Does Bacopa Monnieri Help With Brain Fog?
Bacopa monnieri, sometimes referred to as Brahmi, has been used for over 1.4 millenia to improve brain health. Specifically, this Ayurvedic herb has been used to improve cognitive abilities and the ability to form and recall memories. If you’re wondering whether this brain-boosting herb can clear brain fog, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to find out.
Does Bacopa Monnieri Help With Brain Fog?
Bacopa monnieri may be able to help treat brain fog caused by certain conditions, such as fibromyalgia. However, there is an important caveat that you must understand. You shouldn’t expect to see an improvement after just a 300 mg dose of the herb. Rather, you can expect to see an improvement after taking a 300 mg dose daily for about a dozen weeks.
Individual results vary, but you can generally expect the following benefits:
- Faster early information processing
- Improved memory consolidation
- Lifted brain fog
- Increased verbal learning
Note that clinical trials have only been conducted on the effects of this herb on the brain after consistent consumption in individuals who are at least 56 years old. However, that doesn’t mean that it is ineffective in younger individuals. If you have brain fog caused by a medical condition like fibromyalgia, there is a good chance that you can benefit from taking this herb daily.
Can This Herb Treat Pain?
Yes, it is possible for Brahmi to treat certain types of pain. In animal studies, this herb was shown to provide inflammation reduction comparable to two proven NSAIDs: indomethacin and diclofenac. You may benefit from taking 300 to 600 mg of this herb daily for three months if you suffer from a chronic condition that causes chronic inflammation, like kidney disease or diabetes.
Furthermore, there have been both animal studies and test-tube studies that show this herb inhibits certain enzymes, like lipoxygenases, caspases, and cyclooxygenases, that play important roles in pain and inflammation. You may find that other analgesics are more effective when taken with this herb.
Can Brahmi Protect My Brain From Further Damage?
Brahmi supplementation may be able to protect your brain from damage caused by degenerative diseases. For example, if you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, taking this natural supplement may be a good risk mitigation step for you to take. This is because neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are affected by lipid peroxidation.
Lipid peroxidation occurs when free radicals and fat molecules react with each other. Research on Brahmi’s effects is still ongoing, but it is known that this herb provides a number of antioxidant effects. These antioxidant effects mitigate the risk of free radicals causing cell damage by reacting with fat molecules.
Can Brahmi Treat ADHD?
Brahmi may be able to reduce ADHD symptoms in certain individuals. For example, one small study on children between the ages of six and 12 found that 85% of the group experienced significantly reduced symptoms. These children took 225 mg of the herb daily for six months, and some of the symptoms that were reduced were:
- Impulsivity
- Restlessness
- Inattention
- Poor self-control
Another study conducted on children with ADHD noted that a 125-mg dose of Brahmi improved impulse control, cognition, and attention. However, more research needs to be done on larger test groups. If you’d like to try Brahmi supplementation to improve your child’s ADHD symptoms, speak to their pediatrician first. It may be safe and effective.
Is Brahmi Good for People With Anxiety?
There is some evidence to suggest that Brahmi supplementation can reduce your body’s production rate of cortisol, sometimes referred to as the stress hormone. Recently, a study was conducted on rodents that found this herb provided the same anti-anxiety effects as lorazepam, a prescription anxiolytic.
Furthermore, multiple 12-week human studies found that a daily 300 mg dose of this herb reduced both anxiety and depression significantly. However, more large-scale studies on humans need to be conducted.
Is Brahmi Good for People With High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is a serious health concern. The more pressure your heart and blood vessels are subjected to, the weaker your heart can become, especially if the high pressure is chronic. Eventually, this can increase your risk of heart disease. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension but are worried about the side effects of high blood pressure medication, Brahmi may be right for you.
The results of one animal study indicate that Brahmi consumption resulted in the release of nitric oxide. This lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and improved circulation in the studied animals with high blood pressure. A separate study found that this herb lowered high blood pressure in rats with high blood pressure but did not affect rats with normal blood pressure. More human studies are needed to know for sure whether this herb is effective.
Who Shouldn’t Take This Herb?
Brahmi may not be right for individuals with lung conditions, like COPD or asthma. Also, it is not advisable for individuals with stomach ulcers. Sometimes, this herb slows down the heart rate, so if you suffer from bradycardia or have another heart condition, you may not want to take this herb. Furthermore, this nootropic may not be right for you if you:
- Are pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Take thyroid hormone drugs
- Have a urinary tract blockage
How Should I Take This Supplement?
Whether you take this oral supplement in capsule or powder form comes down to your personal preference. No method is better than the other in terms of efficacy. If you don’t like things that taste better, you may prefer to take a capsule that is easy to swallow quickly. If you want to be able to customize your dose easily, powder may be a better fit for you.
How Much of This Supplement Should I Take?
It is advisable to start off on a 300 mg daily dose. If you don’t feel the effects you want after taking this supplement consistently for several weeks, you may want to increase your dose to 450 or 600 mg daily or stack this supplement with other nootropics known to produce your desired effects.
At What Time Should I Take This Supplement?
The best time for you to take this supplement is probably the time at which you will remember to take it consistently. Remember, the studies that showed benefits from taking this supplement involved taking a dose daily for three months. You may be able to start noticing an improvement in your brain fog and other symptoms after just four to six weeks. However, the bottom line is that consistency is key.
If you eat breakfast every morning at the same time, you may want to take your supplement as soon as you’ve finished your first meal of the day. You may want to take it in the afternoon if you consistently eat lunch.
While clinical trials have been done on this herb in older individuals, there is a good chance that it will be effective for you regardless of your age. While it is primarily used to improve memory, early information processing, and verbal learning, it can also be used to treat brain fog caused by certain medical conditions, like fibromyalgia. Follow Corpina Nootropics if you’re interested in learning more about other nootropics that may be right for you.