Oxiracetam (4-Hydroxy-2-oxopyrrolidine-N-acetamide) is a synthetic nootropic in the ampakine family of supplements.

It is a derivative of the original racetam, piracetam. It was first synthesized in the 1970s.

Oxiracetam is considerably stronger than its predecessor and has more nootropic benefits. These include:

• Memory
• Focus
• Attention
• Processing speed
• Reflexes

This nootropic is one of the most popular choices among the biohacker community.

It is also famous for its mild stimulatory effect. Some describe oxiracetam as a subtler form of Adderall without the nasty side effects.

Oxiracetam works by modulating AMPA receptors, regulating glutamate levels, and increasing neurotransmitter release in the brain.

Oxiracetam is safe and well-tolerated, with a low side-effects profile.

What Does Oxiracetam Do?

Oxiracetam is Neuroprotective

A rodent study found that Oxiracetam could improve cognitive impairment and prevent neural deficits in rats that had hypoperfusion-induced brain damage.

These results suggest that Oxiracetam may be effective as a potential agent against cognitive impairment.¹Yao XL, et al. Oxiracetam can improve cognitive impairment after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats Psychiatry Res. 2016

Substantial evidence suggests that Oxiracetam could promote metabolism and have neuroprotective roles in severe cognitive impairment.

In this study, the rats they chemically-induced amnesia in performed better in a maze after being injected with oxiracetam.²Hlinák Z, Krejcí I. Oxiracetam prevents the MK-801 induced amnesia for the elevated plus-maze in mice Behav Brain Res. 2000

Oxiracetam And Alzheimer’s

Oxiracetam may be an effective treatment for degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. It could slow the progression of this condition.

One study looked at oxiracetam’s effects on senile populations.

After 12 months, researchers measured a statistically significant improvement in reaction time and cognitive function.

This was contrary to the placebo group, who showed a significant worsening of cognitive and global function in comparison with baseline score over the year.

he authors believe that Oxiracetam favorably acts on the symptoms of senile cerebral deterioration and can improve the capability of information processing.³Rozzini R, Zanetti O, Bianchetti A. Treatment of cognitive impairment secondary to degenerative dementia. Effectiveness of oxiracetam therapy Acta Neurol (Napoli). 1993

In contrast, a 1992 study did not find any improvements on subjects who were suffering from Alzheimer’s.

However, we do take this result with a grain of salt, considering the study only lasted for a month and had 12 participants. A larger, longer study is needed to investigate oxiracetam’s role in treating Alzheimer’s.⁴Green RC, et al. Treatment trial of oxiracetam in Alzheimer’s disease Arch Neurol. 1992

Oxiracetam could treat cognitive impairments caused by cerebral hypoperfusion.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion is a condition that is heavily associated with vascular dementia.

Vascular dementia can cause significant mental issues by blocking blood flow to the brain.

It is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer disease, which accounts for at least 20% of all dementia cases.⁵Iadecola C. The pathobiology of vascular dementia Neuron. 2013 ⁶Wan li, et al. (S)-Oxiracetam is the Active Ingredient in Oxiracetam that Alleviates the Cognitive Impairment Induced by Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion in Rats Sci Rep. 2017 ⁷Ohta H, et al. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion by permanent internal carotid ligation produces learning impairment without brain damage in rats Neuroscience. 1997

Another study looked at a group of 96 out-patients suffering from cognitive disorders related to degenerative dementia. The study, performed in double-blind, lasted 26 weeks.

They concluded that oxiracetam favourably acts on the symptoms of senile cerebral deterioration and can improve the capability of information processing.⁸Rozzini R, Zanetti O, Bianchetti A. Effectiveness of oxiracetam therapy in the treatment of cognitive deficiencies secondary to primary degenerative dementia Acta Neurol (Napoli). 1992

A clinical trial of 200 patients concluded that oxiracetam “was of some benefit in the treatment of cognitive dysfunction.” The participants were all suffering from vascular dementia.⁹Baumel B, et al. Oxiracetam in the treatment of multi-infarct dementia Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1989

Oxiracetam For Cognition and Memory

Many people swear by oxiracetam for better memory and overall mental function.

One study found that dementia patients taking oxiracetam over 12 weeks performed significantly better on cognition and memory tests than patients taking a placebo.¹⁰Bottini G, et al. Oxiracetam in dementia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study Acta Neurol Scand. 1992

There are plenty of anecdotes suggesting that these benefits could extend to otherwise healthy people.

Oxiracetam vs Piracetam: What’s the Difference?

Piracetam and oxiracetam are both racetam-class ampakines that modulate AMPA and NMDA receptors.

Oxiracetam is actually a derivative of piracetam.

They have similar effects in some regards, and both are useful for memory and neuroprotection, but there are a few differences to keep in mind.

Oxiracetam is much more potent than its predecessor and requires much smaller doses to be effective.

It also has more of a “kick,” producing a mild stimulation that piracetam does not. It seems to improve attention and focus to a greater degree than piracetam.

Both nootropics are safe and well-tolerated, but for most people, oxiracetam will be more effective.

They also have slightly different mechanisms of action. According to clinical research, Piracetam and Oxiracetam have opposing effects on the content of high-energy phosphates and shape of astrocytes in vitro.¹¹Gabryel B, et al. Influence of piracetam and oxiracetam on the content of high-energy phosphates and morphometry of astrocytes in vitro Pol J Pharmacol. 1999

Oxiracetam vs Aniracetam

Oxiracetam and aniracetam are both popular piracetam analogs.

They both provide enhancements for overall cognitive function, increase long-term potentiation in the hippocampus, and have mild stimulatory properties.

But, they also have some important differences.

Aniracetam provides a boost in mood that oxiracetam does not.

Aniracetam seems to work on the serotonin and dopamine systems in a way that oxiracetam has not been shown to.

Although there have been no human trials, some animal studies suggest that this nootropic can improve mood and alleviate depression in rodents. There are also plenty of personal testimonials to that effect.

In contrast, oxiracetam is not known for its mood enhancement.

Instead, it seems to provide more neuroprotective and memory improvements than aniracetam does.

There is also more evidence it can help fight off cognitive decline.

How Oxiracetam Works In The Brain

At this point, researchers don’t understand Oxiracetam’s method of action 100%, but they do have a pretty good idea of how it works.

Oxiracetam increases the availability of acetylcholine (ACh) available in the brain by boosting the sensitivity of ACh receptors, such as NMDA and AMPA. It also may be able to repair damaged receptors. This can have a huge impact on learning and memory, especially as you get older.¹²Fordyce DE, et al. Enhancement of hippocampally-mediated learning and protein kinase C activity by oxiracetam in learning-impaired DBA/2 mice Brain Res. 1995

Oxiracetam potentiates neurotransmission and can improve the metabolism level of the brain.¹³Gouliaev AH, Senning A. Piracetam and other structurally related nootropics Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1994

Many studies show that Oxiracetam improved the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Additionally, Oxiracetam can increase the content of high-energy phosphates. This action may be responsible for oxiracetam’s boost in energy and increased focus.¹⁴Fordyce DE, et al. Enhancement of hippocampally-mediated learning and protein kinase C activity by oxiracetam in learning-impaired DBA/2 mice Brain Res. 1995

Oxiracetam can increase protein kinase activity in the hippocampus, which is important for cognitive function and memory encoding.¹⁵Gabryel B, et al. Influence of piracetam and oxiracetam on the content of high-energy phosphates and morphometry of astrocytes in vitro Pol J Pharmacol. 1999

How Much Oxiracetam Should I Take?

Oxiracetam is sold in pill and powder form.

Dosage is usually between 750 mg to 2,500 mg a day, often with dosages split and taken multiple times throughout the day.

Oxiracetam Potential Side Effects

Oxiracetam is safe, non-toxic, and well-tolerated.

The main complaint people seem to have is headaches, which is a side effect associated with all racetams.

This can usually be solved by stacking oxiracetam with a good source of choline, such as alpha-gpc or citicoline. This prevents oxiracetam from depleting choline stores, which can lead to headache.

Oxiracetam

[su_quote cite=”Psycho_student” url=”https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/4k45z4/my_experience_with_oxiracetam/”] I noticed so much difference in my cognition, especially memory, verbal comprehension and verbal fluency.[/su_quote]
[su_quote cite=”SurfaceThought” url=”https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/2vmuzn/does_anyone_else_to_find_oxiracetam_to_be_quite”]I have done Oxiracetam over a dozen times I think I can safely say it seems to have a very noticeable mood lifting effect for me. I wouldn’t quite call it recreational… I don’t really feel that different, just in a good mood.[/su_quote]
[su_quote cite=”u/Selasce” url=”https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/36pnb0/oxiracetam_review/”]The energy this nootropic provided was very CLEAN. It wasn’t forced, tweaky energy, but rather calm, yet effective energy. The initial onset was about 15-20 minutes, but I wouldn’t say the peak was until about 2-3 hours. The comeup is VERY unnoticeable. It’s not like some nootropics where you take it and “feel” like you’re on a drug, it’s a very natural comeup.[/su_quote]

Wrapping Up

Do you have questions about, supplementing with Oxiracetam? Do you have experience supplementing with Oxiracetam? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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