MH.CO.ZA/ August 2019 83Nootropics:
The Sceptic’s
Guide to
Smart Drugs
■
It’s a frosty Monday evening in New York City. In
the back of a dingy café, a group huddles around
a small black box – the US$160 (R2 200) ApeX Type A
brain stimulator, with its retro-looking meter and dial
and two electrodes. It’s supposed to bolster learning
by delivering a mild electric current to the brain. The
guy who’s been experimenting with it for a week notes
that the only thing he’s noticed is a metallic taste in his
mouth. “I hope I don’t fry my brain,” he half-jokes.
But there’s a surprising lack of scepticism in the
room. That’s because this is a weekly meet-up of
amateur biohackers. Positivity is one of their ground
rules. Members share experiences with ketogenic diets,
biofeedback apps, sensory-deprivation tanks, and,
lately, a class of smart drugs known as “nootropics”.
Their primary obsession is brain enhancement.HEALTH
How Smart Are Smart Drugs?CRAFTY COMPANIES ARE BUILDING SUPPLEMENT
“STACKS” THAT CLAIM TO BOOST MEMORY, FOCUS,
AND LEARNING. BUT BEFORE POPPING THESE PILLS
OR SWILLING THOSE POTIONS, BE SURE TO WEIGH
THE VERY REAL RISKS. / BY LINDSAY BEYERSTEINPHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY/GALLO