Bacopa
Bacopa monnieri is a creeping wetland herb from Ayurvedic medicine, taken as a supplement for memory. It is not a nutrient, and supplements are the main source. Small trials found modest gains on some memory tests, but only after about 12 weeks.
No set daily amount
Delayed recall remembering words after a pause: the measure that improved most often
12 weeks · of daily use in most of the memory trials
- Part used Whole plant leaves and stems, dried
- Main compounds Bacosides soap-like saponins
- Common side effect Stomach upset nausea, cramps, loose stools
- Evidence Limited small trials, modest effects
Trial lengths and results from published reviews of the human trials. No recommended amount exists.
Where Bacopa Comes From
Diet supplies almost none. Bacopa is used as a medicinal herb rather than a food, so supplements are the main source.
- Foodnot part of an ordinary diet outside some traditional use in South Asia
- Dried herb powderthe traditional Ayurvedic form; strength not standardized
- Standardized extractscapsules that state a bacoside percentage; the memory trials used these
What Is Bacopa?
Bacopa monnieri grows in marshes and along the edges of ponds across South Asia and other warm regions, with small, fleshy leaves and white or pale purple flowers. The same plant is sold in pet shops as an aquarium plant. In Ayurveda it is called brahmi and has a long history of use for memory and learning.
Bacopa vs. Gotu Kola: Two Plants Called Brahmi
In India the name brahmi is also used for gotu kola (Centella asiatica), an unrelated plant with round leaves. The two are sometimes mixed up or sold under the same name, and their compounds differ. The memory trials on this page used Bacopa monnieri, so a product labeled only brahmi tells you less than one that gives the Latin name.
What Bacopa Memory Trials Found
Most trials gave healthy adults, often older adults, a standardized extract every day for about 12 weeks, and compared them with people on a placebo. Systematic reviews of these trials found a modest improvement in free recall, especially delayed recall, the ability to remember a word list after a pause, and in some tests of attention and reaction time. Many other tests showed no difference.
The trials were small, mostly under a hundred people each, and used different extracts and tests, so the size of any effect is uncertain. There is little good evidence on bacopa for dementia, ADHD or anxiety.
Why Bacopa Takes Weeks to Show Effects
The few studies that tested bacopa a few hours after one dose had small or inconsistent results. The findings the reviews rest on come from weeks of daily use. That sets it apart from theanine or caffeine, which act within the hour, and is a reason short personal tests prove little either way.
Common Bacopa Mistakes
Expecting a study aid for tomorrow's exam. The trials ran for months, not hours, and the gains were small.
Reading a higher bacoside figure as a stronger effect. The percentage says how concentrated an extract is. The trials did not compare strengths, so a higher figure is not proven to work better.
Stacking it with other herbs without checking. Bacopa is often sold in blends with ashwagandha or ginkgo. The blends themselves have rarely been tested, and each added herb brings its own side effects.
Bacopa Supplements
Supplements are the main source. Look for the Latin name and a stated bacoside content.
Types of Bacopa Supplements
- Standardized extractthe kind used in trials; branded extracts such as CDRI 08 and BacoMind were tested in some of them
- Plain herb powderbacoside content unknown
- Memory blendsthe mix itself has rarely been tested in trials
Bacopa Safety and Side Effects
In trials of up to about 12 weeks, the main side effects were nausea, stomach cramps and loose stools. Its safety in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children and over longer periods is not known, and its interactions with medicines have hardly been studied, so ask a doctor or pharmacist first.
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Not medical advice.
Bacopa in Caltide
- Not totaled yetCaltide does not add up bacopa yet. The foods you log still count toward calories and nutrients, with each one's breakdown in the food library.
Related Nutrients
Bacopa Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources.
Questions About Bacopa
Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri), also called water hyssop or brahmi, is a small creeping plant of wetlands in India and other warm regions. The whole dried plant is used in Ayurvedic medicine and sold as a supplement for memory.
Possibly a little. Reviews of small trials in healthy adults found modest gains on some memory tests, mainly recalling words after a delay, after about 12 weeks. Many other measures showed no change, and the trials were small.
In the trials that found an effect, it was measured after weeks of daily use, usually about 12 weeks. The few single-dose studies have had small or inconsistent results.
Saponins, soap-like plant compounds, that researchers believe are the active part of bacopa. Extracts are often standardized to a stated percentage of bacosides, which tells you the concentration, not the effect.
Not always. Brahmi usually means bacopa, but the same name is also used for gotu kola (Centella asiatica), an unrelated plant. Check the Latin name on the label.
Digestive ones, mostly. In trials, people taking bacopa reported more nausea, stomach cramps and loose or more frequent stools than people on a placebo.
Almost never. Outside some traditional use in South Asia, bacopa is not eaten as food. Supplements, powders and teas are the main source, and the trials used standardized extracts.
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