High blood pressure is a prevalent ailment in which the long-term force of the blood against the artery walls is high enough that it may at some point cause health issues, such as heart disease or other complications.
The World Health Organization estimates that about 650 million people with high blood pressure are currently at risk of stroke and heart attack. Some of the main root causes of high blood pressure are sedentary lifestyles and stress.
Treatments for high blood pressure (also referred to as hypertension, or HBP) include medications such as diuretics and beta-blockers. These prescription drugs are often useful, but are pretty frequently associated with by negative side effects. That’s led quite a few people to choose more natural, non-prescription, treatments — including supplements derived from brahmi.
What Is Brahmi?
Brahmi is part of the family Scrophulariaceae. Brahmi is a small-sized, succulent (stems acclimatized to retain water ), glabrous (sleek), creeping (branches above ground), perennial (re-grows every year) herb. It is also named water hyssop or Bacopa monnieri, and in India — the location brahmi is native to — it is regionally called Jalanimba or brahmi. The word brahmi is taken from the word Brahma, which refers to the mythical God of creation in Hindu mythology.
As part of Ayurveda, the age-old medical system of India, brahmi was and is a main medicinal plant for almost 3000 years. Ayurvedic followers have utilized brahmi frequently for its many medicinal characteristics to deal with a variety of health-related disorders including high blood sugar, depression, stress, and mental health issues. While brahmi is most well known for its nootropic (brain boosting) qualities, this herb additionally has the ability to lower blood pressure.
How Brahmi Works to Reduce Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is calculated both by the volume of blood one’s heart pumps and the amount of resistance to the blood flowing in your arteries. The more blood one’s heart pumps and the narrower the arteries, the higher a person’s blood pressure. A person’s blood pressure reading consists of two numbers.
One’s systolic pressure measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. A person’s diastolic pressure rates the pressure in the body’s arteries between beats. Bacopa monnieri has been discovered to have the power to decrease both systolic and diastolic pressures.
Brahmi Manages Anxiety and Stress
A body delivers an outpouring of hormones when you are in a stressful predicament. These hormones temporarily amplify your blood pressure by inducing your heart to beat much faster and your blood vessels to constrict. Responding to stress in unhealthy ways may boost your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Bacopa can be of use in handling anxiety because of its anxiolytic (anxiety-limiting) quality. Bacopa will decrease the signs of stress and mental exhaustion while boosting memory span. Bacopa monnieri may prevent neuroinflammation (inflammatory reaction of nervous tissue) which contributes to causing anxiety
In Ayurveda behaviorism, there exist three attributes of one’s mind: One attribute is inertia, a second is agitation and the last quality is clarity and balance. Bacopa monnieri is believed in Ayurvedic practice to give rise to that third condition of clarity and balance in your mind. A couple of 12-week studies verify this thousands of years old knowledge by revealing that taking 225 milligrams of Bacopa every day dramatically lowered anxiety levels.
Bacopa is thought of as an adaptogenic herb, meaning it ups your body’s ability to resist stress and strain on your body and mind. In the field of herbal medicine an adaptogen is a natural compound believed to help the body adapt and cope to stress and to exert a normalizing impact upon the body’s processes. Modern research has found that Bacaopa can enhance your mood by bring down your cortisol levels. Cortisol is the hormone responsible for creating stress, so decreasing cortisol levels can then decrease the amount of stress you go through.
Brahmi Strengthens and Dilates Blood Vessels
In Ayurvedic medicine this herb is deemed to offer several blood-health properties, including:
- Promotes the toxin removal from blood vessels for normal functioning
- Maintains the easy mobility of blood through the blood vessels for healthier blood circulation, which then sustains a healthy heart, kidneys, and lungs
- Supports relaxation of blood vessels and arteries for proper blood circulation
- Supports cardiac health by rejuvenating the heart muscles and managing balanced blood flow
In one animal study, Bacopa lessened diastolic and systolic blood pressure values. Bacopa achieved this by releasing nitric oxide, which helps to dilate blood vessels, leading to better blood flow and lowered blood pressure. This herb causes the nitric oxide release, which relaxes blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. Bacopa supplements eliminated blood clots in a cell study, which could help diminish excessive blood clotting that can block arteries.
Brahmi also works on the circulatory system, which will cleanse the blood, strengthen blood vessels bringing about better blood flow around the body reducing blood pressure.
How to Take Bacopa Supplements
Bacopa monnieri can be purchased online or from health food stores. This herb’s available in a number of forms, including capsules, tablets, and powders.
Brahmi Doses
Based on certified Ayurvedic physicians, it is considered safe to consume up to 5 grams of Brahmi powder daily together with meals. A standard retail available program is two oral capsules of 500 milligrams each of Brahmi powder. Doses are generally taken after meals, however it is completely suitable to consume Bacopa in between meals. Brahmi extracts have been given in medical trials at doses from 150 mg to 2,000 mg each day, with a number of studies carrying on for as long as 4 months.
Side Effects of Bacopa Side Effects
Bacopa is typically well-tolerated by the vast majority of people. But, because Bacopa can reduce blood pressure, a person with low blood pressure and a decreased rate of heartbeat may experience some lightheadedness or dizziness after taking brahmi. For this reason it is advised that these people stay clear of consuming brahmi. The most commonly reported side effects of brahmi supplements involve queasiness or indigestion.
There is no sufficient information relating to Bacopa’s safe usage during breastfeeding and pregnancy, so it’s best to avoid taking brahmi or to consult with a doctor if you wish to take Bacopa prenatally or breastfeeding.
