9 replies to this topic

[X_Danny_X]

A friend of mine wants to know which is the better nootropic. He cannot afford both so he wants to know if Bacopa is better than Huperzine A when it comes to memory. Also does Bacopa offer more advantages than Huperzine A. I decided to post here since alot of members are knowledgeable about both.

[chrono]

It's kind of an apples and oranges thing. Bacopa's memory benefits are probably subtle, and show up after a month or two of taking it (at least according to the studies). Some people may notice other effects sooner, like anxiety reduction or even sedation.

Hup A has a much more immediate effect; personally, I find it improves various aspects of thinking, and can make recall easier. But it strongly inhibits an enzyme responsible for neurotransmitter regulation, and has a pretty long half-life, so I wouldn't take it more than a couple times a week at most. There's a good thread here explaining this issue in more detail.

[thedevinroy]

Bacopa numbed and dumbed me. I had to cut way back on it. I did not notice any benefits other than decrease in hyperactivity and an ability to sleep for longer and deeper. Some report freaky dreams, but I've not noticed anything like that.

I did take for an extended period of time and left the bottle a friend's house to help him cut back on marijuana use. He found it rejuvenating and stimulating, to my demise, so I let him keep it. I suffered no withdrawals and had no long term benefits. (Chronic) Bacopa use may have been a factor in conjunction with Oxymetazoline to cause post-pubescent gynecomastia and why one nipple is bigger than the other now... haha, joke's on me. It is a thyroid stimulant.

Huperzine A works every time for about 8 hours. I have not experienced any side effects aside from a "depressed" state which can be cured by coffee, ~3mg Methylene Blue (plus 500mg Vitamin C and some form of B3), or Selegiline. I take 150mcg 2x a day for 5 days a week. Seems to help with ADHD and counteract hyperactivity from Selegiline.

It seems to be effective at raising dopamine and norepinephrine, not serotonin. It's NMDA antagonism seems to not be all that concentrated at the NR2A receptor, which is helpful to maintain for LTP and ADHD. Thus, potential benefits from D-Aspartic Acid should not interfere from what I've read, and Huperzine A will still have some neuroprotective effects on glutamate transmission.

I realize the potential dangers in prolonged use of AChEi's, but I'm not 100% sure that Huperzine A is as dangerous as Aricept, for instance. It seems to do its job well: prevent over-breakdown of acetylcholine.

EDIT: I forgot to add that on normal days, I have low short term memory and poor recall. At first I thought it was just ADHD preventing me from staying on topic long enough or discouraging information recall via self criticism avoidance.

When I learned of the link between choline and cognition, I took a heaping scoop of peanut butter, I was able to think like I had 8 hours of sleep, even if I had 3 hours. My vertigo was cured, and I no longer suffered from poor cognition (though ADHD was still there). Huperzine A is like a heaping scoop of peanut butter times 4 or so. It's amazing stuff for me, improves short term and recall like crazy.

Anyhow, all I'm saying is that it is possible I have an acetylcholine imbalance, even at my age. Thus, Huperzine A may be my magic pill, but not for those like Chrono, who had trouble sleeping because of it.

Edited by devinthayer, 18 November 2011 - 08:00 PM.

[thedevinroy]

You are taking a gamble. It depends what you are looking for. Huperzine A has no lasting effects beyond its lifespan in your body, while Bacopa helps remove beta-amyloid deposits and is a chelator as well. Huperzine A has immediate cognition enhancing effects while Bacopa has immediate anxiety relieving effects. Both have half lives that are fairly long (up to half a day or so).

[X_Danny_X]

okay okay, so reading your posts devinthayer, Huperzine A was most effective. I couldn't help my friend since Huperzine A didnt work on me. I will relay this info to him and possibly give Huperzine A a shot again after reading your post. However, please explain this line

"Chronic Bacopa use may have been a factor in conjunction with Oxymetazoline to cause post-pubescent gynecomastia and why one nipple is bigger than the other now... haha, joke's on me. It is a thyroid stimulant."

What do you mean by chronic bacopa? My friend is reading this and he is scare now of getting b!tch tits. I am scare as well though I am taking Bacopa.

I remember our past conversation that Bacopa can help extend a person's life and that it can work in conjunction with Ashwagandha. Beta-amyloid is not responsible for Alzheimer disease but it is cool that it removes it.

When you say chelator, you mean removing heavy metals such as mercury and fighting heart disease? So far Bacopa doesn't seem like a memory enhancer.

Huperzine A seems to be better than Bacopa when it comes to memory but the effects wont last. Bacopa I thought for sure it increase memory capabilities but it is more like the garbage man, collecting garbage so it wont pile up in your brain. I thought by eating healthy rich in anti oxidants (such as fruits) would that.

I am leaning now towards Galantamine

[thedevinroy]

okay okay, so reading your posts devinthayer, Huperzine A was most effective. I couldn't help my friend since Huperzine A didnt work on me. I will relay this info to him and possibly give Huperzine A a shot again after reading your post. However, please explain this line

"Chronic Bacopa use may have been a factor in conjunction with Oxymetazoline to cause post-pubescent gynecomastia and why one nipple is bigger than the other now... haha, joke's on me. It is a thyroid stimulant."

What do you mean by chronic bacopa? My friend is reading this and he is scare now of getting b!tch tits. I am scare as well though I am taking Bacopa.

I remember our past conversation that Bacopa can help extend a person's life and that it can work in conjunction with Ashwagandha. Beta-amyloid is not responsible for Alzheimer disease but it is cool that it removes it.

When you say chelator, you mean removing heavy metals such as mercury and fighting heart disease? So far Bacopa doesn't seem like a memory enhancer.

Huperzine A seems to be better than Bacopa when it comes to memory but the effects wont last. Bacopa I thought for sure it increase memory capabilities but it is more like the garbage man, collecting garbage so it wont pile up in your brain. I thought by eating healthy rich in anti oxidants (such as fruits) would that.

I am leaning now towards Galantamine

Yeah the gynecomastia was caused by tyrosine (1-2g/day), phenylalanine (500mg/day), iodine (100% of DV), lots of bacopa (4x a day, 200mg of 20% extract), and 3 squirts of Oxymetazoline (nasal decongestant spray). Read about it here: http://www.longecity...e-grow-moobies/ I cut back on all those things, and the nipple budding stopped. The main thing was the oxymetazoline... not the Bacopa alone, but all those things together on top of the nasal spray did me in. So yeah, if you are taking an alpha2a agonist, then watch out for breast growth on Bacopa. Otherwise, nothing to worry about.

Bacopa is a memory RETENTION enhancer. It helps your brain stay organized in the memory department by cleaning things up. Thus, you can fit more stuff in there. Long term memory is important, too. A chelator as in heavy metals like mercury, yes, correct. Huperzine's effects is more immediate in the memory department, and it helps short term and recall. (Long term indirectly, as long term can't be made without short term).

Eating right will definitely help, as will calorie restriction.

[X_Danny_X]

I see you were experimenting or something, lol Good thing that Bacopa doesn't do that alone. I got scare for a moment. So in short Bacopa is a memory enhancer for long term memory since you will be able to recall better. While Huperzine A is for short term.

Would be good then to take both at the sametime though my friend and I are not part of the 1% rich population.

Ashwangandha then it seems to be good to use with Bacopa. Galantamine then will be the same as Huperzine A??

[nupi]

Well, at least Ashwaghanda can be had quite cheaply (months supply for 2 or 3 bucks), Bacopa is not all that pricey either, probably like 5-7 bucks a month (maybe more if you decide to play around with its anxiolytic properties).

[X_Danny_X]

what do you mean by anxiolytic properties?

[nupi]

It is pretty effective in curbing anxiety for me. Probably the single biggest reason why I have significantly reduced my drinking over the past month (well that and some weird interaction with Wellbutrin giving me stronger and stronger hang overs)