Bacopa Extract comes from a plant called Brahmi and has been used in Ayvurveda, traditional Indian medicine, for centuries. Brahma is the Hindu god of creation. The god has been worshipped for 7000 years, therefore the strength of the supplement to promote many forms of regenerations is impressive. Across the world it is also known as waterhyssop, thyme-leafed gratiola, water hyssop, herb of grace, and pennywort. Its extract increases chemicals in the brain. It is a natural brain enhancer, improving thinking, learning and memory. The best known benefit of the extract is its ability to help the body adapt to stressful situations. Bacopa Extract is also nature’s Viagra for the brain, useful for improving the mental performance of both men and women.
Bacosides are the active ingredients in Bacopa. This is a special compound commonly found in plants called dammarane-type triterpnoid saponins. The higher the bacoside rating, the more pure and potent the ingredient.
Bacopa Benefits
Brain Enhancer
The extract is something of a super supplement. It has many known benefits and most of these are linked to the plant being a natural brain enhancer. The extract has a cholinergic effect on the brain. This means the brain fires more neurons. As a result of this increased action in the nervous system, there is an enhancement of the brain and nerve impulses.
Bacopa Extract is also a nootropic, a term first coined by Russian psychologist and chemist, Corneliu Giurgea. His definition of a nootropic drug is its ability to enhance learning, with potent effects on memory. The nootropic should also enhance the ability of the brain to resist disruption. It helps to remove blocks such as a lack of concentration. A nootropic should protect your brain against various physical or chemical injuries, it enhances brain efficiency and should have few side effects and low toxicity. When you consider Bacopa is believed to be one of the best nootropics, then you realise it is a powerful supplement.
Bacoside A positively influences brain cells and actually prompts regeneration. It interacts with the dopamine and serotonergic systems. However, its main mechanism is promoting neuron communication. It does this by helping the nervous system through the creation of new nerve endings, called dendrites. Animal studies have shown that long term use of the supplements has therapeutic value, battling against rapid degeneration linked to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies have worked to show the influence of Bacopa on dementia, ADHD and anxiety reduction. The results of these studies have been said to be positive.
Studies claim that the impact of Bacopa Extract on memory is the most dramatic. Shamans claim to have memorised reams and reams of ancient stories with the help of the extract. Yet, not only history but also science has proven the positive impact on amnesia, in rats and in humans. Yet, in Ayurvedic medicine, the main function of Bacopa is on anxiety. One scientific study saw results equal to the effects of Lorazepam, a form of benzodiazepine, on patients’ level of distress. In these studies, there was also an improvement in mental fatigue and memory.
Improved wider health
Ancient Indians would keep Bacuna on them at all times, to help with focus on the journey but also to help recovery from illness and injury. They did this even though the preparation of the plant into a natural medicine would have been a tedious one at the time. It would involve stripping and pummelling the plant into a paste or a powder, which could take some time.
But, if you improve the health of your brain, scientists claim that it also prompts a benefit for the whole health of a person – therefore, these ancient Indians knew it was worth the effort. When you make the brain better all the other systems tend to work better. The herb particularly benefits the liver. Bacopa Extract encourages liver function, especially after toxin damage. It is also a natural means of reducing opioid dependence. The supplement reduces the sense of a high with morphine, therefore reducing risk of dependency. It can also reduce the toxicity of an overdose.
The herb also encourages a normal blood pressure because it increases the body’s use of nitric oxide in the body. This is not thought of as one of the herbs’ best known benefits but the impact on vascular muscle function is encouraging. The herb is more generally known as an antioxidant with cell protective effects, which fights the cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are seen as a major cause in some cancers. Animal studies have also demonstrated that it can relax bronchoconstriction. Therefore, it is seen as an effective supplement for bronchitis and asthma. In fact, Bacopa Extract is considered one of the best all-round tonics available in the supplement market.
Sexual Performance
First, Bacopa Extract claim to improve memory is going to help all men gain access to their partner’s bed. The ability to remember birthdays, anniversaries, random events that only women know is significant and is going to help all men get sex at crucial moments.
More seriously, the extract is useful in reducing anxiety. There is a correlation between anxiety and erectile dysfunction. The herb is particularly useful in reducing the length and impact of panic attacks. In fact, Bacoside A is proven to boost the effects of certain neurotransmitters, including serotonin and acetylcholine. Medics claim it is useful in the treatment of depression. Therefore, its ability to promote a better state of mind will be a massive benefit with impotency. Unlike some herbs that impact upon brain chemicals, Bacopa Extract acts immediately to bring an uplift in mood. Therefore, you do not have to wait for measurable results.
Also, the extract is known as an antioxidant and is therefore beneficial to blood flow. The supplement also induces nitric oxide, which opens up blood vessels. Therefore, the blood vessels are made more efficient. This not only helps with blood pressure and with cardiovascular function, this will also help with men’s capacity to gain and maintain an erection.
The supplement can also help with concentration, which can help with sexual performance. Ancient poets claimed the use of the herb helped them write through the night, producing pages of work. In a 2001 study in Australia, a randomised double placebo controlled experiment over 12 weeks found that those taking Bacopa improved cognitive behaviour, as they scored significantly higher in cognitive processing tests. The greater tolerance against frustration will also help with sexual performance, allowing you the time and patience to explore other means of stimulation.
However, Bacoside A is also an adaptogenic. This means that it helps to lower cortisol. Cortisol has a negative impact on testosterone production in the brain. The stress hormone is released to prompt the body to act to a potentially life threatening situation and increases the release of adrenalin. In the modern world, chronic stress has a physiological impact on the body and can impact on sexual drive. Therefore, this offers another reason the supplement can improve conditions related to low testosterone, including impotency and low libido. More than this, the depletion of cortisol and adrenalin in the body can help with physical and mental stamina.
Further studies have shown that that Bacoside A can encourage the secretion of dopamine. Dopamine is the hormone responsible for well-being. However, it also boosts testosterone production because dopamine works negatively against estrogen. With the brain more able to produce testosterone, the body will experience an improved sex drive and improved ability to gain an erection. This can counter the impact of ageing, where men naturally turn testosterone into estrogen. Therefore, men as they grow older, should naturally find their sex drive faltering. Yet, with age doesn’t necessarily decrease the desire to live life to the full. So, taking Bacopa Extract can help reverse these effects by restoring dopamine levels.
Finally, the cholinergic effects of Bacoside, which increases the firing of neurons in the brain also results to improvements in muscle power and contraction, as well as increased reflexes. It seems the general effects of the supplement are to work against the impacts of ageing, on the body and on the mind. Therefore, the impact on sexual performance and libido are part of this improvement in physicality and psychology in general.
Side Effects of Bacopa Extract
When taking any pharmaceutical or medicinal supplement, you will need to balance the risks against the rewards. The rewards of taking Bacopa Extract are significant. The supplement is seen as a potential solution to degeneration of the brain. Serious life altering conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease have shown positive response to Bacopa Extract. The supplement actively stimulates nerve endings and helps in the firing of neurons. The plant’s active ingredient, Bacoside A, is also linked to improving epilepsy, bronchial conditions and blood pressure. The fact that the ancient Indians also recognised that it was capable of stimulating sexual desire and function, as well as memories and concentration, is an added benefit to an already impressive extract.
With such rewards come only minor risks. When taken on an empty stomach, the extract can cause nausea and stomach cramps. However, some scientists have also stated that the extract can be used as a treatment for gastro-intestinal conditions, such as ulcers – while others suggest it can caused increased secretion of ulcers. You may also suffer with increased bowel movement, dry mouth and fatigue.
The supplement can cause a slow heart rate and this may be a problem for those whose heart rate is already slow to begin with. Bacopa also causes an increase in levels of thyroid hormone but this is only a problem if you already have a thyroid imbalance. There is also concern that it could worsen urinary obstruction.
However, studies suggest that Bacopa is safe when taken orally over a short term, such as up to 12 weeks. Some also suggest matching the supplement with Ginseng to counter some of its adverse effects. This will also heighten the effects of improvement to libido and sexual performance.
In short…
Bacopa extract, a plant originally grown in the wetlands of Asia, is now so widely recognised as being a super supplement that is grown hydroponically around the world. It is best known for its impact on the brain, improving cognition – learning and memory. There are raising hopes that the supplement will provide a solution for degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Also, there are thoughts that it might more naturally help young people struggling with ADHD, without resorting to Ritalin, which can cause such problems with fatigue.
However, for people suffering the effects of age in particular, the supplement can also be claimed to be the Viagra for the brain. It stimulates neurons, produces dopamine and is an adaptogenic that counters the impact of cortisol. Each of these effects impact directly on the production of testosterone in the body and therefore directly impact libido and sexual performance. The improvement in blood flow, caused by the increase in the body’s ability to produce nitric oxide, will help men achieve and maintain an erection. Therefore, when looking to improve the mind and body’s condition for sex, Bacopa extract is a go-to supplement.
The general belief is that a 12-week treatment of 300mg a day will result in no side effects for most people. History and science for once speak as one. Ancient Indians have used the supplement for over 7000 years, believing it helped with memory, focus and sexual functioning. Studies by scientists have proven that the active ingredient of Bacoside A has promising characteristics for many conditions. So, the real conclusion should be, if you want to deal with the impact of age throughout your body, opt for this supplement and you will feel so much better.
