Bacopa Monnieri – The Often Overlooked Nootropic Ingredient

Bacopa Monnieri is a powerful edible herb that hails from the marshy areas of India, Asia, and South America.

It has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to fortify the body’s immune system from diseases, enhance mental performance and promote longevity.

Bacopa Monnieri is said to have powerful adaptogenic properties, allowing it to help the body manage external environmental stressors.

If you are not familiar with ayurvedic herbs or plants used for medicine you may not be certain about Bacopa Monnieri and its benefits. That is why we’re here to help.

Here are all the things you need to know about this rare – but powerful – herb.

Benefits of Bacopa Monnieri

Research conducted on Bacopa Monnieri has shown that it may be useful in reducing anxiety and improving cognitive functioning. It may also possibly be used as a treatment method for improving the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, among other benefits (1).

Here are some of the benefits of Bacopa Monnieri.

Antioxidative Properties

Antioxidants are substances that help combat the damage caused by free radicals, harmful molecules that are known to cause cell damage.

Free radicals are harmful to our body because the damage caused to cells has been linked to higher risks of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain forms of cancer.

Bacopa Monnieri contains bacosides, a compound that has antioxidative properties which neutralize free radicals and prevents them from reacting with fat molecules (2).

Being able to limit the reaction between free radicals and fat molecules is significant as the process of lipid peroxidation is prevented. Lipid peroxidation has been found to be related to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (3).

Consuming Bacopa Monnieri may be able to help reduce the damage caused by these disorders.

Improve Brain Function

Research suggests that consuming Bacopa Monnieri may improve cognitive abilities.

For example, a 12-week study conducted on 46 healthy adults found that a daily intake of 300mg of Bacopa Monnieri led to heightened cognitive functioning abilities such as faster rate of learning, increased speed of processing visual information and improved memory (4).

These outcomes seem to not be affected by age.

Another study observed that older adults who consumed 300mg or 600mg of Bacopa Monnieri extract daily saw improvements in their attention span, ability to process information and memory abilities (5).

The supplementation of Bacopa Monnieri on children and adolescents has also been found to result in consistent improvements in language mastery, memory, and cognitive capabilities (6).

If you’re looking for a supplement to help you stay sharp, Bacopa Monnieri may just be the herb you need.

Reduce Anxiety and Stress

Being an adaptogenic herb, Bacopa Monnieri may additionally help with increasing your body’s capability of handling the daily stressors of life.

This can be attributed to its anxiolytic properties, which means it could help to relieve the symptoms of stress and ease anxiety.

A 12-week study found that when compared to a placebo group, those consuming 300mg of Bacopa Monnieri daily saw a significant reduction in depression and anxiety scores (among adults (7)).

Current studies on Bacopa Monnieri seem to be optimistic about its effects on stress and anxiety. Perhaps it is indicative that Bacopa Monnieri could become a staple in helping individuals who are experiencing chronic stress in the future.

Reduce ADHD Symptoms

Research suggests that Bacopa Monnieri may help reduce Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by high levels of impulsivity, inattentiveness, and the need to move about.

One study conducted on 31 children aged 6-12 years found that consuming 225mg of Bacopa Monnieri extract daily over a period of 6 months reduced ADHD symptoms such as restlessness, short attention span, and impulsivity in 85 percent of the children (9).

While the findings are optimistic, the research on the benefits of relieving ADHD symptoms is currently still in its preliminary phase. It is widely hoped that Bacopa Monnieri could be the next treatment method for children suffering from ADHD or similar in the future.

How Bacopa Monnieri Works

Bacopa Monnieri’s nootropic, anxiolytic, and neuroprotectant properties can be largely attributed to its ability to improve neural communication and stimulate the production of certain types of neurotransmitters.

For example, Bacopa Monnieri can enhance neural communication by speeding up the growth and development of dendrites. Dendrites are the nerve cell’s extension which neural impulses rely on to transmit information.

In short, having more dendrites means that there are more ways for neural impulses to travel, leading to faster and more efficient transmission of information among (brain) cells.

Bacopa Monnieri also influences the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is closely related to cognition. Treatment with Bacopa Monnieri also inhibits cholinesterase, a chemical produced by the brain that breaks down acetylcholine. This process is believed to raise acetylcholine levels in the body, leading to improved cognition and memory formation (8).

Bacopa Monnieri’s ability to decrease stress and anxiety could be attributed to it being able to increase serotonin and GABA levels in the brain. These neurotransmitters serve to inhibit brain neurons from firing excessively due to stress.

Overall, while it seems that Bacopa Monnieri has the ability to help regulate the activities in the brain, it is important to consume it in proper amounts to reap its benefits.

What dosages of Bacopa Monnieri should I consume?

Existing research conducted on Bacopa Monnieri typically uses 300-450 mg of Bacopa Monnieri per day for adults.

Hence if you’re looking to optimize the benefits of consuming Bacopa Monnieri, it is recommended that you look for a supplement which contains a dose in the range of 300-450 mg per day.

Bacopa Monnieri is available in powder form and capsule form. You can purchase it widely from various vendors ranging from your local supplement store to specialized online vendors.

Keep in mind that not all Bacopa Monnieri supplements available on the shelves are made equal. Some will definitely be of higher quality than others.

When choosing a product, always check the product label to ensure that the ingredients and the amount used are optimal.

This is to avoid the risk overdosing or not getting your money’s worth by consuming suboptimal amounts.

As with all supplements, it is best for you to start with lower amounts to allow your body to adapt and for you to determine if the supplement is suitable for you. Bacopa Monnieri is not going to instantly improve your health. It must be taken regularly over a period of time for you to experience the health benefits that it can offer.

Side effects of Bacopa Monnieri

While Bacopa Monnieri is considered safe, some individuals may experience side effects.

For example, the most common side effects reported are indigestion, dry mouth, increased bowel movements and lethargy (10).

These side effects may be more pronounced during the initial phase of supplementation and such instances may reduce as your body becomes more accustomed to taking the herb.

If the side effects were to persist, you are of course advised to stop the supplementation and seek medical attention.

(For pregnant women or individuals on long-term medication, please consult your healthcare provider before starting on Bacopa Monnieri supplementation).

Summary

Bacopa Monnieri is a herbal supplement that has been used in traditional medicine and that can be used to boost physical and mental health.

In today’s modern world, it is often supplemented for its nootropic, anxiolytic, and neuroprotective properties.

Bacopa Monnieri is safe for consumption with very few side effects.

Existing research suggests that Bacopa Monnieri can be utilized to improve cognition and memory capabilities. Its antioxidative properties indicate that it could slow down premature aging and protect the brain from the damage caused by neurodegenerative diseases.

Apart from boosting brain function, Bacopa Monnieri can also help individuals better manage their stress and anxiety, improving overall wellbeing.

That said, Bacopa Monnieri isn’t a wonder drug. It should not be seen as something that can cure existing problems or diseases. Consistent supplementation over a long period of time is required for individuals to fully see the benefit from its cognitive enhancing properties.

Super Greens: Bacopa Monnieri and more

Bacopa Monnieri is extremely powerful, promising many health benefits, mainly revolving around brain health.

When looking for ways to supplement your diet you should always adopt an all-round approach and look for ways to improve all aspects of your health.

If you are looking for an all-in-one supplement that not only boosts brain health but also fulfills your daily vitamin and minerals requirements from fruits and vegetables, fortifies your immune system and aids your body in detoxing accumulated toxins, SuperGreen Tonik may just be for you.

SuperGreen Tonik is a dietary supplement made from fruits, vegetables, leafy greens and superfoods.

Not only does SuperGreen Tonik contain the optimum amount of 300mg of Bacopa Monnieri, it also includes the vitamins and minerals of 15 other superfoods such as spirulina, kale, and chlorella.

Each ingredient in SuperGreen Tonik has been carefully selected to ensure the proper delivery of nutrients to your mind and body.

In fact SuperGreen Tonik contains more ingredients than your regular brain supplement — natural brain-boosting herbs such as Ashwagandha Root Extract, Rhodiola Rosea and Gingko Biloba are also included.

Check out the benefits super greens have on brain health.

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