How long do the effects of phenylpiracetam last?
Anecdotal reports have hinted at duration of acute effects around 1h after consumption, to about 10h after consumption. It appears that the effects are strongest at around the 3-hour mark after ingestion of phenylpiracetam.
The half-life of phenylpiracetam in humans has not been studied.
The half-life in rodents was 2.5-3 hours. [6]
How does it feel when you take phenylpiracetam?
The following qualitative user experience reports and reviews are included to give you an understanding of what the experience of taking phenylpiracetam is like.
Anecdotal phenylpiracetam experience reports and reviews from Reddit
One person said the following about phenylpiracetam after 6 months of use:
”.. Is stimulating, which is great for lethargy and fatigue, as well as provides focus enhancement (not on the level of amps of course, but significant to say the least) in my experience. I also found that it was EXTREMELY effective in curbing my symptoms of general and social anxiety, as well as the depression that comes with this anxiety. The mood, motivation and energy boost provided by phenyl seems to just allow me to power through my day with confidence, not necessarily alleviating my anxiety, but more giving me the confidence to brush it off/deal with it in a healthy way. [...] Cognition and verbal fluency. Seemingly improved cognitive function, particularly making connections between topics. Verbal fluency seemed to also be improved (although not the the extent that aniracetam does). I also seem to just talk more.” [7]
Another redditor said the following:
"This stuff is wonderful, its just what you need to fight any sort of fatigue or mild depression. I can dose 200mg at night and fall asleep easily if I absolutely need too since this drug only lasts like 3 hours. 20 minutes after i dose, a sense of well being slowly creeps over me, and i feel the heaviness of depression start fading away. My vision becomes sharper and more clear. Things become more interesting." [8]
A third person on Reddit said they didn't respond well to phenylpiracetam:
"Tried 250mg on an empty stomach shortly after a coffee, and I guess I feel kind of light and my jaws slightly tighter, but Im not really stimulated or motivated and definitely no euphoria or task enhancement or any nootropic effect whatsoever." [9]
Several other people on Reddit reported they had no beneficial effects from phenylpiracetam [10]
Anecdotal phenylpiracetam experience reports and reviews from Erowid
A recovering alcoholic published the following report:
”... my conversation was structured and didn’t sloppily jump around like it usually did [...] I'm ultimately more focused and productive.” [11]
A 19-year old writer had the following experience:
”Feeling slightly more stimulated. Very focused, though. The stimulation and focus is of a distinctly different nature than typical stimulants. I’d characterize it as less manic or energetic. Significantly more motivated.” [12]
Another person reported these effects:
”After about 30 minutes, I felt very energized, very alert, but not jittery at all.
At work I was able to perform wonderfully ...” [13]
A person with social nervousness problems stated the following:
”... the words in my head started flowing out with ease. I felt an overwhelming confidence, I can see this maybe being a bad thing in some cases. [...] This nootropic for me does increase memory and clarity.” [14]
Another person also noted some social benefits from phenylpiracetam:
”Though conversation flows great on the stuff, it doesn't give one the urge to run one's mouth off for hours at a time, probably a good thing for a stim that is used at the office.” [15]
Anecdotal phenylpiracetam experience reports and reviews from other sources
One person said the following on PsychonautWiki:
”a sense of presence in the immediate moment and space that pervades the experience, which imbues a sense of flow to cognitive tasks, especially complex ones. This effect can become spacey, especially if you don't have much to apply your mind to (this effect may aid presence in meditative practice) [...] cognition feels effortless, in contrast to the 'push' of a typical stimulant. Taking an exam on 100mg, concepts required little conscious effort to retrieve and connect. I finished the exam well ahead of the class, and it felt as if I hadn't applied any cognitive effort at all.” [16]
Another person said the following on a web forum:
”Almost as if some part of my brain responsible for daydreaming was turned off. I could only focus on things directly in front of me. So I had to be satisfied with counting the floor tiles or analyzing the shape of the silverware. I got a lot of work done that day and didn't feel distracted. Things went back to normal a few hours after taking it but it was a strange feeling.” [17]
User experience reports and reviews takeaways
It appears that for some people phenylpiracetam is super-effective, while for others it isn’t. Future research should investigate phenylpiracetam’s potential ability to preserve mental energy in cognitively demanding situations, as well as which factors increase the chances of a person responding well to the smart drug.
Should you use phenylpiracetam?
From a scientific perspective, we know relatively little about the effects of phenylpiracetam. There is a lack of high-quality research, especially in healthy humans.
Because of the lack of research on phenylpiracetam, we never recommend that people use it.
If you have already decided to use it, here are some guidelines to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks.
How much and how often should you dose phenylpiracetam?
Human studies in people with cognitive impairment tend to use doses between 100 and 300mg.
The frequency of dosing varies between studies. It is usually taken daily.
Anecdotal reports from dosages used by self-experimenters posting how they use it on the web tend to be between 100 and 300mg as well. People that use phenylpiracetam tend to use it once a week, or up to three times per week.
How to cycle phenylpiracetam?
To cycle a nootropic means to use it in a certain dose at a certain frequency (daily use is usually not considered cycling), in a repeatable manner.
There's no solid scientific evidence to support the efficacy of cycling phenylpiracetam. However, certain people have apparently found benefit from the use of phenylpiracetam in the following ways:
- One day on, two days off
- Five days on, two days off
- One day on, one day off
The idea behind cycling a nootropic is to let your body and brain "rest" from the substance in question, which may reduce any potential negative side effects of the substance. Considering that some people have reported tolerance issues after frequent use of phenylpiracetam, cycling is theoretically a good approach if you decide to use phenylpiracetam.
Do phenylpiracetam attack doses work?
There's no solid scientific evidence to support the efficacy of high doses of phenylpiracetam at the beginning of a period of use and then decreasing the dose.
Attack doses of phenylpiracetam is not something we recommend.
What substances stack well with phenylpiracetam?
There's no high-quality research on the effects of combining phenylpiracetam with other substances, such as nootropic drugs or supplements. The safety and efficacy of the below-listed combinations are supported only by anecdotal reports.
People tend to report better effects from phenylpiracetam when they also use:
- Choline sources, such as Alpha-GPC, Choline Bitartrate, or CDP- Choline
- Caffeine, but not more than around 200mg, or else you might experience over-stimulation which can lead to nervousness and jitteriness
Before combining any drugs or supplements, talk with your trusted medical professional about the risks involved.
Is phenylpiracetam a stimulant?
Phenylpiracetam is often described as a stimulant and mental energy booster by people who use it to improve their productivity. Although most experience reports include comments on the stimulating effects of the substance, there's little scientific research to confirm that it is a stimulant. There has been some research in animals and in diseased humans showing improvements in energy levels, which is typical of stimulants.
Will phenylpiracetam get you high?
While some users report strong euphoric and stimulating effects with phenylpiracetam, most describe these effects as subtle and in almost all cases performance-enhancing as opposed to the usual performance-impairing effects of a "high" that you might get from certain psychoactive drugs.
No research has been conducted to answer the question of whether phenylpiracetam induces a high.
What is a racetam?
Phenylpiracetam is a nootropic in the racetam family of compounds.
All racetams are similar in chemical structure but different in nootropic effects.
Other racetam compounds that are used by some self-experimenters for cognitive enhancement include:
- Piracetam
- Oxiracetam
- Aniracetam
- Omberacetam, also known as Noopept (sometimes classified as a racetam, sometimes not)
- Coluracetam
- Fasoracetam
- Pramiracetam
What chemical forms of phenylpiracetam are there?
There are two stereoisomers of phenylpiracetam. These are the R- and S-enantiomers.
In a mice study it was found that both are pharmacologically active:
”In conclusion, the antidepressant and increased locomotor activity relies on both R- and S-phenotropils, but the memory-improving activity is only characteristic of R-phenotropil.” [18]
Amongst people that consume phenylpiracetam for cognitive performance enhancement, it is almost always a mixture of the two enantiomers that is used.
