Brahmi, also known as Bacopa monnieri, is an ancient medicinal herb that has been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine.
Today it is gaining in popularity as part of some nootropics. The biggest of Bacopa’s benefits is its brain-boosting ability.
What Bacopa is, how it works and where you should buy Bacopa is all covered in this article. So keep reading!
What is Bacopa?
Bacopa enjoys a reputation as one of the best plant compounds. The semi-aquatic plant grows in tropical wetlands and swamps around the world, the plant is particularly native to South and Southeast Asia, including in Vietnam and India.
the plant can be recognized by its fleshy and round leaves, rich green color and white small flowers. The popular Ayurvedic plant has been used in Indian natural medicine for more than 3000 years and showed great benefits.
Also, Brahmi was used as a focus boost thousands of years ago, especially when scholars and students should memorize long texts.
But the plant is not only used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Even botanists around the world use the leaves of the plants to produce remedies of various kinds. To date, the market for nootropics and dietary supplements with Bacopa as an ingredient has greatly increased due to its effects.
These effects have been researched in numerous studies, but therapeutic and medical statements require many more clinical studies, which is why no general health-related statements can be made.
Bacopa’ Benefits
The effect of the plant on the regulation of nerve and brain cells, the ability to concentrate and mental clarity was examined in studies.
A study by the School of Health and Human Sciences in New South Wales, Australia has focused on Brahmi’s impact on mental performance.
Brahmi has been taken by 136 elderly subjects with memory deficits. After a 12-week test phase, the memory performance increased significantly. Bacopa is thus particularly well-known because of its beneficial effect on memory performance, although it still requires further clinical studies for general health claims.
Another study by the University of Victoria’s Neuropsychology Laboratory has used a similar research design and found the following: 2 In the double-blind study, one group of healthy adults was given a placebo and the other Bacopa. After 12 weeks, the Bacopa group showed a significant improvement in the processing of visual stimuli, comprehension, learning, and memory.
The study also showed that both short-term and long-term memory was positively influenced.
Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Nootropikum on the memory of older people was researched.
Portland’s National College of Natural Medicine study specifically looked at this issue and looked at the impact of Bacopa on older patients.
It revealed that the overall mental performance of the subjects improved, as evidenced by a learning test. So Bacopa can benefit the natural cognitive aging process and benefit against the loss of memory in older people.
Last but not least, researchers were curious about the effects of Brahmi on children. Brahmi is a pure plant substance and so a study with children between the ages of 6 and 8 reported that they also had a positive effect.
It showed a significant improvement in the reaction time of children and bacopa acted as a stress killer.
There is no shortage of clinical trials for Bacopa and its multiple effects. Thus, the topic of Bacopa and its benefits and stress was further explored.
A study by the Department of Pharmacology at Banaras Hindu University focused on the relationship to stress and how Brahmi can reduce anxiety and reduce stress.
The study found that the plant compound is a so-called adaptogen. By adapting to the botanical definition, adaptogenic natural products help the body to be resistant to stress by helping to rebalance the body’s imbalance in homeostasis.
Homeostasis is often disrupted by stress. Roughly speaking, the homeostasis of the body is understood to mean various regulatory processes related to body temperature, hormone balance, blood circulation, etc. Adaptable herbs now have the botanical definition of the power to counteract them.
Brahmi is one of those herbs. This is especially beneficial if you have to deal with a stressful office or learning routine every day.
How to Use Bacopa
The use of Bacopa is possible in several ways, be it a capsule, powder or directly in original plant form.
In any case, care must be taken that the effect only starts after 8-12 weeks and the daily dosage of 300-500 mg should not be undercut.
Therefore, the intake must not be interrupted before this period, to unfold the full potential of Bacopa.
The intake as a powder is relatively expensive because it must be taken several times a day in conjunction with a glass of water. Experience with the powder has shown that especially the taste can be tough because Brahmi is quite bitter.
If you like it naturally, you can also buy a Brahmi plant directly. In the application and care, the plant is extremely impractical.
Therefore, the most suitable is the intake in the form of a capsule. The important active ingredients remain and the application is extremely straightforward. Most of the experience reports speak for the use as a capsule, which already contains the correct dosage and nothing more must be respected.
Side Effects of Bacopa
Bacopa is one of the very old nootropics. Basically, no side effects are known as long as the recommended dosage is met.
The average recommended daily dose is about 300 mg. This optimally covers the daily requirements.
However, side effects can occur if Bacopa is taken in combination with other nootropics that are not properly matched. This can lead to headaches, stomach ache, and even diarrhea.
Therefore, it is always advisable to use a product in which the various micro and plant substances are already optimally matched to each other. Other side effects may occur if antidepressants or other prescription medications have been taken in combination with Bacopa.
Therefore, before taking the supplement in combination with such prescription drugs, ask your doctor.
Where to Buy Bacopa
Anyone who chooses to buy Bacopa should pay close attention to how the product was produced.
Only high-quality Bacopa extract will unfold its full benefits. Also, make sure you have a trusted supplied that does not mix in any other substances that might have side effects.
Conclusion: Bacopa Benefits
Bacopa is one of the oldest nootropics. It is well researched and is proved not to have any side effects.
Therefore you really can’t do much wrong here. But the thing is, it takes 6 -8 weeks for it to work. So don’t expect any immediate benefits as from most other nootropics.
Cheers,
Sam
