Bacopa Herb Information: Benefits, Side Effects + Using Powder

Bacopa herb supplements have been in vogue far longer than just about any other vitamin in your medicine cabinet.

This native plant of Southeast Asian wetlands has been widely used as a folk medicine cure-all for as many as thousands of years.

Long thought to be a natural remedy mental stress and the physical symptoms which accompany it, Bacopa leaf teas and oils are common fixtures in Indian and Ayurvedic traditions.

Today, as we learn more about the biochemical effects of Bacopa herbs, it becomes possible to apply the therapy to modern neurological imbalances. Here are the facts about where Bacopa comes from, how it works, possible side effects, and how to take it.

Bacopa Monnieri

Natural Nootropic

Brain Function

Memory

Stress

How It Works:

• Increases communication between neurons
• Supports memory, focus & cognition
• Reduces anxiety & stress

Dosage:

Between 50 - 500mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Ayurveda Use of Bacopa Herb

In Ayurveda traditions, the Bacopa herb is known as Brahmi, which literally translates into the “herb of grace.”

The leaves of the creeping vine plant, which grows wild in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, and throughout India, are crushed or extracted for oral consumption. They are also infused into oils which are applied topically to the scalp.

Ayurveda uses the Bacopa leaf to treat excess “pitta” energy. This is another way of describing any characteristics which are agitated, over-taxed, over-stressed, and inflamed.

Applicable ailments include stomach ache, headache, anxiety attacks, and excessive anger and rage. People who exhibit these symptoms generally find relief by sipping on a Brahmi tea.

Today, it has also been observed that Bacopa does more than just reduce symptoms of irritation – it can reduce stress before it manifests physically, by altering brain biochemistry. This quality qualifies it as a nootropic therapy – any compound which is consumed to augment natural processes of the brain in order to achieve cognitive enhancement.

How Bacopa Herb Works

Here’s what we know about how Bacopa herb works. Its primary effects come from component compounds called bacosides. These compounds chief functions are the regulation of serotonin and dopamine, two of the most well-known mood-related neurochemicals.

Serotonin produces sensations of peacefulness and contentedness. Dopamine is associated with strong mental energy and inner drive. Together, these two chemicals deliver most of Bacopa’s effects.

Next, Bacopa’s bacosides increase the activity of GABA receptors, the body’s natural mechanism for inhibiting stress reactions. Bacopa raises kinase activity in the hippocampus, which improves the efficiency of nerve communication. Together with GABA effects, this calms over-active chemical messages in the brain and makes clearer cognition possible.

Bacopa Leaf As A Modern Cognitive Enhancer – Benefits

Bacopa can reduce feelings of stress and may prevent and reduce panic attacks. It can sort out confusing, hyperactive thoughts, and make it easier to focus upon detail oriented tasks. For this reason, Bacopa is sometimes mentioned as a possible ADHD therapy.

Bacopa contributes to a bright, happy mood, and can be considered an anti-depressant. The main issue with Bacopa benefits is timing.

For most people stress symptoms can be very acute – relief is needed quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, Bacopa can take quite a while to manifest benefits, sometimes as long as a year.

Bacopa Herb and Alpha Brain

Stacking neural health supplements is the very common practice of combining synergistic components to create effects which are greater than any of the component parts. The best Bacopa effects can be achieved when the Bacopa herb is combined with other potent nootropic supplements.

Its anxiolytic properties make it a good partner for cognitive enhancers which boost concentration. Often, anxiety symptoms thoughts are the key inhibitor to strong mental focus. By cutting anxiety at its source, a Bacopa leaf dosage can allow other powerful focus-building chemicals like acetylcholine do their work.

This is the rationale behind including Bacopa in popular nootropic stack products like Alpha Brain, of which Bacopa herb is a small yet vital component. Here, Bacopa contributes to overall cognitive power, heightened energy, increased concentration, and better recall.

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