Home Ingredients Synapsa® (Bacopa monnieri Extract — KeyView)
Cognitive

Synapsa® (Bacopa monnieri Extract — KeyView)

Bacopa monnieri
Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Synapsa® is a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract used for memory and cognitive performance. Bacopa is a classic Ayurvedic brain herb, and Synapsa is one of the standardized, bacoside-defined extracts marketed with its own clinical research. Note that the study cited on this page is a review of Bacopa extracts as a class rather than a Synapsa-specific trial, and any effect builds over weeks of daily use rather than after a single dose.

Studied Dose About 320 mg per day of standardized extract. The 320 mg dose matches the CDRI 08 extract in an acute crossover study; a separate 12-week trial of the same CDRI 08 extract (sold as Keenmind and Synapsa) used 300 mg per day and reported learning and memory gains that built over the weeks.
Active Compound Standardized Bacopa monnieri whole-plant extract delivering a defined bacoside content.

Benefits

Memory and learning

Standardized Bacopa monnieri extracts have improved memory and learning measures in randomized trials, with any benefit building gradually over several weeks rather than after a single dose. The most brand-relevant evidence is a 12-week trial of the same CDRI 08 extract (sold as Keenmind and Synapsa) that reported gains in learning and memory over the weeks.

Supported by Trial 1

Cognitive performance

Trials of standardized Bacopa extracts report modest gains in information processing and recall in healthy adults, which is why Bacopa is described as a slow, cumulative nootropic rather than a same-day one. Results are not uniform across studies, and none of the cited evidence is Synapsa-specific.

Supported by Trial 1

Calm focus

Bacopa is traditionally used as a calming, adaptogenic herb, and users often describe a settled rather than stimulated kind of focus. This reflects traditional use and user reports; it is not an outcome measured in the research cited on this page.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Bacoside neuroprotection

In laboratory and animal work, bacosides act as antioxidants in brain tissue, support synaptic communication, and promote dendritic growth. These are proposed mechanisms for the memory findings, not effects measured directly in humans.

2

Neurotransmitter modulation

Bacopa influences acetylcholine and serotonin signaling involved in learning and mood.

Clinical trials

1
Bacopa vs Ginkgo — Systematic Review / Network Meta-Analysis
PubMed

Systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing Bacopa monnieri and Ginkgo biloba across cognitive outcomes. This is evidence for standardized Bacopa extracts as a class, not a trial of Synapsa itself. (Tiemtad et al. 2026, Phytomedicine)

Adults across the Bacopa and Ginkgo trials pooled by the review.

This is a pooled analysis of previously published Bacopa and Ginkgo trials rather than a single new study. It supports standardized Bacopa extracts as a class, with any cognitive effect building over weeks of daily use rather than acutely, and it does not establish a result for the Synapsa extract specifically.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated — the most common effects are digestive.
Mild stomach cramping or loose stools can occur, especially on an empty stomach.
Take with food to improve tolerance.

Important Drug interactions

Thyroid medication — Bacopa may affect thyroid hormone; monitor.
Sedatives — possible additive calming effect.
Acetylcholinesterase-active drugs — theoretical interaction; consult a doctor.

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Frequently asked questions about Synapsa® (Bacopa monnieri Extract — KeyView)

What is Synapsa?

Synapsa® is a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract used for memory and cognitive performance. Bacopa is a classic Ayurvedic brain herb, and Synapsa is one of the standardized, bacoside-defined extracts marketed with its own clinical research.

What is Synapsa used for?

Synapsa is researched primarily for Cognitive. Standardized Bacopa monnieri extracts have improved memory and learning measures in randomized trials, with any benefit building gradually over several weeks rather than after a single dose.

What is the recommended dosage of Synapsa?

The clinically studied dose is About 320 mg per day of standardized extract. The 320 mg dose matches the CDRI 08 extract in an acute crossover study; a separate 12-week trial of the same CDRI 08 extract (sold as Keenmind and Synapsa) used 300 mg per day and reported learning and memory gain… Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Synapsa safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Synapsa is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well-tolerated — the most common effects are digestive. Mild stomach cramping or loose stools can occur, especially on an empty stomach. It may also interact with some medications. Synapsa is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Synapsa interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Thyroid medication — Bacopa may affect thyroid hormone; monitor. Sedatives — possible additive calming effect. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Synapsa?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Synapsa as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 3 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(3 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Tiemtad P, Ingkaninan K, Temkitthawon P, et al. Comparative effects of Bacopa monnieri and Ginkgo biloba on cognitive functions: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. 2026;153:157915..PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of Bacopa monnieri versus Ginkgo biloba cognitive trials; supports Bacopa extracts as a class, not a Synapsa-specific outcome.
  2. Downey LA, Kean J, Nemeh F, Lau A, Poll A, Gregory R, Murray M, Rourke J, Patak B, Pase MP, Zangara A, Lomas J, Scholey A, Stough C An acute, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 320 mg and 640 mg doses of a special extract of Bacopa monnieri (CDRI 08) on sustained cognitive performance Phytotherapy Research. 2013;Phytother Res. 2013;27(9):1407-1413.PubMedUsed to support: The most brand-relevant trial available: a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of the CDRI 08 standardized Bacopa extract (the extract marketed as Synapsa) at 320 mg — the dose listed on this page. IMPORTANT: this was an ACUTE single-dose study of sustained cognitive performance, not a multi-week memory trial, so it supports the extract and dose but not the page's cumulative multi-week memory claims.
  3. Stough C, Lloyd J, Clarke J, Downey LA, Hutchison CW, Rodgers T, Nathan PJ. The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2001;156(4):481-4. doi: 10.1007/s002130100815.PubMedUsed to support: A 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the CDRI 08 extract (sold as Keenmind and Synapsa) at 300 mg per day in healthy adults. Speed of visual information processing, learning rate, and memory consolidation improved versus placebo, with maximal effects at 12 weeks. A single small chronic trial.