What does the research show about bacopa?

Bacopa

Reviews report better memory recall and working memory, and disagree on attention speed. A 2026 trial in midlife adults found no cognitive change. Trials are small and test branded extracts. Five Alzheimer's trials showed no difference, at very low certainty. Stomach upset, cramps, more frequent stools and headaches were the main side effects.

Add to Bio HackChecked 2026-11-09

Status: Dietary supplement in the US. Not approved by the FDA as a drug for any use.
Also called: Bacopa monnieri, Bacopa monniera, brahmi, water hyssop, herb of grace, bacosides, KeenMind, CDRI 08, BacoMind, Bacognize
Taken for: memory, focus, learning, attention, brain health, anxiety, stress, Alzheimer's

Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on

Shown to help2

LimitedSmall trials found 300 mg a day for 12 weeks improved delayed word recall in adults over 55, while other memory tasks did not change.
LimitedSmall trials found bacopa lowered anxiety and self-reported stress scores against placebo in older and middle-aged adults.

Reported risks1

LimitedSmall trials found more frequent stools, cramps, nausea and headaches on bacopa than placebo, with no serious reactions.How often is not known

What people take it for, and what was found

Shown to help2

Limited

Memory in older adults

Small trials found 300 mg a day for 12 weeks improved delayed word recall in adults over 55, while other memory tasks did not change.

The numbers and sources

Effect: In 54 adults aged 65 or older, 300 mg a day for 12 weeks raised delayed word recall and Stroop scores against placebo. Divided attention and working memory tasks did not change [6]. In 98 healthy Australians over 55, 300 mg a day of BacoMind for 12 weeks improved verbal learning and delayed recall. Visual memory, trail making and subjective memory did not differ [7].
Population: 54 older adults in Oregon [6]. 98 adults over 55, 81 completers [7].
Sources: [6], [7]
Caveats: Two small trials. Trial [7] tested BacoMind, made by Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd., and its abstract does not report funding.

Limited

Anxiety and stress

Small trials found bacopa lowered anxiety and self-reported stress scores against placebo in older and middle-aged adults.

The numbers and sources

Effect: In the 12-week trial of older adults, depression and anxiety scores fell on bacopa and rose on placebo, and mood scale scores did not differ [6]. In a crossover of 17 healthy volunteers, single 320 mg and 640 mg doses produced some positive mood effects and lower cortisol during multitasking stress [9]. In adults aged 40 to 70, 12 weeks of 300 mg a day reduced self-reported stress reactivity more than placebo (p = 0.03), along with fatigue and stress after a demanding computer task [5].
Population: 54 older adults [6]. 17 healthy volunteers [9]. 87 adults with self-reported memory problems [5].
Sources: [6], [9], [5]
Caveats: Small trials. The authors of [9] call for replication in a larger sample.

Mixed results1

Moderate

Memory and attention in healthy adults

Mixed results: reviews found faster reaction times and better memory in adults on standardized extracts, while a 12-week trial in adults with memory complaints found no change.

The numbers and sources

Effect: In 9 RCTs of standardized extracts taken for 12 weeks or more (518 subjects), Trail B time shortened by 17.9 ms (95% CI -24.6 to -11.2) and choice reaction time by 10.6 ms (95% CI -12.1 to -9.2) [1]. A systematic review of 6 trials found bacopa improved 9 of 17 tests of memory free recall, with little evidence in other cognitive domains [2]. In one 90-day trial (62 completers), KeenMind at 2 × 150 mg improved spatial working memory accuracy [3]. A 2026 network meta-analysis found that 600 mg a day or more improved working memory against placebo (SMD 2.03, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.78), and 300 to under 600 mg a day improved delayed memory. Sustained attention, selective attention and processing speed did not differ [4]. In adults with self-reported memory problems, 300 mg a day of Bacumen for 12 weeks did not change verbal learning (p = 0.391), attention (p = 0.713) or working memory (p = 0.610) against placebo [5].
Population: Adults without dementia [1][2][3]. 2,107 healthy adults in 29 RCTs of bacopa or ginkgo [4]. 87 completers aged 40 to 70 [5].
Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
Caveats: Trials were small. Three different extracts were used at 300 to 450 mg a day [2]. The reviews disagree on attention [1][4], and the network analysis had few direct comparisons [4]. The abstracts of [1], [2] and [3] do not report funding. The lead author of [5] directs a contract research organization that has received nutraceutical company funding.

Not shown to help1

Limited

Alzheimer's dementia

Limited evidence: 5 small, high-bias trials found no difference between bacopa and placebo or donepezil in Alzheimer's dementia.

The numbers and sources

Effect: A systematic review of 5 trials found no difference between bacopa and placebo or donepezil, at very low certainty. Three of the trials combined bacopa with other herbal extracts [8].
Population: Adults with Alzheimer's dementia or mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's [8].
Sources: [8]
Caveats: All 5 trials were judged at high risk of bias, with small samples and wide intervals [8].

Doses studied

Long-term trials used 300 to 450 mg of extract a day for 12 weeks [2]. The network meta-analysis compared 600 mg a day or more with 300 to under 600 mg a day [4]. Alzheimer's trials ranged from 125 to 500 mg twice a day [8]. The acute stress study tested single doses of 320 mg and 640 mg [9].

Risks

Reported risks1

LimitedHow often is not known

Gastrointestinal side effects and headache

Small trials found more frequent stools, cramps, nausea and headaches on bacopa than placebo, with no serious reactions.

The numbers and sources

How common: How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect: In 98 older Australians, bacopa caused more frequent stools, abdominal cramps and nausea than placebo [7]. In 54 older adults, adverse events were 9 on bacopa and 10 on placebo, mainly stomach upset [6]. In 101 adults aged 40 to 70, self-reported adverse reactions were more frequent on bacopa than placebo (p = 0.024), mainly digestive complaints and headaches, with no serious reactions [5].
Population: Trial participants over 55 [6][7]. Adults aged 40 to 70 [5].
Sources: [7], [6], [5]
Caveats: Three small 12-week trials.

Checked, no increase found1

Limited

Adverse events in dementia trials

Limited evidence: no major safety issues were reported in 5 small Alzheimer's trials not designed to detect rare harms.

The numbers and sources

How common: How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect: No major safety issues were reported in the 5 Alzheimer's trials [8].
Population: Adults with Alzheimer's dementia or mild cognitive impairment [8].
Sources: [8]
Caveats: Trials were small, at high risk of bias, and not designed to detect rare harms [8].

Claims tested and not found

That bacopa treats Alzheimer's dementia. Five trials showed no difference from placebo or donepezil, at very low certainty [8].
That bacopa improves cognitive domains beyond memory recall. A review of 6 trials found little evidence of enhancement outside free recall [2].

Sources

Kongkeaw C, Dilokthornsakul P, Thanarangsarit P, et al. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.11.008
Pase MP, Kean J, Sarris J, et al. The Cognitive-Enhancing Effects of Bacopa monnieri: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Controlled Human Clinical Trials. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2011.0367
Stough C, Downey LA, Lloyd J, et al. Examining the nootropic effects of a special extract of Bacopa monniera on human cognitive functioning: 90 day double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Phytotherapy Research. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2537
Tiemtad P, Ingkaninan K, Temkitthawon P, et al. Comparative effects of Bacopa monnieri and Ginkgo biloba on cognitive functions: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2026.157915
Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. The Effects of a Bacopa monnieri Extract (Bacumen®) on Cognition, Stress, and Fatigue in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Clinical Drug Investigation. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40261-025-01492-1
Calabrese C, Gregory WL, Leo M, et al. Effects of a Standardized Bacopa monnieri Extract on Cognitive Performance, Anxiety, and Depression in the Elderly: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0018
Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri Improve Memory Performance in Older Persons? Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0342
Basheer A, Agarwal A, Mishra B, et al. Use of Bacopa monnieri in the Treatment of Dementia Due to Alzheimer Disease: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Interactive Journal of Medical Research. 2022. https://doi.org/10.2196/38542
Benson S, Downey LA, Stough C, et al. An Acute, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Cross-over Study of 320 mg and 640 mg Doses of Bacopa monnieri (CDRI 08) on Multitasking Stress Reactivity and Mood. Phytotherapy Research. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5029

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