Bacopa Monnieri for Cognitive Function
Bacopa reliably improves one narrow measure - delayed word recall - after 12 weeks, with little effect on other cognitive domains.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 300-450 mg/day of extract standardised to 50% bacosides, with food
- Expected timeframe
- 12 weeks
Protocol
- form
- Extract standardised to 50% bacosides
- timing
- With food containing fat, same time daily
- duration
- 12 weeks - the effect builds slowly and is absent at 4 weeks
- titration
- Move to 450 mg/day after 4 weeks if tolerated
- measurement
- Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test delayed recall or an equivalent memory test at baseline and week 12
- starting dose
- 300 mg standardised extract with a fat-containing meal
- expectation setting
- Meta-analyses find delayed-recall improvement but no reliable gains in attention, processing speed or executive function
Evidence
What the studies say
Comparative effects of Bacopa monnieri and Ginkgo biloba on cognitive functions: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Tiemtad P, et al.
Brahmi, particularly in high-dose formulations, shows promise as a cognitive enhancer compared to Ginkgo in healthy adults.
Evaluating the effects of Bacopa monnieri on cognitive performance and sleep quality of patients with mild cognitive impairment: A triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Delfan M, Kordestani-Moghaddam P, Gholami M +2 more
The results showed no statistically significant difference between two groups in all three time-points in overall cognitive performance score and its 6 parameters (P > 0.05).
Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract
Kongkeaw C, Dilokthornsakul P, Thanarangsarit P +2 more
Bacopa significantly improved speed of attention (Trail Making Test and choice reaction time) but most memory subtests were not significantly improved.
The Effects of a Bacopa monnieri Extract (Bacumen) on Cognition, Stress, and Fatigue in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Lopresti AL, Smith SJ
Bacopa monnieri supplementation for 12 weeks did not result in greater improvements in cognitive performance.
Safety
Caveats
This is a narrow memory effect, not general cognitive enhancement. Gastrointestinal upset is the commonest reason people stop - dose with food. Cholinergic activity means caution with anticholinergics, cholinesterase inhibitors, and in bradycardia, asthma and peptic ulcer disease. May raise thyroid hormones. Sedating for some. Not established as safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding - avoid.
Less likely to help if
Medical Disclaimer
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