Coding with nootropics
Tags: nootropics, productivity
Published: 2020-05-06 18:30:42

It seems like everybody is talking about nootropics these days. At least that's the impression created by the millennial-focused blogs and magazines. 

There are articles published on a daily basis telling us how everyone in Silicon Valley (that place where journalists love to talk about) is using brain-enhancing drugs to get ahead. They claim that software developers, programmers, and entrepreneurs are using nootropics to become more focused, more decisive, and more creative. 

While this is somewhat of a caricature, it is certainly true that people at the high end of the performance curve are increasingly turning to nootropics to improve various aspects of their mental performance. This is not a phenomenon we see only in developers. At [VAGA](https://www.vaga.org/otc-adderall-alternatives/), we routinely get questions from people of all backgrounds about how they can enhance their mental performance. But programmers, developers and data analysts do make up a disproportionately large percentage of our readers. 

So how do programmers and developers stand to benefit from the use of nootropics?

In my experience, there are some key ways that programmers stand to benefit from the use of brain supplements. Below is my list of the most important.

###Heightened focus

One of the main ways that nootropics can help a programmer is by heightening focus. 

Writing code requires intense focus - at least successful code writing does! Ensuring that you go through the necessary steps, that you preempt any issues, and that you don't make any formatting or syntax errors are all very important when coding. This requires incredible focus and a keen eye for detail. 

Some natural nootropics greatly sharpen focus and promote concentration, including attention to detail. One of the top choices for this aspect of cognitive enhancement would be a cholinergic like citicoline or Alpha-GPC. These substances increase the availability of choline in the brain, which in turn raises production of acetylcholine. This is the brain's primary executive neurotransmitter. More acetylcholine means more focus, sharper concentration, and faster information processing, which means better, more accurate coding.

###Greater mental stamina

This is the main way that nootropics can help the average coder - stamina. Certain natural substances can help reduce the perception of fatigue, boost mental energy, and help preserve cognitive function during times of acute mental strain, be it stress or lack of sleep (both of which are part and parcel of life as a programmer). 

Two substances in particular spring to mind when I imagine doing a stressful all-nighter; caffeine and Tyrosine. 

Caffeine, as we all know, is a wonderful nootropic: reliable, predictable, powerful, cheap, fast-acting, and well tolerated by most people. Now I've never found smashing down energy drinks productive, but using caffeine in an intelligent way alongside nootropics like [Mind Lab Pro](https://www.vaga.org/nootropics/mind-lab-pro-review/) can make an astonishingly big difference to your mental performance when you're feeling exhausted. Caffeine reduces the perception of fatigue, increases motivation, and promotes mental clarity. 

Tyrosine has been shown in several clinical trials to improve cognitive performance in people who are sleep deprived. It seems that Tyrosine helps preserve mental performance in people who are running on just a couple of hours sleep. The difference this can make to a programmer is immense!

These are just two of the ways that nootropics can help developers; people who typically need to stay incredibly focused, alert for mistakes, and constantly processing information for hours on end.