As people age, they lose mental agility. They have trouble remembering things. And concentrating. They forget where they put their keys. What they ate for breakfast. If you’re one of the 79 million baby boomers in this country, this may already have started happening to you. You worry that it will only get worse. And one day lead to Alzheimer’s.

You’ll be happy to know that there’s a natural memory enhancer. One that can actually reverse cognitive decline.

It’s a plant extract derived from an herb. It was discovered in the marshes of India. Traditional Indian healers have used it for thousands of years.

So what is this exotic plant? It is Bacopa monnieri, also known as Brahmi.

Dr. Con Stough is an Australian scientist. He’s a professor at the prestigious Brain Sciences Institute at the Swinburne University of Technology. He has conducted clinical trials on a wide variety of pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements. And he’s published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

In 2001, Dr. Stough led a study on the impact of Bacopa on brain function. It was done at the Neuropsychology Laboratory at the School of Biophysical Science and Electrical Engineering in Victoria, Australia. The results were published in Psychopharmacologia.

More Brain Power

The team followed 46 healthy people for 12 weeks. Half of the participants took 300 mg of a Bacopa extract daily. The other half took a placebo. All 46 were given cognitive tests at the beginning of the study. They were tested again at the end.

The results: The Bacopa group was able to process visual information more quickly. They also learned more quickly, forgot less, and had less anxiety.

The conclusion: “These findings suggest that B. monniera may improve higher order cognitive processes that are critically dependent on the input of information from our environment.”

Dr. Ray Sahelian is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia. He is the bestselling author of Mind Boosters. And he is an experienced formulator of herbal supplements.

Dr. Sahelian explains that Bacopa has “strong antioxidant properties,” and helps protect the synaptic functions of nerves in the brain, especially in the seat of memory.:

Boost Your Memory

To maintain brain function as you age, consider supplementing with Bacopa. It comes in capsule form. And it can be purchased at your nearest health food store or online.

The suggested dosage is 100 mg to 300 mg daily. But Dr. Sahelian recommends starting with the lowest amount that works for you.

“It usually takes a few days to notice the mental enhancement from this herbal supplement,” he says. “I prefer using it in smaller amounts in combination with other brain boosting nutrients.”

This is a powerful herb. And there’s a lot more to learn about it. NHD will continue doing the research… and keeping you posted.

To your best health,

Michael Jelinek,
Managing Editor, NHD “Health Watch”