Bacopa for Memory and Cognition

Some of the most well-known cognition boosters have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries and one in particular is the plant Bacopa monnieri, a key ingredient in Focus by Cerus Performance. Bacopa has been used as a treatment for a wide range of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and has been described as a nerve tonic. Recent studies have shown that it's a useful herb for the body and mind.

Bacopa for recall and memory

Clinical studies have generally agreed that bacopa improves memory function. This occurs firstly because bacopa raises the brain's choline levels. A sharp mind depends on the growth as well as the renewal of the brain cells and an excellent cholinergic function is needed to encourage the renewal and growth of brain cells.

Second, bacopa enhances the activation of dopamine, which helps to create a balanced mood that is key for concentration and learning. Thirdly, since Bacopa monnieria increases cerebral blood flow, more oxygen reaches the brain, enhancing cognitive function.

Research on bacopa for memory and recall improvement

There are limited published empirical studies on the influence of bacopa on memory among humans. However, we have numerous behavioral rat studies to show that bacopa could improve memory and recall.

These animal studies have indicated that bacopa at amounts between 20 and 80 mg/kg of body weight may enhance the hippocampus’s neuron density (1, 2). The hippocampus is the part of the brain that is instrumental in the primary role of memory and learning. The optimal benefit was realized at a dosage of 40mg/kg of body weight. The results of these rat studies show that bacopa could be effective in promoting recall.

Other studies have indicated that bacopa improved the learning rate in a brightness discrimination activity as well as a conditioned avoidance task (3). They have also demonstrated that the herb enhances memory retention and recall. These animal studies have also shown that the bacopa reduces amnesia resulting from immobilization, scopolamine, and electroconvulsive shock.

An additional study has also shown that bacopa could be useful for memory (4). Researchers in the study reported that the herb has an antioxidant influence on the striatum, frontal cortex, and hippocampus of a rat.

In other studies, extracts from bacopa leaves substantially enhanced memory and learning in rats (5, 6). The extracts also maintained good memory in rats provided with drugs that prompt amnesia and damage. Among the medications it safeguarded against was Valium, which is an anti-anxiety drug that is known to develop brain fog as one of the side effects.

One of the human clinical trials also sought to establish the effect of bacopa on memory acquisition and recall among healthy elderly Australians (7). The study established that the herb significantly enhanced the acquisition and retention of memory in the subjects. No negative side effects or toxicity were found during the study.

Some researchers also conducted a review on the cognitive-promoting effects of bacopa on memory recall (8). The systematic review was conducted on randomized and controlled human trials. This review established that the consumption of bacopa extracts at doses of between 300 and 450 mg a day may promote memory recall.

Final thought

Bacopa is a great herb that is beneficial to anyone concerned about optimal wellness. That’s why it was a must-have ingredient in our all-natural cognition supplement, Focus.

Sources:

Bacopa for Memory and Cognition

Reading next