It's Lit Up week at Motherboard, which means we're talking about drugs. And what's more fun than that?
Weekend/gaming editor Emanuel Maiberg and managing editor Adrianne Jeffries pop some Alpha BRAIN and OptiMind to try and perk up the podcast. We drag in Steve Cronin, a self-taught nootropics expert, to talk about the smart drug craze. We also speak to Rod Breslau, an eSports journalist, to find out whether all this hand-wringing over doping at tournaments is really justified.
Show notes:
1:12 - Steve, tell us who you are?
2:25 - Steve tells us about the drugs he brought for us to try.
5:12 - Why are noots so hot right now?
9:38 - Don't mix your noots.
10:25 - Let's talk about Adderall, which was recently banned from certain eSports events because it's been framed as the steroid of the sport.
11:15 - "We were all on Adderall" video referenced is here.
12:30 - Rod Breslau, tell us who you are?
19:12 - "I think that it has happened and I believe that it could still happen which is why it's necessary for this, these guidelines to come into place, but I also don't think it's as widespread as there would be gigantic names to fall if there were testing done retroactively... though I really do not want to eat those words."
23:05 - Ramping up that APM, actions per minute.
30:00 - eSports players sometimes sit for up to six hours. Endurance is key.
34:10 - Back to the studio! So, where is the line for drugs that enhance performance and, like, Red Bull and energy drinks, which are big sponsors of eSports events?
37:00 - Steve talks about his experience with Lyme disease.
42:00 - There are disadvantages to self-experimentation. Exhibit A: Noopept.
46:10 - Research on nootropics is scarce. Why don't nootropics companies pay for more studies into this stuff?
49:12 - What's the deal with the butter in the coffee?
50:01 - That's it! Thanks for listening, and see you next week.