Producers: Azlaan Khan and Rykaa Shetty
In a world obsessed with productivity, the pursuit of a sharper, and more focused mind, has become its own industry. From caffeine-loaded energy drinks to so-called “smart pills,” nootropics are being marketed as the key to unlocking peak performance especially to students. But do they really enhance the brain, or are they quietly taking a toll on our health? In another episode of Behind the Label, hosts Azlaan and Rykaa explore the rise of cognitive enhancers and the culture that celebrates them. With humour and curiosity, they examine why so many people turn to these substances in the first place and how marketing, peer pressure, and misinformation shape our perception of risk.
Throughout this week’s episode, Brain Boost or Health Risk? The Rise of Nootropics, the hosts speak with a dentist who explains the lesser-known effects of energy drinks and caffeine on oral health, a doctor who sheds light on the physiological risks of stimulant misuse.
This episode pulls back the curtain on a growing modern habit and asks an important question: are we chasing better results, or compromising long-term wellbeing in the process? Thought-provoking and refreshingly honest, Behind the Label, offers real brutal insights and a reminder that sometimes the smartest move is simply to slow down.