Pyritinol - Improving your Memory, Vigilance, Concentration while increasing your Immunity
As we age our bodies slow down, not just physically but mentally as well. And we’re not talking here necessarily about the dementia that is often associated with old age but that dawning realisation that creeps upon us and makes us realise that our minds are simply not as sharp as they once were. After all how often do you find yourself looking for the car keys because you can’t remember where you last put them or you meet someone for a second time and you can’t recall that much about them - perhaps not even their name!
But just because we become mentally less agile as we get older doesn’t mean that it is a state of affairs that we simply have to accept and do nothing about. Pyritinol has been shown to help. Proven to have positive effects when it comes to improving memory, vigilance and concentration, Pyritinol (a vitamin B6 derivative) belongs to a family of drugs known as nootropics.
1 What are Nootropics?
Nootropics are a class of drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals and functional foods that can help the aging brain by improving a whole range of mental functions including memory, cognition, attention and concentration. The word nootropic itself was coined in 1964 by Romanian Dr Giurgea. It is derived from the Greek words “noos” meaning mind and “tropein” meaning to bend or turn. And, because of their properties, nootropics are sometimes referred to as smart drugs, cognitive enhancers or memory enhancers.
In fact, Pyritinol is perhaps the oldest nootropic drug still in use. It was developed and patented by Merck back in 1961 - some three years before the word nootropic even came into existence! Since then, Pyritinol has been continuously used throughout Europe and has been the subject of a wealth of research studies particularly during the 1980s and 1990s. Moreover, these studies did not just focus on Pyritinol and its use as a nootropic drug but also examined its potential in other areas - something which we will look at in more detail below. Interestingly, the research into and use of Pyritinol has been geographically concentrated in Europe with the result that even though it has been in use for nearly half a century, Pyritinol remains virtually unheard of in the United States.
2 What is Pyritinol used for?
Pyritinol's generally accepted use is to improve memory, vigilance and concentration. Physical and psychological exhaustion, altered sleeping and waking rhythms, and symptoms related to senility and pre-senility have all been shown to respond positively to Pyritinol. It may even be of benefit for those who perform poorly academically.
Pyritinol’s use however has not been limited solely to improving cognitive function. It has been used in the clinical setting to treat a whole host of different disorders involving the brain such as cerebral arteriosclerosis. A report published in 1981 noted that Pyritinol was being used widely throughout Europe “for the treatment of organic psycho-syndromes..., cerebral circulatory disorders..., alcoholism..., dyslexic factors..., behaviour and intellect disorders in children... and post-cerebral infarction [stroke] states....In patients suffering from cerebral trauma it has been reported to be of therapeutic benefit in influencing the immediate postoperative recovery state and as an aid in rehabilitation...."(1).
Pyritinol has proven to be very useful when it comes to helping victims of traumatic coma (caused by head injury). In a clinical setting, it has been shown to not only reduce the normally high death rate in such patients but has also been instrumental in returning coma patients to more or less normal waking consciousness, even in cases where the brain injuries sustained have been so severe that the patient has ultimately died(2).
Diverse as it may seem from its role in treating conditions involving the mind and brain, Pyritinol also has undoubted excellent immune-enhancing capabilities and potent antioxidant properties and may be particularly beneficial for those suffering from rheumatoid arthirits.
And not only is Pyritinol useful in the treatment of chronic alcoholism, but it may also help to reduce hangovers - if administered in large doses!
3 How is Pyritinol capable of acting in such a wide variety of ways?
The fact that Pyritinol can have such wide ranging positive effects on the human body is due to its ability to have more than one mode of action. Pyritinol works in a number of different ways:
3.1 By acting as a superior antioxidant
The fact that Pyritinol is such a superior antioxidant is one of the keys to understanding why Pyritinol is capable of having such wide ranging benefits. Research carried out back in 1989 revealed that Pyritinol was a far superior antioxidant nootropic than other recognised antioxidant nootropics such as Centrophenoxine. In particular, Pyritinol was found to be especially active against hydroxyl radical.
Hydroxyl radical is one of the three most common types of free radicals that are continuously being produced by human cells, the other two being superoxide radical (SOR) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Whilst the body produces enzymes to help it deal with SOR, converting it into oxygen and the less destructive free radical H2O2, the body has no enzymatic defences to protect itself against the highly damaging superoxide free radical hydroxyl.
Fortunately Pyritinol can offer superior antioxidant action against hydroxyl, thereby helping to prevent damage that would otherwise be caused and also providing immune, arthritis and neuroprotective benefits. For example, being able to protect cartilage and synovial protein against free-radical induced degradation may be an important factor in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and may account for why Pyritinol has been successfully used to treat the condition. Likewise in some cases of stroke and brain trauma, where the generation of hydroxyl free-radicals is abundant, the use of Pyritinol has proven to be a successful treatment regime.
3.2 By acting to improve glucose uptake in the brain
Pyritinol also works by improving glucose uptake in the brain which in turn increases brain cell energy. Although our brains usually only account for around 2% of our total body weight, the brain must produce and use about 20% of the body's total energy production. However, unlike virtually all other cells in the body, nerve cells cannot use fat as an energy fuel - they can only use glucose. What’s more they cannot store any significant amounts of glucose so they are entirely dependent upon a continuous supply of glucose from the blood via the blood brain barrier.
By normalizing or enhancing the transport of glucose through the blood brain barrier and by increasing brain cell energy production from glucose, Pyritinol is able to improve brain cell energy which is so important to optimal healthy brain function.
Not surprisingly, low glucose uptake equates to low brain cell energy metabolism. Research has established that brain cell energy metabolism appears to be impaired in those suffering from a range of dementias - and the greater the reduction in metabolism, the greater the degree of severity of the dementia.
3.3 By increasing nerve activity
Another key property of Pyritinol is its ability to enhance vigilance. This is due to the fact that Pyritinol increases nerve activity in an area of the brain called the locus coeruleus (or LC) - a nucleus in the brain stem that is involved with physiological responses to stress and panic and is known to be involved in the control of attention, learning and memory.
Unfortunately, as we age the number of neurons found in the LC declines, with degeneration happening more quickly in men than women.
The LC appears to be particularly susceptible to neuronal degeneration during the course of Alzheimer’s Disease which has led to suggestions that, due to its positive effects on the LC, Pyritinol may be of relevance in the treatment of the disease.
3.4 By acting as an effective immune enhancer and relationship to Neutrophils
In the early 1990s research revealed that Pyritinol may also be effective in terms of immune enhancement because of its effect on neutrophil migration. Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cells, or leukocytes, accounting for around 50-70% of all white blood cells. They form part of our innate immune system and act as one of the first lines of defence against bacterial infection. And because neutrophils are such an important part of the immune response, a lowered neutrophil count results in a compromised immune system.
Neutrophils are produced in huge numbers in response to infection, trauma, infarction (cell death due to lack of blood supply), emotional distress or other stimuli. Essentially, neutrophils cruise around the blood stream waiting to be signalled to a site where damage is happening by chemical cues in the body. Once signalled neutrophils move quickly, and are the first immune cells to arrive at an infection site - usually within the hour. This process of signalling and rapid migration is known as chemotaxis.
Once at an infection site, neutrophils act to kill invading bacteria and other noxious substances. Their method of attack is to engulf and ingest pathogens - a process known as phagocytosis. As part of this process they release an enzyme that dissolves cells in the immediate area which results in the formation of pus. Neutrophils also release a powerful blend of free radicals and oxidants, including SOR and H2O2 which in turn generates the production of damaging hydroxyl radicals. This release of free radicals typically promotes inflammation. If inflammation becomes excessive, swelling, tenderness, pain, heat and redness at the injury site develops. But because neutrophils are phagocytic by nature, they are self destructive and will perish sooner or later from the free radicals produced by their own germ-killing actions. Neutrophils usually manage between 5-20 ‘germ kills’ before they succumb.
The research carried out in the early 1990s demonstrated that Pyritinol strongly encourages neutrophil chemotaxis but did not lead to increased free radical levels or increased inflammation. And because Pyritinol is particularly effective against hydroxyl radicals, it is especially capable of reducing hydroxyl radical induced inflammation and tissue damage.
Unfortunately, today’s sugar-rich diets are not good for us when it comes to neutrophil activity. Studies have demonstrated that such diets can seriously impair neutrophil function. Researchers have demonstrated that the number of germs a neutrophil can kill before dying from its own free radical release falls by between 50 - 80% after the consumption of various levels and forms of sugar found in drinks!(3) Fortunately, Pyritinol can help to counter the effects of sugar laden diets by enhancing neutrophil survival by reducing the hydroxyl radical excesses that normally lead to neutrophil death.
4 Dosage
As part of an anti-aging program, one 100mg tablet may be taken orally one to three times a day. Tablets should not be taken after meals.
Otherwise an initial dosage may be as much as 2 tablets three times a day for 10 days, then to be reduced thereafter to 1 tablet three times a day. The duration of treatment should be decided upon by your physician although it is recommended that continued treatment should last for at least one month.
4.1 Side effects
Pyritinol is remarkably well tolerated by most people with few, if any, side effects being reported. Occasionally Pyritinol may cause nausea, gastrointestinal upset and skin rashes. If you are unfortunate enough to experience any of these side effects they are likely to be short lived and are unlikely to be serious in nature.
In some cases, insomnia has been reported during treatment. Should this occur, do not take Pyritinol at night time.
The one major exception to Pyritinol's low side-effect profile relates to the use of Pyritinol in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Side effects in large scale rheumatoid arthritis trials did occur although they were noted to be “mostly nuisance events” that did not pose health risks and were reversible. However, in some cases these side effects did lead to the cessation of treatment. Also there is some evidence to suggest that in a very small minority of cases potentially serious adverse effects involving blood, kidney or liver may occur. Therefore, using Pyritinol to treat rheumatoid arthritis should only be carried out under the supervision of a physician and regular monitoring of liver enzymes, urine status and blood cell status should be undertaken.
There is no reliable data available concerning the use of Pyritinol during pregnancy and by nursing mothers. Therefore, its use at these times is not recommended.
Caution - Do not use doses of Pyritinol in excess of 300mg daily without first obtaining your physician’s advice. Pyritinol has also shown promise as a treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis,
5 References
1. K Kitamura (1981). Therapeutic Effect of Pyritinol on Dequelae of Head Injuries. J Int Med Res 9, 215-21
2. G Ore et al (1980). The Influence of the Administration of Pyritinol on the Clinical Course of Traumatic Coma. J Neuroserg Sci 24, 1-8
3. R Huemer & J Challem. The Natural Health Guide To Beating The Supergerms. NY:PocketBooks, 1997. Pp.124-27
4. E M. Lemmel (1993). Comparison of Pyritinol and Auranofin in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Br J Rheumatol 32, 375-82
What our customers say...
Pyritinol is good for optimal Brain Carbohydrate Metabolism (BCM) and what's good for BCM is good for the brain and the mind
James South MA, Oregon.
I've added Pyritinol to my regime, it's a real smart-drug find!
W.R., Michigan.