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How significant are Bacopa Monnieri side effects? This staple herbal remedy has been used prominently in Ayurveda medicine for centuries.
Well-known as a memory enhancing, anti-depressive, anti-anxiety supplement, Bacopa has been widely prescribed to adults and children. As a wetland herb, Bacopa grows wild on 5 continents.
Traditional medicine tells us that the human brain is uniquely adapted to processing the herb’s chemical components. Does modern science agree? Read on to find out how the side effects of Bacopa Monnieri compare to its benefits.
Brain Function
Memory
Stress- Increases communication between neurons
- Supports memory, focus & cognition
- Reduces anxiety & stress
Top Bacopa Products* ❯Traditional History of Brahmi
Related Topics
Also known as Brahmi, or the “herb of grace,” Bacopa Monnieri is a creeping vine which occurs in marshlands.
Its original habitats were found in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan, and India. It factors heavily in the folk medicine traditions in these areas.
Now, Bacopa Monnieri can be hydroponically grown around the world, and is frequently cultivated as a nootropic supplement from U.S. sources in Florida and Hawaii.
Native cultures used the herb to treat many different, seemingly disparate conditions, such as epilepsy, joint pain, asthma, tumors, and even leprosy. It has anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. Its chief use, however, has always been as a cognitive enhancer.
Children were widely prescribed doses of Bacopa as a mental preparation for good studying and schoolwork. Adults were also given the supplement to enhance learning and recall, into old age. Through centuries of use, no major Bacopa Monnieri side effects prevented its widespread use in these areas.
How Bacopa Monnieri Works to Improve Memory
Bacopa’s primary memory effects are achieved via a series of chemical controls in the brain. First, the supplement stimulates the brain to make it more conducive to high speed communication. Bacoside A, a principle component of Bacopa, ignites information transfer at cell receptor sites and causes dendrites to grow.
It boosts kinase activity in the hippocampus, home of long-term memory function. Bacopa also promotes production of the psychoactive enzyme TPH2 (Tryptophan Hydroxylase), which boosts the rate of synaptic communication. The combination of these elements creates a rapid exchange of chemical data, and feels to the user like easy, sharp thoughts and memories.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety Responses
Next, Bacopa improves cognition by reducing factors which impede neural communication, like stress and anxiety. Bacopa Monnieri is known as an adaptogen. This class of medicines eliminates stress responses by stopping their chemical triggers in advance. Bacopa accomplishes this by reducing the amount of stress markers like HSP70, so the body’s fight or flight stress reactions never start.
The user does not feel anxiety or stress, and the mind is free to process thoughts at a reasonable pace. Finally, Bacopa stimulates the production of serotonin and regulates dopamine spikes. These two hormones help to create a feeling of pleasant, stress-free calm in the mind.
These benefits are often forgotten in favor of the memory-boosting properties of the herb, but many experienced users say this is the best reason to take the supplement.
Bacopa Uses and Benefits
Bacopa offers excellent benefits for both short and long term memory function. It promotes a clear and calm mental state. The daily use of Bacopa can be of great assistance to the hyperactive minds associated with conditions like ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder).
As an anxiolytic, Bacopa has been said to prevent panic attacks before they happen, and makes anxiety triggers like social events easier to enjoy.
As a part of the cognitive formula found in Alpha Brain pills, Bacopa offers an advanced mental longevity boost – improving all facets of cognition and protecting neural structures against the hazards of cell damage. Bacopa can help anyone get through a stressful day, or be used to treat more serious clinical emotional imbalances.
List of Bacopa Monnieri Side Effects
For most people, Bacopa Monnieri side effects are not significant. This remedy has been used as a folk medicine for many centuries and is well-tolerated by most people.
The only notable side effect that users report is stomach trouble. Even at moderate doses, a high percentage of people did experience an upset stomach or nausea when taking Bacopa.
In most cases, the effect is temporary, and does not interfere with Bacopa benefits. In extreme cases, some gastrointestinal blockage has occurred in people with pre-existing GI issues.
In rare cases, Bacopa use has caused secretions in the lungs, the stomach, and the urinary tract. It can also cause heart rate issues and impotence in some men. These side effects are not the norm, but they can happen.
Bacopa is also contraindicated if you are currently taking any anti-depressants, thyroid medication, or sedatives like Valium. For these reasons, reducing the amount of Bacopa and supplementing it with other nootropics will be a good way to minimize any risks.
Safe Dosages To Avoid Bacopa Monnieri Side Effects
The standard dosage for Bacopa is 300 mg per day. This is a universally acknowledged amount that has been used since the origins of the herbal remedy. This dosage also applies to both adults and children using it for a variety of conditions such as memory enhancement and ADHD.
The product does have a long onset time for its memory-related functions. While anxiety relief is very fast, other cognitive effects will take more time to be noticeable, and there is no need to increase the dosage. In fact, upping the dosage may cause unwanted Bacopa Monnieri side effects.
With a little patience, you’ll feel all of the powerful stress-busting, mood-lifting, memory-enhancing benefits that have been enjoyed with this herb for centuries.
- Phulara SC, Shukla V, Tiwari S, Pandey R. Bacopa monnieri promotes longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans under stress conditions. Pharmacogn Mag. 2015
- Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2010
- Kapoor R, Srivastava S, Kakkar P. Bacopa monnieri modulates antioxidant responses in brain and kidney of diabetic rats. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2009
- Limpeanchob N, Jaipan S, Rattanakaruna S, Phrompittayarat W, Ingkaninan K. Neuroprotective effect of Bacopa monnieri on beta-amyloid-induced cell death in primary cortical culture. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008
- Kamkaew N, Norman Scholfield C, Ingkaninan K, Taepavarapruk N, Chootip K. Bacopa monnieri increases cerebral blood flow in rat independent of blood pressure. Phytother Res. 2013
- Ramasamy S, Kiew LV, Chung LY. Inhibition of human cytochrome P450 enzymes by Bacopa monnieri standardized extract and constituents. Molecules. 2014
- Mishra S, Srivastava S, Dwivedi S, Tripathi RD. Investigation of biochemical responses of Bacopa monnieri L. upon exposure to arsenate. Environ Toxicol. 2013
- Deepak M, Amit A. 'Bacoside B'--the need remains for establishing identity. Fitoterapia. 2013
- Mathew J, Soman S, Sadanandan J, Paulose CS. Decreased GABA receptor in the striatum and spatial recognition memory deficit in epileptic rats: effect of Bacopa monnieri and bacoside-A. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010
Article last updated on: March 29th, 2018 by Nootriment
16 Comments
When you say 300mg standard dose, you ignore the reality that most Bacopa is in extract form. And most of the extracts are in different amounts like 20x etc. So this needs to addressed for accuracy. Thanks.
Hi Graham,
Thanks for mentioning that. To clarify, the 300mg standard dosage of Bacopa Extract is based on a 55% bacosides content which is the active ingredient found in this plant extract.
Most of the products that are labelled as Bacopa Extract on on the market will contain at least 50% Bacosides, though there is quite a bit of variation.
Some products may list their bacoside content as between 10-20% by weight. These are referred to not as “extracts” but as Bacopa Leaf Powder. It is important to determine the accurate bacosides content of a supplement before you purchase it and you should avoid products that do not explicitly provide the extract percentage on the label.
Hello. Can you tell me please can I use it for my 2 years boy and what dosage should I use for him?
Kind regards, Olesya.
Hi Olesya,
There have been studies on Bacopa use in children, but none on toddlers as young as 2 years old: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20228219. It would be best to speak to your pediatrician before using as dosage guidelines for toddlers and infants should always be determined by a doctor. If your doctor determines that this is a safe product for a two year old, dosing will usually depend on weight since weights can be very different among children this age!
I’ve recently tried taking Bacopa and found that it puffs out my nasal passages so I’m unable to breath through my nose when I sleep. I had to stop taking it.
Thanks for your comment Diane – this sounds like it might be an allergic reaction to Bacopa. Definitely a good idea to avoid this supplement in that case.
Hi, I am currently taking Adderall 30 mg XR. But sometimes have to decrease it to a 20 mg. I am diagnosis with ADD at the age of 42. I have already had testing anxiety and unable to focus when testing but never sought help. Anyhow, my daughter is 9 and the teachers are seeing some of the same symptoms for ADD. I am wanting this medication for her but do not know how to measure the appropriate mg for her 5.1 105pds
Hey Brenna,
The best advice I can give you is to speak to a doctor who can determine what the appropriate dosage is for your daughter and what the appropriate treatment protocol is! These types of determinations should always be made by a physician who can examine your daughter in person.
My husband has drug-resistant epilepsy-tonic clonic, and huge behavioural problems from epilepsy & drugs. I have a supplement from Ethical Nutrients which contains 4.5 g per capsule (equivalent to whole plant, dry) Bacopa. It is called Memory Booster. Is this a suitable dose? They recommend 2 daily.
Hey Esther,
It’s much harder to determine the effective dosage when dealing with whole plant extract as opposed to standardized extracts. In a standardized extract, the percentage of active ingredients (bacosides) has been measured and is clearly indicated, which can then be used to determine appropriate dosage.
With whole plant extracts, if it doesn’t specify what the percentage of active ingredients is, then it’s difficult to determine the exact potency of the product. I would recommend that you check with a doctor or ask the manufacturer what the recommended dosage is.
Hi
My 8 year old son uses the syrup. He has short involuntary twitches ( which he never had before ), is this a side effect of Backpack monnieri?
Can I take a Bacopa supplement along with an omega 3 supplement?
I was looking for something to help my husband with his seizure and I came across this medication online. I notice it was also good for memory boosting therefore I took one of the pills. However, hours later I notice that I was cold, blurry, panicky, the left side of my chest was a little tense,palpitation and my foot was hurting and I thought that I was going to pass out so that was scary.
Is that part of the side effects? Should I continue to take this because its doing something on the inside of me or should I stop taking it?
I felt coolness inside of my brain after all that was over. I am seeing lots of positive things about this product but why did I feel all those negative things going on inside of me?
Hi Maggie,
Thanks for reporting these side effects. I would recommend that you reach out to the manufacturer of the supplement you took to let them know about your adverse reaction.You should also consult with a doctor to determine why this side effect occurred, especially if you are taking other medications or have any sort of medical conditions.
Bacopa monnieri supplements are generally well tolerated, but negative effects can always occur in unique cases. The side effects you describe could be related to changes in blood pressure, but as I’m not a doctor I wouldn’t be able to say anything for sure.
comecei tomar o cognitus 225 tem mais ou menos 6 dias, e comecei a ter diarréia. Isso pode ser um efeito secundario? quanto tempo apos parar de usar a medicação os efeitos ainda continuan?
Would it be recommended to schizophrenic patients?