Do you find it hard to keep other people engaged in conversations?

Plenty of thoughts running in your mind, but can’t put them into words?

Here’s the thing:

Improving your verbal skills correlates with keeping your brain sharp. And as it happens, nootropics for verbal fluency can help you do just that.

Let’s dive in.

What is Verbal Fluency?

First things first – what is verbal fluency?

Essentially, it’s a skill of being able to put your thoughts into words.

  • Verbal fluency is all about how easy you can throw words. And how easily you can express your thoughts, emotions, and experiences to others.

Do you know those people who’re said to have a silver tongue?

Or a million dollar mouthpiece?

Well, these people have excellent verbal fluency and are often successful in life.

Being able to express yourself in a way that the other person understands you well is a skill which you will open many doors for you.

But why do some people have worse verbal fluency than others?

Causes of Poor Verbal Fluency

There are many possible causes of poor verbal fluency.

They include (2, 3):

  • Hormone disbalance – including low testosterone
  • Depression
  • Neurotransmitter disbalance (especially low acetylcholine)
  • ADHD
  • Cognitive impairments

Disclaimer: It’s important to talk to your doctor if you suffer from any of these conditions before trying anything we show you here. This article is not medical advice, nor should it be taken as such.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s jump to nootropics. Explaining what they are, which ones to avoid, and which ones to look for.


man yelling at the phone

What Are Nootropics

Nootropics are also called “smart drugs” or “cognitive enhancers”.

They are compounds which improve your mental performance in some way or another.

  • Many neurohackers take nootropics to improve their cognition, memory, and verbal fluency, but not all nootropics are made equal.

There are synthetic nootropics and there are natural nootropics.

The issue with synthetic nootropics is not so much that they’re made in the lab (sure, that’s a downside too). It’s the side effects they can potentially bring.

Many natural nootropics, on the other hand, are safe to take in the long-run.

In order to understand if a nootropic is good for you, we first need to see how nootropics work.

How They Work

The mechanism of action of each nootropic is different.

But generally, there are several brain pathways nootropics affect:

  • Cerebral blood flow
  • Neurogenesis
  • Brain chemicals
  • Brail cell protection

And many others.

There are certain nootropics which, for example, stimulate neurogenesis, which is the birth of new brain cells. Other nootropics can help with blood flow to the brain. You’ll also come across nootropics that enhance your neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and GABA.

Benefits of Nootropics

Since they affect so many different brain pathways, nootropics also offer a wide range of benefits.

These include:

  • Improved ability to think
  • Enhanced creativity
  • Sharper focus
  • Better word recall and verbal fluency
  • Elevated mood
  • Clearer memory

Before moving on to the best nootropics for verbal fluency, let’s first examine the ones you may want to avoid.

Nootropics to Avoid?

Here’s the thing:

For some people, certain ingredients can be beneficial.

But for others, those same ingredients could do more harm than good.

That’s why we’ve included only the safest ingredients on the list of the best nootropics for verbal fluency.

We wanted everyone who consumes these ingredients to be certain they won’t experience any side effects.

Which can’t be said for these:

Caffeine

Many of us love coffee.

Yes, it can be beneficial for your verbal fluency in the short-term. Especially if you tolerate it well.

However, if you’re prone to anxiety and restlessness, caffeine will make these conditions worse. Because it’s a stimulant.

Which leads us to another point…

Stimulants like caffeine only boost your cognition in the short-term. But the more you consume it, the more you need to get the same effect. It’s like with any other addictive substance.

We all know that for coffee lovers, mornings without caffeine are quiet mornings. But once they drink their first (gigantic) cup of coffee, they brighten up. They’re able to talk better, their verbal fluency increases, and their cognition improves. If that’s you – great. Stick to caffeine if it works for you.

But if you experience a ‘crash’ several hours after drinking coffee, which leaves you irritable and anxious, it may be time to look for alternatives.

Studies confirm that people who are sensitive should avoid caffeine. Because it worsens their anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. (1)

Racetams

Racetams are a group of chemical compounds made in the lab. They are nootropics which work to increase brain function.

There are 4 main types of racetams, each with its own specific effects:

  1. Piracetam
  2. Oxiracetam
  3. Phenylpiracetam
  4. Aniracetam

The problem is, long-term side effects of many of these compounds still aren’t known extremely well. What’s more, racetams can also act as stimulants, so if you don’t react well to coffee, there’s a chance you won’t like racetams either.

If you like living on the edge, then by all means, racetams could help you. But if you’re looking for safe, natural, and clinically tested supplements, then read on…

Best Nootropics For Verbal Fluency

Onto the best nootropics for verbal fluency we go. Some of these will work immediately for you, while others show their full benefits over time.

Have a look:

Choline

Choline is an essential nutrient in our diet. It plays a role in helping your brain form neurons and brain cell membranes. Choline is also vital for the synthesis of acetylcholine – a brain neurotransmitter that regulates your thinking, memory, and mental processes like verbal fluency. In fact, a deficiency in choline can very well lead to poor verbal skills.

Bacopa Monnieri

Bacopa monnieri is an adaptogen that makes your body more resilient to stress. More importantly, it stimulates the growth of new dendrites, which are the extension of your brain cells. This allows the neurons to send signals faster between them. This makes your thinking clearer, it improves your word recall, and makes it easier for you to put thoughts into words. (4)

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is an amino acid that promotes alpha waves in your brain. When your brain is in the alpha wave state, your creativity shoots up. Your thinking abilities improve. And you’re able to come up with words more easily. L-Theanine is one of the best natural ingredients for verbal fluency out there. (5)

Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Lion’s Mane Mushroom is the only nootropic mushroom known to man. It promotes neurogenesis, which is the birth of new brain cells. (6) This essentially leads to enhanced verbal fluency and acuity, mental agility, and overall cognition.

High-quality nootropic formulas get their Lion’s Mane from reputable sources. One example that comes to mind is Mind Lab Pro. It’s a pre-formulated nootropic stack that uses 11 proven nootropics, including L-Theanine and Lion’s Mane Mushroom with the full spectrum of active compounds including erinacines and hericenones.

We recommend Mind Lab Pro because it addresses multiple brain pathways. This includes neurogenesis, memory, brain cell protection, hippocampal blood flow, mood, and verbal fluency. In essence, Mind Lab Pro helps you to better communicate your thoughts to other people.

You can read our full Mind Lab Pro review here.

Maritime Pine Bark Extract

Maritime Pine Bark Extract comes from Maritime Pine Tree found across Mediterranean coasts. The bark contains antioxidants which reduce oxidative stress. In fact, antioxidants like those found in Maritime Pine Bark are shown to improve brain blood flow. (7) Leading to enhanced nutrient absorption. Your brain is able to work faster and better, essentially.


Conclusion

Keeping your verbal game sharp will help you in almost any area of your life. Nootropics like Bacopa Monnieri, Lion’s Mane, and L-Theanine work to improve your verbal fluency and overall cognitive performance.

Our favorite nootropic formula is Mind Lab Pro. It uses high-quality nootropics like Lion’s Mane and is the top-rated nootropic formula on sale right now.

Want to know more about Mind Lab Pro? See our full review here.

References

  1. Caffeine consumption and self-assessed stress, anxiety, and depression in secondary school children. (source)
  2. Verbal fluency in adults diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood. (source)
  3. Effects of Testosterone Therapy on Cognitive Function in Aging: A Systematic Review. (source)
  4. Effects of 12-Week Bacopa monnieri Consumption on Attention, Cognitive Processing, Working Memory, and Functions of Both Cholinergic and Monoaminergic Systems in Healthy Elderly Volunteers. (source)
  5. L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. (source)
  6. Neuroregenerative potential of lion's mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. (higher Basidiomycetes), in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury (review). (source)
  7. Activation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase by ProanthocyanidinRich Fraction From Croton celtidifolius (Euphorbiaceae): Involvement of Extracellular Calcium Influx in Rat Thoracic Aorta. (source)

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