Huperzine A is an alkaloid purified from herbs of the Huperziceae family. Huperzia serrata planted in Southeast Asia usually have higher Huperzine A content, just between 0.01 – 0.1 %. Traditionally, Huperzia serrata has been used to treat bruises, muscle strains, swelling and relax muscles and tendons.

The mechanisms by which Huperzine A works include increasing the efficacy of a number of brain systems and neural networks. Huperzine A can be used as a memory enhancer. It is particularly effective when taken while studying for a test or when trying to learn any new material. It can also be taken regularly to help protect against age-related declines in memory.

Huperzine A has some beneficial effects on cognition that could make it the ingredient you need to improve your performance.

Improving Learning Capabilities

Boosting Memory

Protecting Your Brain From Toxins

Potentially Stimulating Neuron Cell Growth

interacts with your brain’s chemistry.

enhanced both memory and learning performance

Huperzine A is commonly used to improve short and long-term memory performance in a wide range of people; Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Huperzine A in improving the cognitive performance and recall ability. This makes Huperzine A a good choice in nootropic supplement for people involved in professions that require a strong ability to acquire new information.

Improves learning abilities

By far, the most important benefit of Huperzine A is its ability to help improve learning capabilities. Studies have shown that Huperzine A may hold the potential to dramatically improve your learning capacity.

Acetylcholine plays an important role in learning by helping to transmit signals between neurons. Numerous studies have shown the importance of acetylcholine in forming new memories. It is known to enhance the encoding of new memories from stimuli. It does this by enhancing the cortical control system. Recent studies have suggested that acetylcholine is vitally important in regulating neural networks in the learning process. Learning requires that numerous neural network pathways work in combination to encode new memories, and the current hypothesis is that acetylcholine is an important substance in getting this all to work properly.

As a cholinesterase inhibitor, Huperzine A extract prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine and helps to allow additional acetylcholine to accumulate in your brain

Powerful effect on the memory retrieval process.

Huperzine A helps to improve memory and reduce memory loss with the control over cortical and subcortical control mechanisms in the brain.

 Huperzine A’s effects on the acetylcholinesterase enzyme are thought to definitely be part of the memory improving effects. It is also thought to improve the expression of other neurochemicals like NGF and p75NTR. An entirely new hypothesis is that Huperzine A has additional effects on mitochondria. This also be a mechanism which helps to improve memory.

Relieving the Symptoms

As a cholinesterase inhibitor, Huperzine A will help the increasing number of people who are, or will be suffering from the inevitable cognitive decline. The increased levels of acetylcholine in the brain have the effect of improving mental clarity, recall and learning ability in people over a large range of ages and walks of life.

Helps to protect your brain

protect your brain against physical or chemical injury.

Neuroprotective Benefits

Huperzine A has been shown to have significant neuroprotective benefits through a powerful anti-inflammatory response, providing protection from excitotoxicity and neuronal death. This mechanism has the effect of protecting the neurons of the brain from chemical and morbidity related damage, preserving the necessary brain structures that maintain cognitive function. Huperzine A will have a valuable role to play as a protective agent against the negative impact of toxic chemicals in our environment on our cognitive abilities and brain health.

Huperzine A has some activity as an NMDA receptor antagonist. It is neuroprotective, shown to protect neurons from damage due to glutamate, peroxides, and beta-amyloids.

Pretreating cell cultures with Huperzine A before exposing them to the glutamate toxin significantly reduced the amount of cell death that occurred.

Huperzine A is effective in preventing beta-amyloid protein cleavage and reducing the amount of beta-amyloid proteins present in your brain.

Huperzine A has protective effects against the free-radical, H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). The researchers also stated that Huperzine A benefits include protection against glutamate, beta-amlyoid proteins, ischema, and staurosporine toxicity. These Huperzine A benefits are thought to be related to an antioxidant-like effect.

Repair Cognitive Impairment

Huperzine A, have been proven to be effective in improving the effects of cognitive impairment resulting from major depressive disorder. Adjunctive treatment with Huperzine A was positively correlated with quicker resolution of cognitive impairment associated with major depressive disorder.

Treating the cell cultures with Huperzine A resulted in a rapid increase in growth in the cell numbers .The hippocampus of the brain, found in all mammals, is thought to be the center of emotion, memory, and the automatic nervous system. 

fast action and easy administration

HuperzineA is easily able to cross the blood-brain barrier. How quickly improvement can be seen will vary widely between individuals depending on a wide range of factors; from the exact dosage being taken to the age and bodyweight of the individual. There are many anecdotal accounts that claim the positive effects of Huperzine A consumption can be seen in as little as twenty-four hours from taking the first dose.

Huperzine A is water soluble and can be dissolved into a glass of water or juice. It can be taken at any time of day, but morning is preferred – to prevent possible sleep interruptions.

Huperzine A does not need to be taken with food. It is quickly absorbed into the body and will begin to enhance memory immediately. It has a very long half-life in the body, and a single dose will provide benefits for over 24 hours. The drug has been shown to be quite capable of passing the blood-brain barrier after oral ingestion and quickly accumulates in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Safety & side effects

Huperzine A is possibly safe when taken by mouth for a short period of time.

Side-effects are typically mild, including restlessness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and high blood pressure. With that being said, these effects are only reported in a small sample of users. If you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding, please refrain from using this supplement.

Dosage

While focusing on some nootropics, such as Piracetam, you can dosages that are several grams. While taking supplements like Noopept, you only need around 50 mg. Huperzine A however, is so potent that you only need to take a few micrograms at a time.

Supplementation of huperzine-A tends to be in the range of 50-200mcg daily and the maximum recommended dose is 400 mcg, while this can be divided into multiple dosages throughout the day it tends to be taken at a single dose.

Effects last

Huperzine A has a relatively long half-life in the body, anecdotal evidence indicates a rapid loss of benefits from approximately twenty-four hours after the last dose. There is no firm indication that the effects of Huperzine A will diminish with long-term use, but most people who use this nootropic substance will cycle their use over a period of weeks with a gap in use after that time, but the optimal cycle period has not been determined.

Magnify the effects

While Huperzine A can have significant positive effects on cognitive ability used by itself, there are ways to stack this supplement that potentially magnify the memory enhancing effects.

1.      Huperzine A & Choline

Consuming Huperzine A with a choline supplement will increase the levels of acetylcholine in the brain. Taking a choline supplement along with Huperzine A should result in an even greater increase in acetylcholine levels, magnifying the effects of Huperzine A on your cognitive function.

2.      Huperzine A & Racetams

The racetams are believed to activate the glutamine receptors that are near the acetylcholine receptors in the brain, sensitizing the acetylcholine receptors and increasing the likelihood of acetylcholine receptor activation. This stack will increase the effects of Huperzine A by increasing the effects of higher acetylcholine levels in the brain.

3.      Huperzine A & Noopept

Noopept functions by stimulating the AMPA and NMDA receptors and their pathways that are implemented in memory creation and storage. The Huperzine A and Noopept stack will work synergistically to maximize the cognitive boost that you would experience using Huperzine A alone.