Can nootropics make healthy adults more intelligent?

These supplements have not been shown to raise general intelligence in healthy people. The Riot IQ article reviews evidence on Nootropics, compounds taken to support mental performance. It covers studies in healthy younger and older adults. Its main distinction is important: doing better on one task is not the same as becoming more intelligent. One six-week study tested ginkgo, an herbal supplement, in 230 adults over 60. People took either ginkgo or a dummy pill, following the manufacturer's directions. There were no clear differences in learning, memory, attention, concentration, or word skills. Memory ratings from the people in the study and their companions also showed no clear differences. A separate review covered 15 studies in healthy people under 60. It found no convincing evidence that ginkgo reliably improved thinking skills. Some single-dose studies found gains on certain tasks at specific times. Those findings did not repeat across studies. The article does not say every effect is imaginary. Some products offer small, short-term benefits on specific tasks, mostly through caffeine. But those narrow gains do not show a rise in overall intelligence. A broader review, mostly about prescription drugs, also found modest effects. Responses varied widely between people. For BioSocial members, this makes the tracking goal worth defining. A focus rating, task score, and feeling more productive measure different things. Notes on the product, dose, timing, and repeated scores can make community comparisons more useful. They cannot, by themselves, prove a lasting change in intelligence. What have your own notes or numbers shown about feeling sharper versus doing better on a specific task?