How Long Does Piracetam Last?
Duration of Action
A lot of information is circulating about Piracetam and its uses, and many questions regarding the drug come with clean cut answers, except one. How long does Piracetam last? The problem is, there is no one correct answer. However, we can make an educated guess based on what we do know. Studies conclusively show that Piracetam’s half-life is about five hours. This means that five hours after induction into the blood stream, the levels of the drug within the blood will be half of what they were five hours ago. Ten hours after induction, one will have 25% of the original Piracetam circulating in their system. To simplify things, if one wishes to keep the drug at a steady level in their system throughout the day, the wisest option would be to re-dose every five hours.
What is this?
Piracetam is a nootropic – or smart drug – with many therapeutic uses. It can often be found through online suppliers and is generally considered an uncontrolled substance throughout most of the world. It first received its rise to fame in 2002 when several studies had been released which realized the drug’s effectiveness in showing positive effects in those experiencing dementia, as well as its ability to increase mental cognition in those without the disorder. Studies have also (inconclusively) found the drug to potentially be an effective part of treatment in children with autism.
Piracetam is available in prescription form in some places, although it is generally used off-label and bought through online suppliers by those seeking its positive mental effects. Piracetam belongs to the racetam drug group, other drugs in this group seem to feature similar effects in its users and all of which are considered nootropics.
Side Effects
While Piracetam seems to have a low occurrence of side effects, users sometimes report experiencing adverse effects similar to mania, such as irritability, anxiety, excitability and changes in sleeping patterns. While these are mild and only seem to come up in rare occasions, it’s certainly something to keep in mind. Even rarer are reports of physical side effects such as nausea changes in body weight and an altered libido.
Dosages
Piracetam, while relatively safe, is still a drug. As such, all cautionary dosing practices should be used. Things like 
Some users actually recommend using what is called an “attack dose”. This is where the standard dosage is doubled for the first two or three days to kick-start the Piracetam levels in one’s blood to make it more effective. While this isn’t always necessary, users should first ensure they react well to a standard dose before undertaking such a high dose.
Long-term effects
Being that Piracetam is a newer drug to hit the market, its long-term effects aren’t yet well-known. As far as we know, it has yet to be proven to have any serious long term effects. Some users do report a lessening in the drug’s effectiveness after long-term use, though. The general consensus is that this can be fixed be simply abstaining from the drug for a short period of time.
Short-term effects
Piracetam’s short term effects may include an increase in energy, motivation, concentration and cognition; making it particularly useful to those with mentally taxing tasks in the near future. An increase in sociability is also not unheard of.
Benefits
Piracetam allows users to perform better on mental tasks through increased cognition and an ability to take in and retain information to be called upon later, even after the drug’s effects wear off. For this reason, it is often popular with students trying to study for an exam and can even be taken before an exam to increase overall performance.
Piracetam also tends to have positive effects on a user’s mood, making it great for everyday use, leading the user to maintain a more positive outlook on life and stay in a good mood. Lastly, some people find value in Piracetam’s ability to aid in detoxing from stimulants due to its positive effects on energy levels. It seems to be a good substitute for Adrafinil (another nootrpic with stimulant-like effects) in particular.
Is Adrafinil legal?
Why would anyone want an Adrafinil substitute? Is legality a concern? Nope. Adrafinil is completely legal around the world with the possible exception of the UK, which recently introduced what’s known as a “blanket ban” over any unregulated psychoactive substances. The only reason someone would have to switch from Adrafinil to Piracetam is due to Piracetam’s lesser side effects than Adrafinil. With drugs though, legality should only be one of many precautions to take, which is why many people find themselves making the transition.
Liver Toxicity
Not much evidence seems to support liver issues due solely to the use of Piracetam. As far as we know so far, anyone with a healthy liver should experience no liver toxicity-related side effects from the use of this drug. There is, however, some speculation as to whether or not it can exacerbate pre-existing liver conditions.
While the jury is still out, those with liver conditions should take extra care when using Piracetam with frequent doctor’s visits to ensure everything is going okay. Even those without liver conditions may benefit from regular check-ups. Being that it is a newer drug to hit the market, Piracetam may have side effects not yet known to man. But so far, it does seem as if liver toxicity is not a risk.
Dangers
While liver toxicity may not be of the utmost concern, and while Piracetam is pretty mild in the side effects department, certain precautions should still be taken to ensure smooth sailing. For example, while Piracetam has shown to have little abuse potential, some users report what seems to be possible withdrawal symptoms upon rapid cessation from the drug. This can be managed through either infrequent dosing or slowly weaning oneself off of the drug when the user decides not to take it anymore.
Also, those with pre-existing mood disorders may be at risk of emotional issues while taking Piracetam. While it generally seems to promote a healthy, balanced mood, those with severe depression may just make the issue worse by taking this drug. Its not quite clear why depressed users may have such a dramatically different reaction, but it’s certainly something to keep in mind.
How to use this?
Piracetam should be taken in doses half that of the standard 800mg daily dosage. Once a user can be sure they aren’t experiencing any side effects, it’s recommended they move up to the standard dosage. One must also decide whether they want to find themselves in a situation where they may have to wean themselves off of the drug later on down the road. If this doesn’t bother them, everyday usage shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, it should only be used three times a week to be safe.
As far as actually getting the Piracetam in your body, it entirely depends on the form in which the drug comes in. When it comes to pill form, the pills can simply be swallowed in the same manner as any other pill. With powder, things become a bit more tricky. For safety reasons, a scale which can measure weights up to one 10th of a gram is necessary. One which can measure up to one 100th of a gram is even better. After measuring the proper dose, the power can either be mixed in with water or it can be wrapped in toilet paper and swallowed like a pill.
For those without the time for constant dosing, the whole daily dose can be taken once daily; the only problem is the inconsistent blood levels which would be experienced in such a scenario. Taking half of the daily dose two times throughout the day would be much more effective. The more the daily dose can be split up and taken in intervals, the better.
What will I feel when I take this?
Upon reaching the peak of a Piracetam dose, one can expect a fairly rapid onset of energy which can last for several hours. Along with the energy comes increased motivation, concentration, cognition and an ability to learn and take in – as well as retain – lots of new information.
Depending on the user, an increase in mood can be expected. This usually manifests itself through a mild increase in one’s sense of well-being and a significant decrease in anxiety, especially during situations the user generally deems stressful.
Research
As previously stated, Piracetam’s widespread use is a relatively new thing. Because of this, the studies done on its use are fewer and further between than something like caffeine. The most significant studies came out in 2002 and 2005 when we learned of the drug’s positive effect on those with dementia. New research findings are seemingly released to the public every year.
History
Piracetam was actually the first known nootropic to ever be synthesized and has since paved the way for a whole world of mind-enhancing drugs. It was first synthesized in Belgium in 1964 by UCB, a pharmaceutical company. After scientific evidence had emerged showing the importance of the GABA receptors in the humain brain in terms of mood and cognition, UCB undertook the task of allowing us to use this knowledge to our advantage.
It wasn’t until many years later that Piracetam was first prescribed for medicinal use in the UK. In the rest of the world, its widespread, off-label use hadn’t taken hold until the 2000s, when the general public became aware of its ability to enhance one’s brain and emotions. Now, most everyone with a computer and an internet connection knows of, or uses, the drug.
Effects
The effects of Piracetam are extremely similar to those of the other drugs belonging to the racetam group. The cognitive effects include: a more effective memory, more focus, more motivation, an increase in energy and quicker thinking.
Piracetam’s emotional effects really depend on the user. One person may experience extreme happiness, contentment and a lower occurrence of anxiety, while another person may feel a little blue, anxious or irritable when taking the drug. It all comes down to the individual’s brain chemistry as well as the dose taken. In short, how long does Piracetam Last? Though this is dependent on a huge variety of factors, as a general rule of thumb, expect 800 milligrams of Piracetam to wear off at around 4-6 hours.
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