When I need a real mental/energy boost (Finals week yayyyy) I have become enamored of a 'stack' that consists of Coffee with Coconut oil, a B vitamin complex supplement, a mega dose of Omega-3 fish oil and Vitamin C, which I have been told enhances absorption of all sorts of things.
The result of this fun mix(And possibly the placebo of 'I think this will work') is about 5-6 hours of pleasantly buzzing mental energy, wakefulness, a good mood and I think, improved cognition. I don't supplement regularly, but I'm considering starting a 'stack' regimen, to see if I can boost my mood/mental function without pharmaceuticals.
Anyone else supplement? Anything I should be careful of?
On a related note, I used to take supplements of ginko for memory, but I never really felt like it worked. The above is a really good fruit sugar intake for the morning, but under certain conditions it might not be as useful. Finding out what your own body likes is a joy!
The most nootropic I do is a fairly steady intake of tea, preferably masala chai. Caffeine and l-theanine work wonders. My GPA is a 3.71 out of 4. Despite what my username might suggest, I am not particularly inclined to use anything potent. I think you should incorporate some non-substance forms of brain optimization: get enough sleep, take enough breaks, get some exercise if you're so inclined, use some white noise, find a comfy chair, and pace yourself.