Is it safe to take Bacopa monnieri for a long time?

Bacopa monnieri is one of the most commonly used natural nootropic supplements in the world. This is no accident; Bacopa monnieri is easily among the most effective nootropics for enhancing memory function in existence. It may be the best nootropic for memory function period.

One of the main features of Bacopa monnieri is that it has its most pronounced effects when used for 12 weeks or more. As such, Bacopa monnieri is often recommended as a good long-term, daily nootropic.

But is Bacopa monnieri really safe to take long term?

Can you safely take Bacopa monnieri for a long time?

Let’s take a look at what Bacopa monnieri is, how it works and the side effect risks of long term use.

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What is Bacopa monnieri?

Bacopa monnieri is a plan native to India. It is someties referred to as Waterhyssop or brahmi. As the name brahmi suggests, Bacopa monnieri has a long history of use in traditional Indian Ayurverdic medicine, where it is variously used as a memory enhancer, anti-anxiety supplement, and immune system booster.

Today, Bacopa monnieri is an extremely popular ingredient in natural nootropic stacks. For example, it is a key ingredient in both Mind Lab Proand NooCube; two of the best nootropics on the market today. Bacopa forms the backbone of many daily nootropics for many reasons, the main one being its proven beneficial effects on memory function.

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What does Bacopa monnieri do?

Bacopa monnieri is primarily a memory booster.

Studies have shown that Bacopa monnieri supplementation significantly improves performance in memory tests.

In one study, researchers found that among older people with mild cognitive decline, those given Bacopa monnieri for 12 weeks were much better at recalling facts and sequences than those given a placebo.

In several other studies Bacopa supplementation has been found to significantly improve different aspects of memory, including logical memory, episodic memory, paired associated learning ability and working memory.

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How does Bacopa monnieri work?

There’s some disagreement over how Bacopa monnieri works exactly. Some people believe that it primarily works as an adaptagen; that it improves your ability to deal with and recover from stress. Others say it is an antioxidant.

However, I have never found these arguments particularly convincing.

A much more likely explanation for how Bacopa monnieri works is through dendritic arborization. This is where the dendrites which connect your neurons grow in both size and number. This leads to better, more efficient communication between neurons, which mans more efficient thinking and information processing.

Clinical studies have shown that compounds in Bacopa monnieri called Bacosides cause significant dendritic arborization. This makes perfect sense when you consider that age relatd cogniive decline is often atributed to dendrite and neuronal atrophy, and that Bacopa monnnieri is most effectie in older people with mild cognitive decline.

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Is it safe to take Bacopa monnieri for a long time?

Is Bacopa monnieri safe to take long term?

The answer is absolutely yes!

Bacopa monnieri appears to be extremely safe, even when taken on a daily basis for a long time.

In no clinical trials published to date has Bacopa monnieri produced significant side effects in users. Many studies last for 12 weeks or more. In these studies, there has been no indication that using Bacopa monnieri for longer than 12 weeks would pose health risks.

I cannot think of any reason why using Bacopa monnieri for a long time would not be safe. The mechanism of action behind its effects would not pose health risks over the long term.

The only side effects associated with Bacopa monnieri relate to digestive comfort: stomach cramps, nausea, etc. These side effects typically manifest right away, and they subside when users stop taking Bacopa monnieri.