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Does Citicoline keep you awake? Can you take this nootropic before bed?

Published May 13, 2021 by Brian Johnson, PhD | Medically reviewed by Dr. DW Zaidel

Evidence suggests that Citicoline does not keep you awake. In one study, Citicoline did not increase nighttime wakefulness or movement, measured by the number of waking episodes per night, the time awake per episode, and the number of moving minutes per night.

Citicoline is among the most widely used nootropics in the world today.

Not only is Citicoline a main ingredient in most of the best nootropics on the market today, but it is a highly effective brain supplement when used in isolation. Clinicians routinely use Citicoline for slowing cognitive decline, while some have found it effective for helping with recovery from traumatic brain injury.

One of the main benefits of Citicoline is its effects on brain energy. Using Citicoline is known to dramatically increase mental energy, which in turn helps people stay focused and alert for longer.

This has led to many supplement manufacturers marketing Citicoline as an energy supplement, which has in turn led to many people wondering if Citicoline helps keep you awake.

It might sound like an odd question, but we have had several people comment on our Citicoline guide asking whether Citicoline will keep them awake at night if they use it before bed.

So, does Citicoline stop you going to sleep?

To answer that question, we first need to take a look at what Citicoline is, what it does, and how it works.


What is Citicoline?

Citicoline is a compound of choline and cytidine; two substances that are hugely important for overall health and performance, particularly brain health and performance.

Citicoline is a naturally occurring substance. It is found in the organs of all animals, particularly in the brain where it is referred to as CDP-Choline (Citicoline is the same compound, we just differentiate when it is inside and outside the body).

Citicoline is an intermediary in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and acetylcholine from choline.


What does Citicoline do?

There is a reason why Citicoline is used in most of the best nootropics on the market right now. Supplementing with Citicoline has been found to significantly increase levels of acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine in the brain. We refer to compounds which can raise choline-based compounds in the brain “cholinergics”.

Increasing acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine in the brain has major effects on cognitive performance.

Acetylcholine is the brain’s main neurotransmitter, responsible for carrying out all executive cognitive functions (e.g. speech, working memory, information processing, muscle movement, etc).

Phosphatidylcholine, on the other hand, is a primary structural component of brain cell membranes. More phosphatidylcholine means better brain cell health and functionality over the long-term.

Citicoline supplementation has also been shown to drastically increase mental energy. Studies show that Citicoline consumption leads to increases in brain cell mitochondria efficiency; one trial found as much as a 14% increase in brain cell ATP levels; as ATP is the energy currency of your cells, this means much more energy.


Does Citicoline keep you awake?

Citicoline is not a stimulant. It does not increase central nervous system activity. It does not excite your nervous system in any way, nor does it reduce physical fatigue.

Citicoline doesn’t work like caffeine either; it has no effect on adenosine receptors, so it does not interfere with your sleep cycle at all.

So in short, no, Citicoline does not and cannot keep you awake. It has no effect on your sleeping cycle, and it canot prevent you from getting drowsy.

The reason people think Citicoline can keep you awake is the fact that it increases menal energy. However, it does so by making your cell mitochondria more efficient at releasing energy from food, not by artificially raising energy or keeping you awake like a stimulant.

Looking For Something That Really Works?

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Nooceptin is our current top rated nootropic. We tried Nooceptin ourselves and found that it works exactly as advertised. Taken together, the ingredients rapidly increase focus, accelerate mental processing speeds, and enhance working memory.

Nooceptin is a truly comprehensive nootropic, providing both immediate and long-term benefits. It does not cause side effects and is considerably better value than other nootropic stacks on the market today.

Nooceptin has been found to effectively:

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  • ✔️ Enable Better Communication
  • ✔️ Enhance Concentration
  • ✔️ Improve Multi-tasking
  • ✔️ Boost Mental Energy

The really special thing about Nooceptin, however, is its long-term effects. When taken daily for prolonged periods, Nooceptin stimulates neuron growth and improves overall brain cell health. This means it enhances cognition in a deep, meaningful way that keeps giving you benefits after you stop using it.

Simply put, Nooceptin is the ideal brain supplement for people who need to mentally perform at 100% capacity for hours on end. At $69.99 per course, we think it's hard to find a more effective and cost-effective nootropic right now.

>>>LEARN MORE ABOUT NOOCEPTIN<<<

Brian Johnson VAGA
Brian Johnson, PhD

Brian Johnson is current Editor of Vagarights.com and a long-time writer for VAGA. A former psychologist, Brian is passionate about improving mental health and finding ways to stave off cognitive decline. He is an expert on nootropics, cognitive enhancement and biohacking more broadly. You can see his work on Google scholar.

Filed Under: Citicoline, Nootropics

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mark says

    December 4, 2022 at 6:48 pm

    I had 5 days of horrible insomnia after 500mg of Citicoline.
    That’s all I have to say

    Reply

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