Improving general intelligence with a nutrient-based pharmacological intervention
What if a daily supplement stack could actually boost your intelligence? This study gave healthy adults a stack of dietary supplements over eight weeks. The formula included Huperzine A., Vinpocetine, Acetyl-L-carnitine, Alpha-lipoic acid, and Rhodiola Rosea. Participants showed significant improvements in Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices, a cognitive test measuring fluid intelligence, our general ability to learn and reason about new complex things. Notably, the improvements were beyond what you’d expect from practice effects alone. Such research is rare and valuable in the field of cognitive enhancement. Although more research is needed, this study provides a promising glimpse into the potential of nutrient-based cognitive enhancers. It’s a significant step toward easily accessible, safe, and non-pharmaceutical methods for improving your brain’s intelligence.
DISCLAIMER: this is not medical advice, please consult a physician before taking supplements. Generally speaking, there is no scientific consensus on whether ANY compound can truly “enhance general intelligence”. That doesn’t mean that there are no compounds that can improve cognitive function as measured by cognitive tests, just like in this study. It is IMPORTANT to keep in mind such nuances, when attempting to extrapolate scientific data in real life practical cause and effect.
Stough, C., Camfield, D., Kure, C., Tarasuik, J., Downey, L., Lloyd, J., Zangara, A., Scholey, A., & Reynolds, J. (2011). Improving general intelligence with a nutrient-based pharmacological intervention. Intelligence, 39(2–3), 100–107.
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