Herb Bacopa for TS

[Susan_MI]

While visiting my health food store to get taurine(500mg) and magnesium(350mg) for my teen with tics, it was recommended to take the herb bacopa. The bacopa is said to help increase the ability to concentrate and focus in reading and other learning demands which the tics interfere with. What is your recommendations on this herb? Can it be taken along with the taurine and magnesium?

[Sheila]

Susan--I saw your reply was in the guest set for Dr. Robbins--he must have overlooked it before we closed and archived the set so we moved it here.

 

You may know that bacopa is an Ayurvedic herb from India. It is supposed to have antioxidant qualities and calm the nerves, possibly improving attention as well. But there is little research on it. There are also, from what I have read, no reported side-effects--but that could be in part because it is not carefully monitored and not widely used in the West.

 

I would ask the natural food store to show you information on it if they are recommending it. Since there is such little research, it is impossible to say how it might interact with the nutrients you mention.

 

If you haven't given up on looking for a response to this, please let us know what you decided to do--and if you have learned any more yourself. Sheila

[Makeshift]

Just a comment that I thnk they are going to have to do a lot better job getting information out on herbs and possible drug interactions ETC. There is so much going on in this field and the regular docs dont' have a clue.

[Robot Boy]

I've been researching this on the net and find that there is very little. And some confusion because some people spell it with a b--bacoba--yours is correct.

 

there seem to be few side effects. hope someone tries it and lets us know how it goes

 

RB

[Roman]

That's a new one to me. I know valerian is often tried. Will be waiting to see if any one has tried this! I keep thinking there is something we are missing, while the doctors keep trying all these heavy duty drugs out on everyone.

[Harper]

Newbie post!

 

When you go to use herbs like that, how do you use it? Is it put into a tea, or maybe a capsule?

[Chemar]

Hi Makeshift

There are a couple of sites that do try to cover herbal remedies...what they do and how they may interact

THE NATURAL PHARMACIST:

http://www.tnp.com/

THE HOLISTIC ENCYCLOPEDIA

http://www.findhealer.com/glossary/glossary.php3

iHERB

http://www.iherb.com/health.html

 

These sites dont always have everything indexed, but are a pretty good resource in an area that is sadly lacking in information.

 

[Chemar]

Here are some sites that sell bacopa, and give a little background on it

 

http://www.raysahelian.com/bacopa.html

 

http://www.alternativehealth.com.au/Articl...cles/brahmi.htm

 

http://totalherbalcare.com/product_info.ph...0bc9cfbdd14497e

 

a Google search for it turns up quite a lot!!

 

None seem to address the side effects or possible interactions tho

and of course a major concern would be the purity of the product.

 

Interesting tho....I am certainly going to try to get more info on it.