By 
Many of the bacopa products that exist today aren’t really standardized to harness the specific active compounds that give the Bacopa plant the reputation it has earned as a nootropic supplement. While these products may be effectively used in Ayurvedic treatment, they might not provide the same nootropic benefits that most people are looking for— at least not in the manner that they are expected to.
In addition, the results will also depend heavily on the Bacopa brand you choose to go with. Taking the time to do some research as well as getting to know the ingredients is important.
To preface, let’s discuss what bacopa monnieri does:
What Does Bacopa Monnieri Do?
Bacopa is known to encourage dendrite growth, which forms part of one end of the neurons. The plant is credited for helping improve neuronal communication. This means that Bacopa can help improve the speed in which neurons communicate, which in turn has a positive impact on the nervous system.
There are also indications that Bacopa may also impact, albeit secondarily, the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems. Its synergistic effects on GAB(A) receptors have also been noted, which enhances the effects of GABA neurotransmitters in the body and the brain.
Within the plant itself, there are certain naturally occurring compounds with bacosides being the primarily active and isolated ones. So far, there’ve been 12 bacosides identified and all 12 can be found exclusively within the plant.
Bacopa Brands: What to Look For
What types of Bacopa Monnieri extracts are out there?
When looking for the right supplement, always remember that there are a variety of Bacopa Monnieri types for you to select from. It’s necessary to understand the many forms of the plant in order to choose the right supplement for your specific use case. Among the top extracts of the Bacopa plant include:
- Bacopa extract from the entire plant
- Unknown, non-standardized bacoside contents
- Extracts that are standardized to bacosides but at different percentages with higher percentages offering better value for your money.
- Standardized extracts to Glycosides at different percentages. A wider range of bacosides can result in a variety of effects and benefits.
- Extracts from bacopa leaf, which may not be as potent. These types will generally require at least 750 milligrams if you’re to achieve the effects of a supplement with even just 10% of bacoside content.
Often, the number one factor people base their decision on is price. As a result, many fail to consider the actual content of the products they’re getting, often wondering why they’re not getting the effects they’d expect. While this doesn’t say that bacopa is going to work for you 100% but in terms of choosing and using supplements, choosing right will make a huge difference.
The presence of all these varieties can be confusing to consumers and a lot of retailers and vendors will most likely not be able to tell the difference as well. A lot of them are probably oblivious to the variety of choices available for consumers or which ones would benefit them best.
There are retailers, however, who know exactly what supplement type they sell. Most of the time, however, the information concerning the extract may be withheld or is just very limited, this can sometimes give buyers an impression that the product is something that it really isn’t.
Generic vs Patented Extracts
If you’re thinking whether a patented or a generic Bacopa Monniera brand is better for you, it really depends on the level of trust you have for the generic brand. Most people tend to go for the generic option due to the significantly lower price.
As long as the supplement you end up with has been properly assayed with the active components and ingredients properly identified along with its heavy metal content and potency. There shouldn’t be that much of a difference between generic and patented forms of the extract. At the end of the day, it is all about properly assessing the ingredients and quality of what you’re getting and aligning it with your budget.
