Nootropics, also referred to as smart drugs, are natural or synthetic supplements that are used to enhance mental performance. Unlike drugs and supplements used to treat illnesses, nootropics are used by people who want to boost their cognitive performance.
Some of the areas that can be benefited by the use of nootropics are:
• Memory
• Focus
• Cognitive skills
• Intelligence
• Concentration
• Creativity
• Logic
Nootropics aren’t only available in ready-to-consume supplements, they are also accessible in everyday ingredients that many consume on a regular basis. According to Healthline, these ingredients include items as common as caffeine.
Some nootropics are widely known and substantiated by science, while other nootropics are yet to be substantiated with the many studies that still continue into their effects.
Nonetheless, those who believe in nootropics swear by them and they are not always ordinary people.
From entrepreneurs to TV writers, from book authors to inventors, here is a list of celebrities that use nootropics.
Dave Asprey
Dave Asprey, 45, is an American entrepreneur and founder of Bulletproof Coffee. This famous coffee brand made people and celebrities all over the world love the addition of butter in their daily cup of Joe (the coffee itself is meant to improve focus for the consumer).
Dubbed by Men’s Health as a lifestyle guru who uses biohacking to master the art and science of becoming superhuman, Asprey takes a sufficient dose of nootropics every day to help with various brain functions (and yes, Bulletproof Coffee is what they are taken with).
According to CNN, Asprey uses a mix of 15 nootropic pills every single day. They are meant to help him with mental functions including but not limited to memory, focus, and vision.
He doesn’t stop with the 15 pills, referred to as a stack, but he actually keeps switching them according to how they affect his everyday functions. But, even as the pills change, the practice of using nootropics every day has remained on the table.
This is because Asprey believes that the stack of nootropics he takes every day has helped him fix the brain fog that he experienced in the past.
This claim holds significant weight because Asprey is known for his quest for longevity and his desire to live for 180 years. He has spent $1 million in order to achieve that objective. And Asprey has tried several treatments, procedures, and therapies, curating only the ones that actually work for his benefit and to help him in obtaining his ambitious long term goal.
Asprey also has a health podcast. Among other topics, he regularly talks about the various aspects of controlling brain chemistry to improve one’s health and lifestyle. Scientists, doctors, and other experts frequent the podcast to talk about the benefits of nootropics.
Rick Rosner
Rick Rosner, 58, is an American television writer, known for his contribution to a variety of programs. He has written for TV shows and special events such as Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Primetime Emmy Awards, and the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
But writing for high profile events is not the only reason why he is considered to be so popular. With an IQ of 192, Rosner is also considered one of the world’s smartest people. The fact that he has also held jobs as both a bouncer and a stripper only add to the enigma of what could be at work inside such a high-functioning brain.
According to Business Insider, Rosner uses a regular supply of multiple brain enhancing supplements every day. Among other names, the drugs include metformin, a medicine that was originally created to treat type-2 diabetes. It has since gained popularity as a nootropic that could enhance cognitive abilities (its effects are still under consideration with scientific studies).
He uses these supplements regularly and swears by their effects on him. But, as he reiterated in his interview piece to Business Insider, he recommends that anyone who is taking these supplements to consider their effects and their origination before taking them.
With that being said, Rosner seems to be pretty content with the effects of metformin as far as his personal experience is concerned. At the time of this writing, he is working on a few more projects and continues his career in television.
Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss, 41, is an American author and entrepreneur who has also served as an advisor to companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Uber.
Ferriss has carved an impressive career out of writing self-help books. He has published five books to date, with some of them garnering significant distinction, such as making it to the New York Times Best Sellers list.
According to New York Magazine, Ferriss has used the nootropic modafinil while working on some of his books. While modafinil was created to help with narcolepsy and conditions such as shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), it has been used by students and professionals to improve their focus and thinking abilities, as well as to pull all-nighters or lengthier shifts at their workplaces.
Ferriss used modafinil for the same effect and took great benefit from its abilities. While he has since turned away from the nootropic, he now uses creatine, which is an amino acid that helps create fuel for brain cells. This, in turn, helps short-term memory and decision-making skills.
Ferriss currently works on his highly-popular podcast called the Tim Ferriss Show. He regularly has guests on from finance, tech, and other fields.
Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan, 51, is an American stand-up comedian, television host, and MMA commentator. Apart from his body of work in comedy, Rogan is best known for hosting the popular TV show Fear Factor. He also has his own podcast called The Joe Rogan Experience.
As reported by the Huffington Post, Rogan has been an avid supporter of nootropic supplements. He has been so involved in the space that he has taken an active part in promoting some of them as well.
Rogan has been using modafinil to enhance his concentration during the workday. During his podcasts, he often brings up modafinil whenever the topic calls for it, and he always speaks highly of it and other nootropics.
With a successful career in comedy and podcasts, as well as a niche following to his name, Rogan seems to be a credible source to follow for his opinions.
For those who are interested in following Rogan and to see what he has to say on other topics, The Joe Rogan Experience could be a good start to do so.
Ray Kurzweil
Ray Kurzweil, 71, is an American inventor. He has had an illustrious career so far, having worked in an array of fields including but not limited to optical character recognition (OCR) and speech recognition. His career still continues with his work at Google as the tech giant’s Director of Engineering.
Kurzweil is a recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. He is also well known for authoring books on topics such as artificial intelligence, futurism, and health.
And he uses that knowledge towards using nootropics to his benefit.
According to Business Insider, Kurzweil spends about $1 million a year on his diet and on health pills. While the diet includes a few choice items and ingredients, the pills amount to at least 100 different supplements or a day.
Those diet pills include but are not limited to supplements that help heart as well as brain health. In other words, nootropics.
All of this is aimed at helping Kurzweil achieve his dream to live longer – way longer than most.
The approach may sound quite ambitious to some but, like Dave Asprey, Kurzweil has the brainpower and credentials to make such a formidable idea sound achievable.
So far, Kurzweil seems to be going strong with his usage of these pills. This goes to show their effects at work.
Other Celebrities That Have (Reportedly) Used Nootropics
Apart from these aforementioned names that have openly and definitely used nootropics, other names that have reportedly used nootropics to boost mental performance include a former President.
Barack Obama
In 2010, it was reported that President Barack Obama had been using prescription medication for jetlag. While the name of the medication was never made public, it was widely assumed that it must have been modafinil due to its effects and well-known history of helping with such conditions.
As reported by The Daily Beast at the time, various health professionals were adamant that modafinil would have been the nootropic that was being used by the President.
It was explained that it’s due to modafinil’s ability to not leave any side-effects or withdrawal symptoms after someone stops using the pill.
Novelists
In 2013, a report was published in The Guardian that provided accounts of novelists using modafinil to cure writer’s block and to keep themselves attentive during book tours.
While the two novelists’ names were never published to respect their anonymity, the publication’s record of credibility spoke for the reliability of the report.
To add interest to the matter, the novelist who wrote the piece, M.J. Hyland, also took modafinil herself. She reported significant benefits in terms of her focus, wakefulness, and attentiveness, as well as the medicine helping with her Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Nootropics Clearly Work for the Celebrities Who Have Used Them
As evident by the findings, nootropics have been quite efficacious for these celebrities. They have helped them achieve their short-term objectives as well as continuously helping them to obtain their long-term goals as well.
Whether you want to use the famous modafinil or want to go with an all-around supplement, using nootropics remains completely your choice. With that being said, consider it if you are using them for any specific goals or if only enhancing your mental capacity in everyday life.
That way, you would be able to determine the best course of action to use these effective supplements.
There are a variety of successful individuals who are users of these different nootropics. It certainly may be something to look into if your own performance needs a boost.
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