.”¹⁵Chandrasekar, Kapoor. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults, Indian J Psychol Med 2012

Ashwagandha keeps cortisol levels in balance. Cortisol is a primary stress hormone that often spikes in times of anxiety.

This function is part of the “fight-or-flight” response that can go haywire when people have PTSD.

So, ashwagandha could help smooth out the increases in anxiety associated with this disorder.

NAC (N-Acetyl L-Cysteine) is a powerful antioxidant that can be used to treat PTSD.

It works by clearing and repairing the oxidative damage caused by stress. The symptoms of PTSD can be challenging and cause significant harm to neurons, which NAC can counteract.

It can also keep levels of glutamate, which is known to cause anxiety if it gets too high.

One trial looked at veterans with PTSD and substance abuse disorders. They saw that the group that took NAC for eight weeks saw significant improvement over the placebo group.

It reduced post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms by 46 percent, substance use cravings by 81 percent, and depression by 48 percent in the patients, according to the authors of the study.

Keep in mind that both groups were also doing cognitive-behavioral therapy as well; NAC was only supplemental. Still, this is an encouraging result.¹⁶Sudie E. Back, et al. A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of N-Acetylcysteine in Veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorders, Clin Psychiatry. 2016