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Best Bacopa brand?


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#1 Logan

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 07:17 AM


I am currently taking the Vitamin Shoppe brand Bacopa. I know that Vitamin Shoppe gets their vitamins/herbs/supplements from other companies and sells them under their name. The Bacopa they sell has 100 mg Bacopa monniera(Bacopin) extract (leaf) standardized to 20% Bacopasides A&B 20 mg-plus-345 mg Bacopa monniera(leaf).

How does Bacopa monniera(leaf) compare to the extract?

Is there a supieror Bacopa product out there that I won't spend much more money on and will notice more benefit from?

I've heard some good things about Paradise Herbs Bacopa.

http://www.google.co...1qCjHdNeCJAFkmQ

#2 Logan

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 08:10 AM

Sorry for the 3 consecutive posts..Not sure how I did that..need my nootropics to start helping me :|?

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#3 mentatpsi

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 03:01 AM

One of the issues I have found is the recent discovery of another active ingredient in Bacopa, which is standardized neither in Planetary formulations nor Vitamin Shoppe. Swanson is the only one which doesn't specify which bacopasaponins they are standardizing. So I wonder if they're standardizing more or less. Does anyone know anything about this?

Anyway, they all seem to be slightly different with Vitamin Shoppe and Planetary formulations being most comparable and Swanson standardized to 45% being the most different. Oddly Swanson doesn't seem to have a strong sedative quality as the other brands do.

#4 calengineering

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 03:58 AM

Tried Bacopa Planetary Formulations for about a month 2X at night. Did not notice any mental improvements whatsoever.

#5 Logan

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 05:16 AM

Tried Bacopa Planetary Formulations for about a month 2X at night. Did not notice any mental improvements whatsoever.


Evidently a recent study suggests that it may take up to 12 weeks to notice any real benefits.

http://www.google.co...WTMHE4GREI6ocDA

#6 Winslow

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 04:56 PM

Tried Bacopa Planetary Formulations for about a month 2X at night. Did not notice any mental improvements whatsoever.


Evidently a recent study suggests that it may take up to 12 weeks to notice any real benefits.

http://www.google.co...WTMHE4GREI6ocDA


Hi,

I have been using a combined product, Phosphatidyl Serine/Bacopin. I get most of my suppliments from Beyond A Century. I like that I can buy the powder and make my own capsuls. I really cuts the cost and allows me to set the dose.

Regards,

Winslow

#7 meursault

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 05:31 PM

I'm going to try out organic brahmi for the next two months in the form of a tea. The organic brahmi is from Mountain Rose Herbs.

#8 mentatpsi

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 09:11 PM

I'm going to try out organic brahmi for the next two months in the form of a tea. The organic brahmi is from Mountain Rose Herbs.


Nice, should be interesting to note any differences.

#9 Thorsten3

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 09:33 PM

Oddly Swanson doesn't seem to have a strong sedative quality as the other brands do.


remind me never to try the other brands then as I have always found my bottle of Swanson very sedATING. Good For sleep actually, but I never want to get up the next morning!

#10 Logan

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 09:35 PM

One of the issues I have found is the recent discovery of another active ingredient in Bacopa, which is standardized neither in Planetary formulations nor Vitamin Shoppe. Swanson is the only one which doesn't specify which bacopasaponins they are standardizing. So I wonder if they're standardizing more or less. Does anyone know anything about this?

Anyway, they all seem to be slightly different with Vitamin Shoppe and Planetary formulations being most comparable and Swanson standardized to 45% being the most different. Oddly Swanson doesn't seem to have a strong sedative quality as the other brands do.


Are you using the Swanson brand currently? I think I will switch from Vitamin Shoppe to Swanson to see if I notice less sedation from it. I have bad anxiety though so maybe a more calming brand is better for me. Still, I will be interested in seeing if I notice a difference. Thanks for info. I may contact Swanson to see if they can tell me what bacopasaponins their bacopa is standardized for.

#11 mentatpsi

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Posted 05 January 2010 - 01:56 AM

Oddly Swanson doesn't seem to have a strong sedative quality as the other brands do.


remind me never to try the other brands then as I have always found my bottle of Swanson very sedATING. Good For sleep actually, but I never want to get up the next morning!


To rephrase, the form of sedation in Swanson is different. So don't let my observation stop you from trying out the other brands as they're actually quite interesting.

One of the issues I have found is the recent discovery of another active ingredient in Bacopa, which is standardized neither in Planetary formulations nor Vitamin Shoppe. Swanson is the only one which doesn't specify which bacopasaponins they are standardizing. So I wonder if they're standardizing more or less. Does anyone know anything about this?

Anyway, they all seem to be slightly different with Vitamin Shoppe and Planetary formulations being most comparable and Swanson standardized to 45% being the most different. Oddly Swanson doesn't seem to have a strong sedative quality as the other brands do.


Are you using the Swanson brand currently? I think I will switch from Vitamin Shoppe to Swanson to see if I notice less sedation from it. I have bad anxiety though so maybe a more calming brand is better for me. Still, I will be interested in seeing if I notice a difference. Thanks for info. I may contact Swanson to see if they can tell me what bacopasaponins their bacopa is standardized for.


I alternate between both of them, currently though I more frequently take Swanson in comparison to Planetary. I may shift it in the other direction soon, but figuring that at the very least they both standardize A&B, the accumulative property (12 week to see nootropic effect) should be there.

If you do contact Swanson let me know, I'd love to learn what particular active ingredients they're standardizing.

Edited by mentatpsi, 05 January 2010 - 01:57 AM.


#12 meursault

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Posted 11 January 2010 - 05:50 PM

I'm going to try out organic brahmi for the next two months in the form of a tea. The organic brahmi is from Mountain Rose Herbs.


I've just started drinking the tea in past two days, but I thought it would be useful for those interested to occasionally report my experiences with it.

I slept well last night after two cups of brahmi tea, and, while not the most delicious tea I've had, it's decent and definitely tolerable, especially when mixed with a little oolong. I am using a teaspoon of brahmi for every cup of water, and am planning to drink 2-4 cups a day for the next few months and compare the results with that of taking a 20% bacoside-standardized extract.

Edited by czukles, 11 January 2010 - 05:51 PM.


#13 Logan

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Posted 12 January 2010 - 01:04 AM

If you do contact Swanson let me know, I'd love to learn what particular active ingredients they're standardizing.


Tried contacting them, they have not replied yet.

Edited by chrono, 08 September 2010 - 09:59 PM.
trimmed quote


#14 nito

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Posted 12 January 2010 - 03:01 AM

i take one pill from iherb, (planatery herbs) which is 225 mg and i get bad anxiety, it really sucks. I read somewhere you need bigger dose than that learning enhancement but if i take more i'm likely to get even worse anxiety i guess.

#15 silverfish

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Posted 12 January 2010 - 04:13 AM

What time of day do you take it? I just started taking bacopa (same brand from iherb) last week and ive had no anxiety...actually I feel like I have less, but might be placebo since i havent been taking it very long. I take 2 225mg at night before bed.


i take one pill from iherb, (planatery herbs) which is 225 mg and i get bad anxiety, it really sucks. I read somewhere you need bigger dose than that learning enhancement but if i take more i'm likely to get even worse anxiety i guess.



#16 nito

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Posted 12 January 2010 - 04:17 AM

What time of day do you take it? I just started taking bacopa (same brand from iherb) last week and ive had no anxiety...actually I feel like I have less, but might be placebo since i havent been taking it very long. I take 2 225mg at night before bed.


i take one pill from iherb, (planatery herbs) which is 225 mg and i get bad anxiety, it really sucks. I read somewhere you need bigger dose than that learning enhancement but if i take more i'm likely to get even worse anxiety i guess.


i take it during the day like around lunch to mid afternoon. Should i try to take it before bed instead?

#17 silverfish

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Posted 12 January 2010 - 05:30 AM

Might as well try it and see if it works for you.

What time of day do you take it? I just started taking bacopa (same brand from iherb) last week and ive had no anxiety...actually I feel like I have less, but might be placebo since i havent been taking it very long. I take 2 225mg at night before bed.


i take one pill from iherb, (planatery herbs) which is 225 mg and i get bad anxiety, it really sucks. I read somewhere you need bigger dose than that learning enhancement but if i take more i'm likely to get even worse anxiety i guess.


i take it during the day like around lunch to mid afternoon. Should i try to take it before bed instead?



#18 Dorho

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Posted 12 January 2010 - 07:09 AM

I used to get anxiety when I took Planetary Herbals bacopa in the morning and evening (2+2). In response to a suggestion I received in Imminst forum, I switched to two tablets right before going to bed and the anxiety is gone. Thank you very much for the suggestion.

Edited by Dorho, 12 January 2010 - 07:31 AM.


#19 Yearningforyears

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Posted 16 January 2010 - 11:50 AM

Check out the 1fast400 brand. It is a bacopa extract with excellent quality and it´s dirt cheap.
For me the effects come instantaneously, especially if having racing thoughts.
The only herbal that helps me lower the hypomanic like mental overactivity. (calamus is great for the anxiety, but doesn´t really stop the gears from turning)

#20 brian101

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Posted 07 June 2010 - 12:18 AM

Has anyone tried the Paradise Herbs brand of bacopa?

#21 health_nutty

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Posted 07 June 2010 - 12:34 AM

I used to get anxiety when I took Planetary Herbals bacopa in the morning and evening (2+2). In response to a suggestion I received in Imminst forum, I switched to two tablets right before going to bed and the anxiety is gone. Thank you very much for the suggestion.


That is weird that people are getting anxiety from this. It has studies showing *anti-anxiety* effects equivalent to Lorazepam. I'm considering taking Bacopa for its anti-anxiety effects and memory enhancement. Good to know I should look out for it *increasing* my anxiety. Thanks for the heads up all...

#22 djmmm

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Posted 07 June 2010 - 12:16 PM

I used to get anxiety when I took Planetary Herbals bacopa in the morning and evening (2+2). In response to a suggestion I received in Imminst forum, I switched to two tablets right before going to bed and the anxiety is gone. Thank you very much for the suggestion.


That is weird that people are getting anxiety from this. It has studies showing *anti-anxiety* effects equivalent to Lorazepam. I'm considering taking Bacopa for its anti-anxiety effects and memory enhancement. Good to know I should look out for it *increasing* my anxiety. Thanks for the heads up all...



IMO, the best manufacturers of Bacopa are Thorne Research, Pure Encapsulations, and Himalaya.
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#23 brian101

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Posted 07 June 2010 - 06:18 PM

Hay djmmm or anyone else. I currently use paradise herbs brand and I was thinking of switching. I was looking at thorne research brand on iherb. Anyone have any comments or thoughts about this brand for bacopa.

Edited by brian101, 07 June 2010 - 06:20 PM.


#24 MoodyBlue

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Posted 07 June 2010 - 10:30 PM

Beyond a Century has always had good quality Bacopa from my experience, and it is in bulk powder with a great price. See here: http://www.easycart....pport.html#4080

#25 djmmm

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Posted 08 June 2010 - 01:04 PM

Hay djmmm or anyone else. I currently use paradise herbs brand and I was thinking of switching. I was looking at thorne research brand on iherb. Anyone have any comments or thoughts about this brand for bacopa.


In general, Thorne and Pure Encapsulations are considered the most reputable brands available. I've had success with both Thorne and Himalaya. I prefer Thorne's bacopa because the Himalaya product is a pressed caplet.

#26 pjmc

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Posted 08 June 2010 - 11:32 PM

You should try the Himalaya brand.. it's straight from India, they're a huge manufacturer of ayurvedic herbs and are extremely professional and of high quality.

Do a search for bacopa or brahmi on ebay and you can buy straight from India for about a dollar a bottle (60 caps).

Cheers

#27 mentatpsi

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Posted 08 June 2010 - 11:37 PM

Alright, quick point. Bacopa soaks up lead due to the growing style of the plant. So go for a reputable company.

#28 dilenja

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Posted 09 June 2010 - 03:39 AM

A very intriguing, holistic and academic overview of Bacopa for your enjoyment. Link follows, and a brief excerpt below

http://www.greenphar...=9;aulast=Gohil

Clinical Studies: Cognition

Numerous clinical studies have been carried out to date to establish the efficacy of BM in memory and attention disorders and to study its acute and chronic effects clinically on cognitive function. A study was conducted to measure the effect of BME on human memory. [76] Seventy-six adults aged between 40 and 65 years volunteered for the double-blind randomized, placebo control study. The results showed a significant effect of BME on the test for the retention of new information. In the follow-up tests, it was found that the rate of learning was unaffected, suggesting that BM decreases the rate of forgetting of newly acquired information. In adults, only chronic administration was shown to enhance cognitive effects. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 38 healthy volunteers (ages 18-60), subjects were given a single dose of 300 mg BME (standardized to 55% combined bacosides A and B) or placebo. [77] Subjects were tested 2 h after drug administration, coinciding with maximum pharmacodynamic effect. Acute administration of this dose of BME resulted in no significant changes in cognitive function when compared to baseline values. On the other hand, significant cognitive-enhancing benefits have been demonstrated with more chronic administration of BME, as demonstrated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial utilizing the same patient selection criteria and same dose of BME (300 mg daily) containing 55% combined bacosides. [78] At the end of the 12-week study, results indicated a significant improvement in verbal learning, memory consolidation and speed of early information processing in the treatment group compared to placebo. These effects were not observed at baseline or at 5 weeks. These results were attributed to BM's antioxidant properties and/or its effect on the cholinergic system. [78] BM's ability to modulate or enhance cognitive function has also been studied in children. [79] In another double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial of 36 children with diagnosed attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was conducted over a 16-week period. [80] Nineteen children received an extract of BM, standardized to contain 20% bacosides at a dosage of 50 mg twice daily for 12 weeks, and 17 subjects were given a placebo. Active drug treatment was followed by 4 weeks of placebo and the children were evaluated on numerous cognitive function tests at baseline, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. A significant benefit was observed in BM-treated subjects at 12 weeks as evidenced by improvement on sentence repetition, logical memory and paired associated learning tasks. Evaluation showed that these improvements were maintained at 16 weeks after 4 weeks placebo administration. [80] In one double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study, the efficacy of standardized BME (SBME) in subjects with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) without any evidence of dementia or psychiatric disorder was evaluated. The subjects received either 125 mg of SBME or placebo twice a day for a period of 12 weeks followed by a placebo period of another 4 weeks (total duration of the trial 16 weeks). SBME produced significant improvement in mental control, logical memory and paired associated learning during the 12-week drug therapy. SBME was found to be efficacious in subjects with age-associated memory impairment. [81]
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#29 Invariant

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Posted 20 February 2011 - 12:00 PM

I use Thorne bacopa. They have superb quality control, which is really a must given bacopa's tendency to suck up heavy metals.

A very intriguing, holistic and academic overview of Bacopa for your enjoyment. Link follows, and a brief excerpt below

http://www.greenphar...=9;aulast=Gohil

Clinical Studies: Cognition

Numerous clinical studies have been carried out to date to establish the efficacy of BM in memory and attention disorders and to study its acute and chronic effects clinically on cognitive function. A study was conducted to measure the effect of BME on human memory. [76] Seventy-six adults aged between 40 and 65 years volunteered for the double-blind randomized, placebo control study. The results showed a significant effect of BME on the test for the retention of new information. In the follow-up tests, it was found that the rate of learning was unaffected, suggesting that BM decreases the rate of forgetting of newly acquired information. In adults, only chronic administration was shown to enhance cognitive effects. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 38 healthy volunteers (ages 18-60), subjects were given a single dose of 300 mg BME (standardized to 55% combined bacosides A and B) or placebo. [77] Subjects were tested 2 h after drug administration, coinciding with maximum pharmacodynamic effect. Acute administration of this dose of BME resulted in no significant changes in cognitive function when compared to baseline values. On the other hand, significant cognitive-enhancing benefits have been demonstrated with more chronic administration of BME, as demonstrated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial utilizing the same patient selection criteria and same dose of BME (300 mg daily) containing 55% combined bacosides. [78] At the end of the 12-week study, results indicated a significant improvement in verbal learning, memory consolidation and speed of early information processing in the treatment group compared to placebo. These effects were not observed at baseline or at 5 weeks. These results were attributed to BM's antioxidant properties and/or its effect on the cholinergic system. [78] BM's ability to modulate or enhance cognitive function has also been studied in children. [79] In another double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial of 36 children with diagnosed attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was conducted over a 16-week period. [80] Nineteen children received an extract of BM, standardized to contain 20% bacosides at a dosage of 50 mg twice daily for 12 weeks, and 17 subjects were given a placebo. Active drug treatment was followed by 4 weeks of placebo and the children were evaluated on numerous cognitive function tests at baseline, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. A significant benefit was observed in BM-treated subjects at 12 weeks as evidenced by improvement on sentence repetition, logical memory and paired associated learning tasks. Evaluation showed that these improvements were maintained at 16 weeks after 4 weeks placebo administration. [80] In one double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study, the efficacy of standardized BME (SBME) in subjects with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) without any evidence of dementia or psychiatric disorder was evaluated. The subjects received either 125 mg of SBME or placebo twice a day for a period of 12 weeks followed by a placebo period of another 4 weeks (total duration of the trial 16 weeks). SBME produced significant improvement in mental control, logical memory and paired associated learning during the 12-week drug therapy. SBME was found to be efficacious in subjects with age-associated memory impairment. [81]



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#30 nomi

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Posted 23 February 2011 - 03:21 AM

www.swansonvitamins.com


I purchase my bacopa from Swanson.


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