To improve brain activity and increase intellectual abilities, medications from the group of nootropics are indicated.
A popular representative of the group is Phenibut. The active ingredient is aminophenylbutyric acid.
The drug directly affects the functioning of the central nervous system, helps tone the blood vessels of the brain, and improves microcirculation.
Nootropic drugs are indicated for increased irritability and anxiety.
Regular use helps increase intellectual abilities, improves memory, concentration and relieves fatigue.
The medication has psychostimulating, tranquilizing and antioxidant properties. There are practically no contraindications; the medication is approved for the treatment of pregnant and lactating women.
You can buy Phenibut only with a doctor's prescription, the average price is 350 rubles, but there are cheap analogues among domestic and foreign-made substitutes.
What do the pills help with?
Phenibut was created to treat various types of disorders:
- Stress and syndromes accompanied by anxiety - such problems often appear due to abnormal functioning of the nervous system and overload of the cardiovascular system. Taking aminophenylbutyric acid will allow the functioning of these systems to return to normal.
- Sleep problems - when a person experiences insomnia or restless sleep, this is due to disruption of the neurons responsible for the sleep-wake cycle. Phenibut normalizes neural connections, improving sleep quality.
- Asthenia and disorders of this type - lethargy, a feeling of fatigue, physical exhaustion, which is especially important for athletes.
- Neurological disorders - this refers to various disorders of speech, coordination, etc. In this case, the drug is especially relevant for the treatment of children.
- Withdrawal syndrome, alcoholism - all drugs based on aminophenylbutyric acid are good at removing breakdown products of ethyl alcohol from the body.
In addition to its tranquilizing and nootropic effects, phenibut has shown excellent antioxidant, psychostimulating and antiplatelet (prevents the formation of blood clots) effects. The product normalizes brain functions, improves metabolism, and improves blood circulation in the brain. It is noted that course therapy helps not only to balance, but also to improve physical and mental indicators.
How do the drugs work?
Gamma-aminophenylbutyric acid is an agonist of the natural brain neurotransmitter GABA. The term “agonist” refers to a substance that specifically binds to a receptor and activates a number of biological effects. In other words, phenibut is very similar to GABA. If there is a shortage of this neurotransmitter in the brain, then the drug can replace it.
Scientists have found that under the action of this agonist, external stimulation causes a smaller response of brain neurons, which is reflected in a decrease in behavioral reactivity and the degree of anxiety. Thus, a person taking Phenibut reacts to problematic situations more calmly.
In addition, the following effects of this substance are known:
- antioxidant and antiplatelet effect,
- influence on the speed of cerebral neural reactions,
- improvement of systemic tone,
- sedative effect,
- improvement of cognitive functions,
- neuroprotective effect in cerebral ischemia,
- potentiation of dopamine action in Parkinson's disease.
A placebo-controlled study conducted in 1990 in the Baltic states found that taking phenibut orally (0.25-0.5 g, 3 times a day for 1-2 weeks) activates intellectual functions and improves resistance to physical activity , reduces the feeling of fatigue and asthenic manifestations in patients with neurotic or psychotic conditions.
Indications for use
Phenibut is a nootropic that facilitates GABA-mediated transmission of impulses in the central nervous system. The drug has an antioxidant, antiplatelet, psychostimulating and tranquilizing effect. Phenibut improves the functional state of the brain, normalizing metabolism in tissues and influencing cerebral circulation (microcirculation is activated, the linear and volumetric velocity of blood flow increases, the resistance of brain vessels decreases, and the aggregation of blood cells decreases). During the treatment, tension, anxiety, fear and restlessness disappear or decrease, and sleep normalizes. The drug produces an anticonvulsant effect. Indications for use:
- anxious-neurotic and asthenic conditions, anxiety, restlessness, fear;
- dizziness caused by dysfunctions of the vestibular apparatus of various etiologies;
- Meniere's disease;
- tics and stuttering (in children);
- insomnia (in elderly patients);
- relief of somatovegetative and psychopathological disorders during alcohol withdrawal (as part of complex treatment);
- predelirious states in alcoholism (in complex treatment with detoxification agents);
- prevention of anxiety states that arise before painful diagnostic procedures and surgical operations; prevention of motion sickness during kinetosis.
Results of using the drug
Phenibut is really effective. All doctors who prescribe this drug note that patients quickly improve. They become calmer and sleep better. In addition, when taken correctly, the following treatment results are observed:
- memory improves;
- the stability of the nervous system increases;
- depression decreases;
- negative emotions are smoothed out;
- excitability and irritability disappear;
- sleep quality improves;
- performance improves.
What is it prescribed for?
Phenibut is a medicine with a broad complex effect, it:
- helps reduce the level of internal tension;
- relaxes, increases motivation, improves mood, increases creativity;
- normalizes oxygen exchange and blood circulation in the vessels of the brain;
- increases the speed of passage of nerve impulses;
- Phenibut enhances the ability to conduct physical and mental activity, endurance;
- relieves headaches, dizziness, sleep disorders;
- normalizes muscle tone;
- speeds up metabolism.
Phenibut is prescribed as a sedative and anti-anxiety agent:
- for insomnia at night to improve sleep;
- with nightmares;
- with asthenia (apathy, lethargy, feeling of exhaustion and powerlessness);
- with vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD);
- various neuroses and depression;
- for children to combat hyperactivity;
- for stuttering, tics, speech disorders, enuresis in children.
Some patients write that they use Phenibut for weight loss. This effect is explained by the fact that the product increases the level of growth hormone, speeds up metabolism and removes toxins from the body.
Why is it prescribed for adults?
The drug should be prescribed to adults and children only by the attending physician. Phenibut is prescribed:
- to normalize the psycho-emotional state (fear, anxiety, psychopathy);
- with severe asthenic syndrome;
- to normalize and improve mental activity;
- for sleep disorders, insomnia (dyssomnia), frequent nightmares;
- for the prevention of anxiety in adults; for obsessive-compulsive neuroses;
- to prevent motion sickness (sea sickness);
- with alcohol abscinosis, addiction, diliriosis syndrome, delirium tremens; decrease in emotional activity.
Indications for the use of phenibut are also: Meniere's disease, otogenic labyrinitis, stuttering, nervous tics, enuresis in children, dizziness, migraine caused by dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus, primary anterior-open glaucoma, discirculatory encephalopathy. Phenibut is also prescribed to women during menopause (during the premenopausal period), as well as to people whose profession is accompanied by severe mental stress and frequent stress (to prevent stressful conditions). Phenibut increases the duration of action of hypnotics, narcotic analgesics, antipsychotics, antiparkinsonian, anticonvulsants, drugs. The tranquilizer increases the therapeutic effect of antiepileptic drugs, and therefore can be prescribed during nootropic therapy for people suffering from frequent attacks of epilepsy.
How to take for adults?
Inside after meals. The single maximum dose in adults is 750 mg, in persons over 60 years old - 500 mg, in children from 6 to 8 years old - 125 mg, in children from 8 to 14 years old - 250 mg. For asthenic and anxiety-neurotic conditions, 250-500 mg 3 times a day. If necessary, the daily dose is subsequently increased to 2500 mg. The course of treatment is 4-6 weeks. For insomnia, 250-500 mg 3 times a day, for people over 60 years old - 250 mg 3 times a day. To relieve alcohol withdrawal syndrome, Phenibut is prescribed in the first days of treatment, 250-500 mg 3 times a day during the day and 750 mg at night, with a gradual decrease in the daily dose on days 2-3 to the usual recommended for adults.
The anti-motion sickness effect of Phenibut increases with increasing dose of the drug.
Treatment of dizziness due to dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus and Meniere's disease, 250 mg 3 times a day for 14 days. To prevent motion sickness, Phenibut is taken in a dose of 250-500 mg once 1 hour before the expected start of motion sickness or when the first symptoms of seasickness appear. When severe manifestations of seasickness occur (vomiting, etc.), the administration of Phenibut orally is ineffective even in doses of 750-1000 mg. For stuttering and tics in children from 6 to 8 years old, 125 mg, from 8 to 14 years old - 250 mg 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 4-6 weeks.
How long does it take to work?
The course of treatment with phenibut is usually limited to 4-6 weeks with a repeat course after about six months (from 5 to 7 months). For the period of training in professional sports, the drug is usually taken for 14 days. However, one way or another, the question of the duration of taking the drug is decided only by the attending physician, based on the type and severity of the disease. Everything here is individual: for some patients a course of 14 days is enough, while others need a month to get the effect. On average, 21 days is considered the optimal duration, unless otherwise instructed by the doctor. Well, for one-time symptom relief, you can simply take a pill before bed - once.
How quickly does phenibut take effect? Usually within an interval of half an hour to an hour, and then the concentration of the active substance in the blood lasts up to 5-8 hours, so usually with a constant course the frequency of its administration is three times a day. You can take Phenibut at different ages if there are specific indications for it. How long the therapeutic course can last is decided only by the doctor, depending on the course of the disease. You should not take Phenibut constantly; for example, the drug may be prescribed:
- in the form of a two-week course with a short break;
- in the form of a monthly course;
- one-time
As a rule, patients are prescribed Phenibut three times a day, as the substance is quickly eliminated from the body. Children are also allowed to take Phenibut, but in a minimal dosage, according to the child’s weight and age after consultation with a pediatrician. In more rare cases, the tablet has to be taken once before bedtime.
Prices and terms of sale in pharmacies
A prescription for the medication is not needed. If necessary, you can obtain a prescription with the dosage and frequency of administration per day from your doctor.
A neurologist, psychiatrist, or pediatrician can prescribe a medicine. A prescription is especially important if the drug is prescribed to a child and you need to buy a powder prepared by a pharmacist. If a pharmacist requires a prescription, it may not always be available in a private clinic, which is important to remember. Not all clinics that provide medical services to the public on a private basis have the right to prescribe prescription drugs. But, despite the indication in the instructions “dispensed by prescription,” most pharmacies will sell the product without a doctor’s recommendation.
The price of Phenibut varies greatly between pharmacies.
On average, the price is about 180 rubles, but can range from 100 to 450 rubles. The price depends on who produced the drug. If you plan to buy a foreign-made medicine, you should be prepared to pay more. A Russian-made medicine has a price of 100 to 150 rubles.
Side effects in adults
Side effects associated with Phenibut range from headaches, excessive sleepiness, hangover effects, dizziness to nausea, poor balance, fatigue, tingling sensations in the arms and legs. Phenibut users also report additional side effects associated with high doses. These include vivid nightmares, sweating during sleep, insomnia, severe depression, and sexual/erectile dysfunction.
When taken in large doses, phenibut can cause breathing problems and loss of consciousness.
Self-reported withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, insomnia and depression are very common among users.
They can occur even after short-term use of phenibut. There is no documented list of substances with which phenibut interacts. But purely hypothetically, it could interact with benzodiazepines, antidepressants, opioids (such as oxycodone and hydrocodone) or alcohol.
Can Phenibut be taken with alcohol?
Sometimes people, when taking medications, are faced with the need to take pills while intoxicated. The situation is complicated by the fact that not all medications can interact normally with alcoholic beverages, and in some situations they can cause negative reactions in the body, sometimes leading to fatal consequences.
The goal that a person using phenibut sets for himself is brain development. The presented drug belongs to the group of nootropic drugs. When asked whether it is possible to take Phenibut with alcohol, experts say that the chemical elements in these substances are poorly compatible.
Proof is a separate clause in the instructions prohibiting the use of a medicinal product with alcoholic beverages. The consequences of combining phenibut and alcohol are varied, one of them is an increase and increase in the duration of the effects of alcohol. This fact motivates some people suffering from alcoholism to use the drug other than as prescribed by a doctor. Experts do not recommend taking phenibut if you have a hangover. This is due to the fact that alcohol fractions remain in the blood for a long time.
Healthcare workers also consider phenibut and alcohol to be incompatible substances. Side effects when combined are difficult to classify as critical. Reviews about the compatibility of Phenibut and alcohol are varied; medical professionals do not recommend consuming alcoholic beverages; some netizens strongly recommend it, explaining that the drug presented (like any nootropic) improves brain function and has a positive effect on the central nervous system.
Can Phenibut be bought online?
In practice, it turned out that a prescription is only required if you personally visit the pharmacy. And if you still don’t have a prescription, then you can order the necessary medicine in an online pharmacy store, the courier will deliver it directly to your home and give it away without checking the presence of a prescription (it is important for the courier to deliver the goods). However, not all pharmacies take this step.
Another option for purchasing a prescription drug on the Internet is its possible sale through social networks on fake pages (the owners of which can be both pharmacists and scammers). In this case, the drugs are sold at an inflated price compared to the price at the pharmacy.
Phenibut and alcohol: compatibility
If we rely on the basic pharmacological properties and the fact that the drug is not contraindicated for treatment after heavy drinking, more precisely during withdrawal symptoms, poisoning or allergic reactions should not be observed, provided that it is taken correctly and the individual characteristics of the body. However, the issue of Phenibut and alcohol requires a detailed, detailed solution, in particular, this concerns the main properties of the drug:
- it relieves tension;
- has a calming effect;
- normalizes sleep;
- improves mood;
- relieves anxiety.
Listed above are the main symptoms that accompany a person after binge drinking. That is, the statement is that Phenibut can be taken with a hangover. However, the main question remains unanswered: how Phenibut works in combination with alcohol. According to the latest data, the drug is used in narcology, for the treatment of alcohol and other addictions. However, this therapy should proceed under the strict supervision of a doctor, who, after the patient’s medical history, will determine the compatibility, dosage and, after how long to take it.
Caution is due to the wide range of pharmacological properties of Phenibut, and it is used to treat binge drinking in the most extreme and rare cases. Treatment is carried out within the walls of a drug treatment hospital. The general condition, heartbeat, pulse, and blood pressure are monitored. The course of therapy is determined by the attending physician. Why are two active substances: Phenibut and alcohol required to be under strict control?
Release form, composition and packaging
Phenibut is produced in the form of tablets or powder with a dosage of 250 or 100 mg by several manufacturers in different countries, including the Russian Federation. The tablet form contains gamma-amino-beta-phenylbutyric acid (aminophenylbutyric acid), a derivative of GABA and phenylethylamine, as the active substance. Auxiliary components form a wafer and improve the taste of the drug.
The powder, unlike tablets, does not contain polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Regardless of the manufacturer that produces the medicine, all drugs are the same, since universal technology is used. There may be a slight difference in names. For example, Phenibut and Phenibut-ANVI. But this is the same remedy.
Phenibut: which manufacturer is better?
Russian pharmaceutical factories do not all meet the high demands of GMP and not all comply with the necessary sanitary requirements during the production process. Before you put the ingredients for preparing a new pharmaceutical into a container, it must be cleared of the substance that was previously there. If this is not done, the new drug will contain impurities remaining after the preparation of the previous drug and the amount of active and auxiliary components will differ from those indicated in the instructions.
Raw materials for Russian factories are purchased mainly from Asian countries. The main suppliers are China and India. The legislation of these countries does not require confirmation of the quality of medicinal raw materials to obtain a license. In Russia, purchased products are also not checked, so their quality is questionable;
Some manufacturers, in pursuit of cheapness, use raw materials whose shelf life has almost expired. Medicines made from it will also be of low quality.
If you have a choice - to buy Latvian or Russian Phenibut, of course you should choose the first one. Especially if a child is going to take Phenibut. The price for it per package is about 400 rubles. Russian analogues of Phenibut or Anvifen capsules 200 - 250 rubles. Here's the thing. Latvia is a member of the European Union, which places very high demands on medicinal products produced in the country. State regulatory authorities exercise strict control at all stages of production, from the quality of purchased raw materials to the release of finished products. Phenibut and other pharmaceutical products of Olainfarm JSC fully comply with international GMP requirements and state standards of countries such as Latvia, the USA, the UK and other highly developed countries.
What can you do to improve your sleep quality?
Why does the question arise, which manufacturer of Phenibut is better? Reviews note that some drugs are more likely to cause side effects and are less effective. This is due to the quality of the raw materials and the production itself. Some unscrupulous manufacturers purchase raw materials at reduced prices - those that are about to expire.
This is also due to the manufacturing technology of the drug. Russian and Belarusian factories do not always use modern equipment. In addition, the manufacturing technology may be violated. After all, before you put the components of a new drug into a container, it needs to be properly cleaned, which is not always done. Therefore, medications may contain unnecessary impurities.
1. Your pillow should be firm enough to keep your spine straight.
2. You should fill the space between your neck and mattress to keep your head and neck in a neutral position.
3. If you have shoulder pain, try placing a pillow in front of your body and resting your arm on it. This will help relieve the pain.
4. To avoid or get rid of hip pain, try placing a pillow between your knees to keep your hips level.
5. To avoid sagging breasts, try placing a small pillow under them to prevent the ligaments from being stretched. Or just sleep on your back.
6. If you wake up in the morning with a puffy face, puffy eyes and deeper wrinkles than last night, you should change your sleeping position. Sleeping on your back can prevent unwanted contact between your face and your pillow.
7. A good mattress is the most important thing when it comes to healthy and restful sleep. If you're a side sleeper, you'll want to choose a mattress with good shoulder and hip support and a medium to firm firmness. Foam mattresses and mattresses that can “remember” your body position (viscoelastic) are the best options as they are very effective at relieving pressure points.
Of course, other reasons can cause pain and swelling. Therefore, do not immediately think about your sleeping position; maybe the problem is completely different, and the wrong position simply aggravates the situation.
Swelling, for example, can be caused by drinking large amounts of water before bed and/or consuming salty and spicy foods.
In any case, sleep in a way that suits your body to avoid any consequences.
Over-the-counter analogues of the drug
Many anti-anxiety medications are sold in pharmacies without a prescription from a doctor, but do not forget when purchasing over-the-counter analogues of Phenibut that self-medication is fraught with serious consequences for the patient. Before purchasing medications, you should consult a specialist.
Afobazole.
It is an anti-anxiety drug based on the main component fabomotizole, an anxiolytic, which is not a drug of the benzodiazepine group.
Omaron.
This is a combination medication with active ingredients - piracetam and cinnarizine. This analogue of Phenibut belongs to the nootropics and is capable of improving the quality of memory, reducing overexcitation of the vestibular apparatus, and also has a sedative effect on the centers of the nervous system and increases the resistance of neurons to hypoxia. Produced in capsules.
Glycine.
It is produced in the form of sublingual tablets based on aminoacetic acid (glycine). The drug affects metabolic processes and regulates metabolism, triggering inhibition processes in the brain receptors and in the central nervous system.
Noofen.
This is a nootropic drug that is prescribed as a psychostimulant. The main component of the medicine is phenibut.
What is better Phenibut or Adaptol?
It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Phenibut and Adaptol belong to different pharmacological groups and the mechanism of action of the drugs on the body differs. For severe neurological disorders, doctors often recommend that patients take Adaptol and Phenibut tablets at the same time. By enhancing the effect of each other, the drugs provide a higher therapeutic effect. It is not recommended to independently choose which medicine is better; the doctor selects the drug individually, focusing on the following:
- Age.
Both medications are suitable for adults, but when treating children, Phenibut is preferred; - Presence of somatic diseases.
For stomach or liver diseases, it is recommended to drink Adaptol; - The nature of neurological disorders.
If the disease is caused by oxygen starvation of the brain tissue or impaired conduction of nerve impulses, then Phenibut will be better to help, and if the production of serotonin decreases, Adaptol will help.
If you take Adaptol and Phenibut together, you can improve brain activity, increase performance and get rid of depression. If the use of one of the drugs is contraindicated, analogues with a similar effect are prescribed. More often it is Grandaxin or Afobazol. When choosing between Adaptol and Phenibut, it is difficult to say which medicine is better. the medication is selected individually, taking into account the nature of neurological disorders.
Belarusian generics
Belarusian generics of phenibut have similar indications, but the composition of the drug is different. They can be considered when choosing what to replace the medicine with, but the final decision must be made by the doctor.
Name of the drug | Average price in rubles | Characteristic |
Motherwort tincture | 30–350 | An over-the-counter medication with a pronounced sedative effect from the “cheaper” category. Prescribed for neurasthenia and sleep disorders. The tincture is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation, as well as for children under 12 years of age. |
Ration | 150–180 | The drug is used as part of the general treatment of mild neurasthenia, anxious sleep, and insomnia. The capsules have a hypnotic and antispasmodic effect. |
Relaxedine | 130–150 | Tablets based on valerian extract. |
Phenibut or Grandaxin, which is better?
Grandaxin and Phenibut are drugs that have a tranquilizing (anti-anxiety) effect. They normalize the state of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for blood pressure, heart rate, digestive processes and hormonal levels. At the same time, the difference in the mechanisms of action and influence on the nervous system between these drugs is fundamental. Which of these two medications is more effective and which of them should be taken by an adult directly depends on the established diagnosis. Phenibut is the drug of choice for the following conditions:
- vegetative-vascular dystonia (impaired functioning of the autonomic nervous system) with panic attacks;
- anxiety, fears;
- mental and motor agitation during withdrawal syndrome;
- coordination disorders, dizziness, motion sickness when traveling by transport;
- tics and stuttering in children.
Reviews of the joint use of drugs are also variable. Views on both the effectiveness and tolerability of drugs differ. Some patients feel no effect from either of them. Others note a surge of strength and energy, especially at the beginning of use. Still others are concerned about the multidirectional effects of drugs: excitement after Grandaxin gives way to drowsiness after Phenibut. In many ways, the effect of drugs is due to the specific reaction of the body and concomitant diseases; the prescription of drugs that affect the mental state requires a strictly individual approach.
Reviews
In the majority, reviews about the medicine are positive. Neurologists specializing in the treatment of adults recommend Phenibut manufactured by Olainfarm to their patients. The drug quickly and effectively eliminates signs of neuroses of various origins, copes with panic attacks, depression, apathy, and normalizes sleep.
Doctors say that the Latvian remedy is very well tolerated by those being treated; in practice, they note that in addition to the positive results of treatment, the level of strength and energy rises, and the background mood increases. Additionally, it is important that the mind remains clear when taking Phenibut. They also note that over the years of use, the medicine has proven itself to be very effective and efficient, acting gently, without consequences.
There are often positive reviews from patients whose work is associated with high stress and mental tension, who took Latvian Phenibut to increase stress resistance and improve concentration; the drug coped with the task perfectly.
Athletes and coaches talk about the effectiveness of using Phenibut for physical recovery after training and normalization of the psychological state after stress.
After treating children for hyperactivity and sleep disorders, parents report that the children became calmer, anxiety was relieved, and sleep improved.