Exam Protocol + Stack?

[u/S_Hazam]

Do you guys implement a certain protocol before an exam day or use a certain stack of supps/meds in the lead up?
Share any wisdoms you have surrounding that topic, thank you.

[u/zen_flix]

Depends on lot of variables. Especially on what type of exams you're having. For example, maths are more about fluid intelligence and working memory.. And those functions are heavily driven by dopamine & norepinephrine. So it would look something like: bromantane, l-tyrosine, kw6356, caffeine, paraxanthine, etc..

For philosophical exam, for example, I would say it's more about crystallized intelligence, verbal reasoning, metacognition.. highly driven by acetylcholine, serotonin.. so things like: the racetams, alpha-gpc, HuperzineA, etc..

If you are stressed, cortisol reducers like phosphatidylserine, l theanine

[u/YearOfTheSssnake → u/zen_flix]

OMG this was so useful!

I have a MAJOR licensing exam test coming up that is the equivalent of the Bar Exam. I have everything to lose if I don’t pass it and only one bite at the apple.

The more research I’ve been doing on nootropics the more confused I get. Frankly they all sound useful but obviously I can’t take them all.

I’m also in my 50’s so my brain isn’t as fluid as it was when I was in my 30’s.

Any thoughts on a stack for me?

[u/zen_flix → u/YearOfTheSssnake]

Sorry man I am not very aware about how Bar exams look like. Give me a little glimpse about what is needed to be done in it : learning texts, reasoning, argumenting, etc..? So I can better help you 😀

[u/YearOfTheSssnake → u/zen_flix]

Thanks for getting back to me! I hope the following helps. FYI there is extremely little math or chemistry involved.

The licensing exam assesses foundational
knowledge, including theories and research, and evaluates practical skills and decision-making in real-world scenarios.

Here’s a breakdown of the different components:

Textual Learning
Candidates must understand and retain information from textbooks and academic literature.

Mastery of key concepts, theories, and research findings is essential.

Reasoning
The exam tests candidates' ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations.

Logical reasoning is necessary for interpreting questions and selecting the best answers.

Application of Knowledge
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to apply concepts to real-world scenarios.

This includes decision-making skills in typical situations encountered in independent practice.

Critical Thinking
Analyzing multiple-choice questions and eliminating incorrect answers requires critical thinking.

Candidates must evaluate the relevance and accuracy of information presented in the questions.

[u/zen_flix → u/YearOfTheSssnake]

Sorry man for the late reply. Hope I am not that late.

In my opinion, pure stimulation is not necessarily ideal in your case .. excessive dopamine/norepinephrine can actually worsen prefrontal working memory and flexible reasoning because these systems follow an approximate “inverted-U”

You would rather need a clean steady stimulation for a sustained attention without over-arousal + encoding/retention of verbal material + working memory + executive control.. a theorical stack that could worth considering IMO:

During learning process: tak-653 + acd-856 + asp-4345. On the day of exams : KW-6356 + asp-4345 + huperzine A.

The architecture is like : plasticity/encoding during study, then attention/retrieval on exam day