What will you do, if you would want to speed up muscle and strength gains, or increase your workout capacity? For sure you will try to use proper supplements! It should be something, which allows you to train harder and longer, and makes your organism regenerate faster,and more efficiently.And what, if you will want to enchance your cognitive functions? You will definitely check nootropic agents then. They are substances, which supplementation allows to gain more mental efficiency, concentration, inteligence, memory capacity etc. One of those substances is sulbutiamine. It still gains more attention, especially between students, and science-related workers. Should it? Does it even work?
What is Sulbutiamine?
Sulbutiamine is actually an specific form of vitamin B1 - thiamine, which is syntheticaly transformed, to be able to cross blood-brain barrier more easily. Substances, which don't have those properties, cannot increase their concentrations in brain, and in result they are not as much effective in terms of supporting nervous system. It means, that level of thiamine in brain is more sustained in case of supplementing sulbutiamine, than in more common forms of this vitamin.
Sulbutiamine as nootropic
Studies noted, that sulbutiamine significantly increases memory functions, through intensyfing cholinergic, dopaminergic and glutaminergic signalization within nervous system. It was confirmed by studies carried out on mice. That substance, can be used, to enchance memory of those, who just want to take care over their mental condition, but also can be used in treatment of congitive problems - for example to prevent effects of amnesia, and also in increasing memory capacity and cognitive functions capability in patiens suffering from Alzheimer's or schizophrenic diseases.
Sulbutiamine properties in supporting neurotransmission, allows to enhance reflex, attention and vigilance. It also make that this substance can be used in asthenia - form of chronic mental fatigue.
There are other benefits of supplementing sulbutiamine. We can say for example about improving mood, which is a result of affecting neurotransmitters actions. Some people use it, to relieve stress, or even as "party drug" (we definitely not recommend combining any supplements with alcohol!). Other, recently study suggests, that sulbutiamine can be used for treatment of erections problems. Exact mechanism is not yet known though. Finally it can be used to suppress excessive appetite, and as addition to fat-burner stacks.
Potential side effects
Side effects of sulbutiamine are rather harmless and rare, but as with every supplementation, we have to consider their occurrence. Sometimes, supplementation can result in rash or symptoms simillar to eczema. In others, it was founded, that supplementation badly affects mood and mental stability (one of reported case is related to bi-polar disease. but problem here is that declarant of that issue set aside other medicaments). Some people says, that sulbutiamine can be addictive, because it can decrease production of dopamine (simmilar mechanism to actions of cocaine) resulting in variable mood. It can also have negative impacts on other treatments, for example and SSRI group of drugs. There were also voices, considering problems with proper sleep. That's why you should be particulary careful, and in any worrisome symptoms - you must consult it with doctor.
