Phenylpiracetam is one of newer and more potent nootropic racetams. It was created by adding a phenyl group to the popular and well-studied nootropic, piracetam.

Perhaps, some of the biggest media attention phenylpiracetam has had was during the Olympics. A woman in the 2006 winter Olympics tested positive for phenylpiracetam and was stripped of her medal. The reason phenylpiracetam was banned was because of its positive effects on cognitive and physical performance.

Is Phenylpiracetam a Stimulant?

Many people wonder if phenylpiracetam is a stimulant. The answer is, yes and no. It is a stimulant in the fact that it can increase focus and alertness however, it does not primarily influence neurotransmitters that typically relate to CNS stimulants (amphetamines, eurogenics, xanthines.) Phenylpiracetam does affect noradrenaline (norepinephrine) and dopamine levels but not to the extent of other stimulants.

Typically, CNS stimulants will cause some degree of jitteriness, anxiety and irritability. This less likely with phenylpiracetam (it still can happen). Phenylpiracetam can cause alertness and heightened cognitive ability with less risk than traditional CNS stimulants. Along with oxiracetam, it is probably one the most `stimulating` compounds out of the racetam family and a great choice if you desire increased alertness.

Phenylpiracetam vs. Piracetam

Both phenylpiracetam and piracetam have similar chemical structures (a 2-oxo-pyrrolidone base). Phenylpiracetam and piracetam both have near 100% oral bioavailability and similar half-lives. So what makes phenylpiracetam so much better than piracetam?

Phenylpiracetam is deemed around 60 times more potent than piracetam. This is irrelevant because the recommended dosages of both are different. Taking higher amounts of piracetam will not yield the same results as phenylpiracetam.

Adding a phenyl group to piracetam allows phenylpiracetam to have a much larger range of pharmacological effects. It is much better than piracetam at increasing focus and reaction times.

Phenylpiracetam vs. Noopept

Comparing phenylpiracetam to noopept is like comparing apples to oranges. Both have their pros and cons. Which is better really comes down to your own chemistry and most importantly, your results.

Some might naturally think that noopept is stronger because it is roughly, 1000 times stronger than piracetam. This relates to potency and not actual effects. The dosages of noopept and phenylpiracetam are much different so potency should not be factor in comparing positive results.

In regards to tolerance, noopept and phenylpiracetam both have a degree of tolerance that builds up. There aren’t really many studies comparing noopept to phenylpiracetam so it is hard to make a subjective conclusion and which is better in terms of tolerability. Generally, phenylpiracetam is seen to have much higher tolerance build-up than noopept.

Phenylpiracetam vs. Pramiracetam

This is where the real comparison begins. You have the perpetrated, “study nootropic”, vs. the “extreme focus agent”. Both have a lot of hype behind them and both are fairly expensive. It is possible you could be let down by either depending on your own personal experience and biochemistry.

Phenylpiracetam seems to have a large degree of discrepancy between experience reports. Some feel it is very powerful, whereas, others see it as a useless nootropic that leaves them tired and full of “mind fog”.

Phenylpiracetam seems to have an issue with tolerability. Some say tolerance builds up very fast and sometimes as quick as 2-3 days. From reports, it seems to be unpredictable. We strongly think that some suppliers are selling bunk phenylpiracetam and this may be the reason for the large variety of conflicting reports.

Pramiracetam seems to have much more consistent results. It has been around longer and has earned its keep in the nootropic community. Once again, phenylpiracetam may have gotten a bad name in popular nootropic communities due to supplier issues. Now that phenylpiracetam is becoming more popular, more nootropic retailers are selling it and the demand for it has made more reputable nootropic manufactures creating the compound (hence improving quality).

Try both phenylpiracetam and pramiracetam. You may choose one over the other, or maybe use both. Find a good stack to compliment both to get optimal results. These are both advanced nootropics and one should have good knowledge about acetylcholine and choline as well as how racetams and ampakines work. Feel free to visit our store or blog to get more information about nootropics.