Bacopa monnieri – The #1 Herbal Nootropic*

Helps Concentration and Memory, Increases Neuroprotection and Cerebral Blood Flow, Balances Neurotransmitters plus Much More*

Bacopa has been so revered over the years that the Hindis named this herb “Brahmi”, named after their creator god Brahma.

Other names include Water Hyssop, Moneywort, or Herb of Grace. It has been used in the Ayurvedic tradition for several thousand years as a rasayana, to make new again, reversing age related decline in both the physical and mental realms as well as increasing a sense of wholesomeness.*

• May reduce anxiety and depression*
• Reduces stress*
• Increases memory, concentration, and reaction time*
• Protects the brain and neurons*
• May balance certain neurotransmitters*

Bacopa Rejuvenates the Mind and Brain*

The capabilities of Bacopa for promoting memory recall and other mental functions has been the primary use of the herb for a very long time indeed. Research, though limited, has begun to shed light on how it does this.

One method is through its constituents Bacoside A,jujubogenin and pseudojujubogenin which break down in the body to ebelin lactone and bacogenin A1. These two have been shown to have high blood brain barrier penetration and directly bind to receptor sites that act to increase cognitive and memory prowess.^[1]*

Bacopa has also been shown to help manage the neurotransmitter balance in the cerebral cortex(specifically of acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and dopamine) and through this action moderate epilepsy, among other things.^[2]*

Another study found very favorable results for the treatment of ADHD in young children of 7 years old. It effectivelydecreased restlessness and increased concentration and self-control in the previously diagnosed group after 6 months of a daily 225 mg extract.^[3]*

Current evidence suggests bacopa increases cerebral blood flow and also reduces β-amyloid plaques (which contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia). It’s also being looked at for helping in Parkinson’s disease with its dopamine-regulating effects.^[4]*

Adaptogen and Rasayana

Bacopa could be considered an adaptogen of the highest order. Its anti-stress effects come primarily through its ability to fortify the mind to withstand prolonged mental stress (whatever that may be) and a sound mind translates into less stress throughout the body.*

Many bodily effects of Bacopa are therefore a rebalancing in reaction to less cortisol in the body.*

One action is through prevention of neuronal dysfunction through oxidative processes.^[5]* This helps the brain recover quicker during sleep which translates to optimal brain performance the following day.* A tired mind is an inefficient mind. Neurons have been shown to get tired with length of stress and lack of sleep. Bacopa helps prevent tired neurons and their much weaker response to daily stressors, restoring work capacity and thus improving all mental functions.*

In addition to helping the mind adapt to stress, Bacopa has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against toxins.^[6]* This is important in today’s man-made chemically saturated world and can help prevent aging of the brain through unseen toxin exposure.

In Ayurveda certain rasayanas target specific organs and so there came to be categories that rasayanas would be grouped into.  A medhya rasayana is a rasayana that targets the mind specifically.^[7]* This is what bacopa falls under among other herbs like ashwagandha.

Other Benefits of Bacopa monnieri

Traditionally, Bacopa has been used for IBS, ulcers as well as other digestive troubles.* When combined with other herbs in a paste it would be an important addition to get herbs through to someone dealing with such issues.

Luteolin, a compound in Bacopa has been shown to possess strong anti-microbial effects against the much feared bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It was shown to work better then anti-biotics at binding to the receptor sites of the cell.^[7]*

Additionally, certain fungi found in Bacopa were found to possess a powerful cytotoxic (anti-tumor) and anti-microbial effect that may be passed along to the rest of the body (8)*

Certified Organic Real Spectrum Extract

When it comes to nootropics most are either drugs or isolated nutrients. But Bacopa is often used in it’s full form.

Even so, it is often standardized for bacosides. What this means is certain parts of it are discarded in order to reach this “standard” of what we think is the most important part.

We’ve decided to go in a different direction using a real spectrum extract. This means that everything that is in the plant is here in it’s natural ratios. This allows you to get the benefits with less of a chance of side effects.

Still, for those curious, there are 15% bacosides in this extract. That means there’s plenty of other saponins, including bacopasides as well as alkaloids like brahmine and monnierasides and much more.

We’re also happy to announce that our Bacopa extract is 100% certified organic.

How to Take Bacopa

This powdered extract comes in a 30 gram bag (approximately one ounce).

The recommended dose is 250mg twice a day, morning and night. Each dose is about 1/4th of a teaspoon. At this dose each bag will last you 2 months!

For best results you’ll need to take bacopa every day for a couple months. As an adaptogen it works better the longer you take it.

That being said this is one that I tend to feel right away and you might too. There’s an immediate amount of focus as the “mental cobwebs” disappear.

It is best to take with food, as bacopa side effects sometimes include upset stomach. Historically, it was typically taken with ghee, as a fat source can provide better absorption and utilization.

You can use it as a pick me up any time you need better concentration and to get work done. Bacopa is great for meditating too!

Contraindications

Bacopa monnieri is largely safe for even small children to consume.

However, research has shown that it does possess potential for herb-drug interactions when consumed with pharmaceutical drugs.^[10] Please ask your doctor or do your own independent research.

Additional information

References

1. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract 
   Chuenjid Kongkeaw – Piyameth Dilokthornsakul – Phurit Thanarangsarit – Nanteetip Limpeanchob – C. Scholfield – Journal of Ethnopharmacology – 2014
2. Alteration in 5-HT2C, NMDA Receptor and IP3 in Cerebral Cortex of Epileptic Rats: Restorative Role of Bacopa monnieri
   Amee Krishnakumar – T. Anju – Pretty Abraham – C. Paulose – Neurochem Res Neurochemical Research – 2014
3. An open-label study to elucidate the effects of standardized Bacopa monnieri extract in the management of symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.
   Dave UP, Dingankar SR, Saxena VS, Joseph JA, Bethapudi B, Agarwal A, Kudiganti V. (2014, Spring). Adv Mind Body Med.,
4. Neuropharmacological Review of the Nootropic Herb Bacopa monnieri
   Sebastian Aguiar – Thomas Borowski – Rejuvenation Research – 2013
5. Bacopa monnieri Prophylaxis Abrogates 3-nitropropionic Acid Induced Brain Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Among Prepubertal Mice: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidences 
   Shinomol Gk – Bentham Muralidhara – Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering NBE – 2015
6. Neuromodulatory role of Bacopa monnieri on oxidative stress induced by postnatal exposure to decabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE -209) in neonate and young female mice. Mahavidyalaya, M. (2014). Basic Med Science, 304-311.
7. Neuronutrient impact of Ayurvedic Rasayana therapy in brain aging
   Ram Singh – K. Narsimhamurthy – Girish Singh – Biogerontology – 2008
8. Molecular docking and inhibition studies on the interactions of Bacopa monnieri’s potent phytochemicals against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus 
   Talha Emran – Md Rahman – Mir Uddin – Raju Dash – Md Hossen – Mohammad Mohiuddin – Md Alam – DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences DARU J Pharm Sci – 2015
9. Cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of endophytic fungi isolated from Bacopa monnieri
   (L.) Pennell (Scrophulariaceae) Meenu Katoch – Gurpreet Singh – Sadhna Sharma – Nidhi Gupta – Payare Sangwan – Ajit Saxena – BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine BMC Complement Altern Med – 2014
10. Inhibition of Human Cytochrome P450 Enzymes by Bacopa monnieri Standardized Extract and Constituents 
    Seetha Ramasamy – Lik Kiew – Lip Chung – Molecules – 2014

Lab Results

1. Certificate of Analysis
2. Heavy Metals and Minerals Report
3. Microbiology Report

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