But, many don\u2019t know \u201cthe herb of grace\u201d at all. <\/p>\n
Still, the perennial herb has been used for centuries in Indian Ayurveda traditional medicine, according to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>, and boasts brain boosting benefits, among others. <\/p>\n \u201cBacopa monniera protects the brain through antioxidants,\u201d registered dietitian Sarah Thomsen Ferreira previously told the clinic. \u201cIt helps to stimuli enzymes in our body\u2019s own antioxidant defense system.\u201d<\/p>\n Antioxidants include vitamins and minerals that prevent cell damage and are found in many foods. A diet high in antioxidants can help to reduce the risk of chronic disease. <\/p>\n Bacopa\u2019s brain impacts haven\u2019t been studied in humans, but trials in animals have \u201cestablished a biological rationale for protective properties,\u201d according to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation<\/a>. <\/p>\n The small trials have made it challenging to draw firm conclusions, but a systematic review of the research reported at least one statistically significant improvement on at least one neuropsychological measure in the majority of trials it analyzed, the non-profit said. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Bacopa is an Ayurvedic herb that\u2019s been used for centuries. Researchers say now that it can reduce inflammation, keep you calm, and even protect the brain (Getty Images)<\/p>\n But, that\u2019s not the only reason you may want to use the tropical herb in your next cup of tea or protein shake — after consulting with a doctor, of course.<\/p>\n Bacopa is an adaptogen, the clinic notes. Adaptogens are groups of plants and herbs that can reduce stress. It is believed they work by interacting with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis<\/a>: a group of three endocrine system organs that initiate the body\u2019s stress response, according to UCLA Health<\/a>. The organs include the brain\u2019s hypothalamus and pituitary gland and the kidneys\u2019 adrenal glands. All of the organs regulate hormones, which cause stress.<\/p>\n Lastly, several studies have found that bacopa can reduce inflammation in the central nervous system<\/a> and related pain<\/a>. <\/p>\n Inflammation<\/a>, which is our immune system\u2019s natural response to invaders, can be harmful when it persists. Chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease, respiratory illness, autoimmune disease, arthritis, dementia, cancer, and other conditions, according to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Bacopa is generally considered to be safe to consume. But, talk to your doctor before doing so (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Bacopa is generally considered to be safe, but not all of its risks have been studied and may vary by individual. <\/p>\n The foundation warns that some sources could be unsafe, depending on where the plant is grown. <\/p>\n \u201cConsider choosing supplements whose content has been verified by a third party,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":49442,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[64,63,137,490],"class_list":{"0":"post-107406","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-medication"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107406"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107406\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Bacopa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-84802017.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Bacopa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1756588518_914_GettyImages-509959818.jpeg\")
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