Bacopa Monnieri by Intellimeds

Biohacker Review: "Pharmaceutical Grade" Bacopa

I put Pharmaceutical Grade in quotation marks because there's not really such a thing as pharmaceutical-grade herbs and Adaptogens, but I use the phrase because it's known to mean of the highest quality and purity. This is super important with Bacopa in particular. You'll want to read or listen to my meta-analysis of Bacopa before purchasing or consuming this.

Bacopa is everywhere in the supplement world...

In branded nootropic stacks, on the shelves of nearly every vitamin shop, and in teas and tinctures. But there are two big things most supplement companies and “health gurus” don’t tell you. First, Bacopa takes a long time to work. This is not caffeine, nicotine, or modafinil, where you feel a sharp kick the same day. Human placebo-controlled studies show it usually takes a minimum of three weeks, and for most people, around twelve weeks, to feel meaningful improvements in memory, learning, or mental clarity. So think of Bacopa less like a one-night stand and more like a three-month relationship. Second, sourcing matters a lot. Because it is a plant, quality can vary widely, and low-end production has been found to contain heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. That’s why I emphasize pharmaceutical grade - you want a vendor who publishes third-party certificates of analysis to prove purity.

As I explain in my meta-analysis of Bacopa, you need to take it for months to reap the performance enhancement benefits, and my supply was only about a month's worth. So I don't have anything notable to report as far as classic Nootropic effects.

This lined up with my own test run. I only used it for about a month, which is simply not long enough to unlock its core cognitive benefits. What I did notice was more subtle: a calming, tranquilizing quality. Bacopa down-regulates dopamine, and for me, it created a state similar to the red strains of Kratom - slowed down, a little more relaxed, and better suited for winding down at the end of the day. Some people find this especially helpful for anxiety, and I can see why. A customer of mine who stuck with Bacopa for two months described a breakthrough: not only did memory benefits finally kick in, but he noticed Bacopa potentiated stimulants. A simple cup of tea became noticeably more energizing when paired with it. That anecdote lines up with the science showing Bacopa’s role in modulating neurotransmitters in ways that could interact with caffeine or other mild stimulants.

Bacopa regulates dopamine down, which I find tranquilizing.

I consider Bacopa an alternative to red strains of Kratom. I'll enjoy some Bacopa tea in the evening before bed while I'm doing some reading or whatever. A lot of people complain about its taste, which is a bit bitter, but it did not bother me that much. It's kind of earthy, like Kratom or other Adaptogenic herbs I've made teas out of.

And beyond taste, Bacopa has serious history behind it. This is a herb used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years, praised for sharpening cognition and calming the nervous system. Modern science confirms many of these claims. Meta-analyses of human studies show benefits for memory, learning, and even neuroprotection. But again, only with consistent use over time. It is a marathon, not a sprint. If you are tackling a long-term personal development goal like learning a language or acquiring a new skill set, Bacopa could be a supportive ally. Just don’t expect it to suddenly unlock photographic recall.

A negative: Intellimeds does not double-bag its powdered Nootropics

Which is annoying as you are getting to the bottom of your bag. Inevitably, you'll dump your powder on your desk, laptop, or clothes. Kind of annoying. One day, I mistakenly dumped about two grams of Bacopa in my tea, which is quite a mega dose, although it was not an outstandingly negative or positive effect. Double-bag your supplements, Intellimeds!

That packaging gripe aside, I still recommend IntelliMed for Bacopa. They are one of the rare vendors that display third-party certificates of analysis, so you can see exact spectroscopic results for heavy metals and purity. That’s no small thing in an industry where too many brands just list “Bacopa” as a line item on their label with no proof of what you’re really getting. Whether you buy from IntelliMed or another vendor, make sure you only commit to Bacopa if you’re buying the good stuff. When it comes to a supplement you’ll be taking daily for months, purity is non-negotiable.

Next, check out my more recent Biohacker review of Bacopa, where I break down the recent science on the supplement.

Bacopa monnieri supplements have shown to reduce anxiety and therefore improves cognitive performance. Besides its effects being studied mostly on elderly, it has shown efficacy in young people making bacopa monnieri a popular Nootrpic. Bacopa has also been shown to have various benefits in the treatment of epilsepsy [1]

From Intellimeds.net