Bacopa monniera (or as it is more commonly known Brahmi) is a traditional Indian herbal remedy that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as a “mind enhancer” but it has been used to treat and help those affected by stroke, nervous breakdown, mental exhaustion, hyperactivity, anxiety, Parkinsons, Alzheimer's, epilepsy and aged related dementia.

Initially, Bacopa was most commonly used in Asia amongst students to improve mental alertness, enhance learning and academic performance as it improves mental acuity and clarity (i.e. it allows you to become focused on one topic without your mind wandering) whilst improving your ability to remember things for longer and with less stress!

The powerful benefits of Bacopa are showing no end of benefits for all ages!

Since the 60's the CSIR has been conducting pre-clinical animal studies and human trials to test its safety and toxicity and the results have been unanimous with their research proving “that this standardised extract improves protein activity and protein synthesis, especially in the brain cells” and they have shown that studies carried out in normal healthy children, elderly subjects with age associated memory impairment and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have declared Bacopa to be safe, well tolerated, effective and without side effects.

Recent studies have also focused on Bacopa's effectiveness in treating depression with promising results. It has been used successfully to treat the symptoms associated with depression (as it calms the mind and promotes relaxation whilst decreasing anxiety and restlessness) without any of the side-effects that are often associated with drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. The interesting thing about Bacopa is that whilst calming and sedating it doesn't cause drowsiness or dull the mind further like prescribed sedatives can

Also, Bacopa is a powerful natural free radical scavenger (100mg of Bacopa have 5 time the potency of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin E) whilst increasing the activity of other antioxidant compounds. It is this activity of Bacopa that is believed to be behind some of its memory enhancing properties as studies have shown that it targets and protects the memory centres of the brain such as the hippocampus (where memories are formed) and the frontal cortex (which expresses them) more so than conventionally prescribed drugs.

Recommendation

400-500mg of Bacopa extract daily should prove beneficial for all cognitive disorders.

Bacopa has no known contraindications or side effects.

Author's Bio: 

Dr. Steffan H. Abel D.C. graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in 1990 and since that time has had his own successful private practice in the North East of England.

He has studied Hypnotherapy, N.L.P. and qualified as a Life Coach. He has also studied various Chiropractic-based treatments (gaining an M.Sc. in post graduate Clinical Chiropractic in 2003) as well as energy therapies such as Seichem and Reiki. In 2001 he became a Fellow of the College of Chiropractors and a Fellow of the Association of Osteomyology and in 2007 became a Fellow of the European Academy of Chiropractic.

In his spare time he spends between 15 and 25 hours per week researching all areas of “alternative” and allopathic healthcare in order to bring the best advice to his patients through his practice and writing and has just finished his latest book The Alzheimer's Alternative (alzheimersalternative.com). When not working he is to be found enjoying life with his partner – whom he loves tremendously!