Nootropic recommendations

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Lately I've been doing some research on nootropics, and the amount of information that is available about them is dizzying to say the least. Along with all the different *racetams, there are also various herbal supplements available, and a lot of people even mention using prescription-grade stimulants. Obviously, I'd prefer to stay away from the latter due to the legal and health-related ramifications, but I'd like to know what nootropics people here use, what they recommend, etc.

I recently ordered some ashwaghanda, which is supposedly a great herbal supplement for anxiety, as well as some L-theanine, which I've used in the past with somewhat decent results. Now, what I'd really like to find is something that would improve my focus, increase my mental processing speed, reduce brain fog, and make it easier for me to understand abstract concepts and think creatively. I heard that fasoracetam, one of the more potent racetams, can help with these things, but it's also fairly unknown compared to other nootropics in its class, and as such it seems hard to find a reputable supplier. Should I try one of the more well-known ones first, like piracetam, aniracetam, or noopept?

To help give a better idea of what it is I'm looking to treat, I've decided to list the various disorders I've been diagnosed with in my signature. I'd say the biggest things I'm looking to control are my ADHD, OCD, and anxiety.

I know there's already another nootropics thread up, but I'd rather not bump it as it is rather old, and the OP is probably long gone.

Bumping. I've had this thread up for over a week, and nothing.

I can buy all sorts over the counter in this country. I am trying out piracetam - a nootropic. I bought Levothyroxin as I found out that T4 levels in autistics fluctuated. It worked great. I don't freeze at night now and my pulse has come up from 48 to a good 55 to 60. I found out from looking at my broccoli stems that there is a lack of boron in the soil and taking boron has made some major changes in me. Just got to be careful as I was paralyzed for a day when I took too much.
Anybody else finding interesting chemicals?

I'm not sure if Phenibut is a nootropic, but I think it is. I used to take Phenibut in powdered form some years ago. I mixed it with water and it tasted really awful. It did work positively on my mood and lowered anxiety. It was definitely not a placebo effect.
I never took it daily because I didn't know how damaging it is to the liver.

Not sure how safe nootropics are in general. Can you be 100 percent certain what they are selling you, of what quality the product is and how much research is there about the side effects? I think I read on wiki some years ago a few people died from Kava Kava because it was contaminated (I might be wrong though).
The same applies to research chemicals which I thought were helpful when I was young and dumb. I believe you can't really be sure what exactly you are taking with RCs or nootropics and whether the seller is trustworthy or not.

Nevertheless, if you aren't worried about how it might harm you, then I can recommend Phenibut for mood and anxiety. I think I also read back then it helps with focus and concentration, but I never had big problems in that area, so I can't tell.

By the way, I also tried L-Theanine but it did nothing.

Nootropics (colloquial: smart drugs and cognitive enhancers) are drugs, supplements, and other substances that may improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals.

This article identifies 14 Nootropics and Smart Drugs. The 14 Best Nootropics and Smart Drugs Reviewed They listed: Caffeine, L-Theanine, Creatine, Bacopa Monnieri, Rhodiola Rosea, Panax Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Nicotine, Noopept, Piracetam, Phenotropil, Modafinil (Provigil), Amphetamines (Adderall), Methylphenidate (Ritalin).

I took ginkgo biloba for awhile and noticed no effect. I use quite a bit of caffeine in natural forms such as in coffee, tea, soft drinks, cocoa. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors in your brain, making you feel less tired. It helps to wake me up and give me energy. I have not used any others on their list of 14.

I have been taking a product called Juvenon for around 20 years. It is composed of Acetyl L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid. I am very please with this. It is basically being advertised as an anti-aging drug. I have asthma and taking this dramatically improved my peak flow rates - made my breathing much easier. It also stopped my hair from falling out and slowed the progression of my hair turning gray/white with age. It basically works at restoring the mitochondria in my cells.

Around 30 years ago I experimented with EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). I took one 625 mg tablet a day for about a month. It was a form of chelation therapy. I used it to extract plaque from my arteries. And it seemed to do that quite well. But then I noticed that it was having a profound effect on recalling stored memories and affected my dream state. So I discontinued its use at that point. Thinking back, it might have been cleaning the plaque that feed blood through my arteries to my brain.

I read up a bit on juvenon. Seems like an interesting supplement. I wonder if anyone has tried HCF, ie Happy, Calm, Focused. That seems to be the supplement being recommended now.

I have found B12 injections to be helpful. I take 1000mg every two weeks. I self-inject.

The other thing that has helped energy-wise is gabapentin. I have never taken it before. It was prescribed for the nerve pain I had after my ankle surgery. After two weeks I realized I had way more energy and was thinking more clearly. This is not the intended effect of gabapentin, but I am wondering if, for me, the relief from the ongoing chronic pain that I live with, was enough to perk me up again. I plan to talk to my PCP about continuing it now that I no longer need it for ankle nerve pain.

I'm still not as active or alert as I was at 40, but at least it is getting better instead of getting worse.

After weight loss surgery, I took B12 injections once per month. I had my wife give me the injections in my arm. But she is afraid of blood. Every time she gave me an injection, I noticed she would turn her head away just as she place the needle in my arm. So I decided this was not the way to go. So now I take sublingual B12 instead. I just let it dissolve on my tongue. It taste good.

B12 is important in helping form red blood cells and for maintenance of the central nervous system. B12 is also required for the synthesis of DNA in the body. A deficiency in B12 can cause pernicious anemia, causing mood swings, paranoia, irritability, confusion, dementia, hallucinations, or mania. B12 deficiency has also contributed to anxiety, stress and depression. Generally if I lack B12 I loose a lot of energy and become lethargic.