Bacopa vs Lion's Mane: Memory, Focus and Taking Them Together

Bacopa and lion's mane both support memory and focus, but research has studied them in different ways. Bacopa trials in healthy adults have measured memory retention, learning and attention speed after about 12 weeks of daily use, while lion's mane trials have measured cognitive scores in older adults over 16 weeks and processing speed in young adults. Because they are studied for different jobs, many people take them together.

Key Takeaways

• In healthy adults, 300 mg of bacopa extract a day for 12 weeks improved learning rate, memory consolidation and speed of visual information processing compared with placebo (Stough et al., 2001).
• A pooled analysis of 9 placebo-controlled bacopa trials with 518 people, each lasting at least 12 weeks, found faster attention test times (Kongkeaw et al., 2014).
• In 30 adults aged 50 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment, lion's mane tablets taken daily for 16 weeks raised cognitive function scale scores compared with placebo (Mori et al., 2009).
• In 41 healthy young adults, a single 1.8 g dose of lion's mane was followed by faster performance on a Stroop task 60 minutes later (Docherty et al., 2023).
• Bacopa is studied mostly for memory retention and attention; lion's mane is studied for cognitive function and for nerve growth factor in cell research. They can be taken together, and both are in our Clarity Capsules.

What Bacopa and Lion's Mane Are

Bacopa monnieri is a creeping herb with a long history in Ayurvedic tradition, where it is known as brahmi. Supplements use an extract of the plant. Reviews of lab and animal research describe several ways bacopa may support the brain, including antioxidant activity, effects on the enzymes that make and break down acetylcholine, and changes in acetylcholine, serotonin and dopamine signaling, alongside randomized human trials on memory (Aguiar and Borowski, 2013). Our bacopa monnieri ingredient page covers the herb in more depth.

Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) is an edible mushroom with a shaggy white fruiting body. It contains compounds called hericenones and erinacines, which lab research links to nerve growth factor, a protein that helps nerve cells grow and stay healthy. In a cell study, a water extract of lion's mane led cells to release nerve growth factor and grow longer nerve fibers (Lai et al., 2013). See our lion's mane ingredient page for more.

Bacopa vs Lion's Mane at a Glance

Feature	Bacopa	Lion's mane
What it is	Ayurvedic herb, used as a plant extract	Edible mushroom, used as fruiting body powder or extract
Main research focus	Memory retention, learning and attention speed	Cognitive function scores, processing speed and nerve growth factor
Who was studied	Adults of many ages, including healthy adults over 55 and older adults averaging 73	Adults aged 50 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment; healthy adults aged 18 to 45
Amount in trials	300 mg of extract a day	About 3 g of tablets a day; 1.8 g in a single dose
Trial length	12 weeks or longer	From a single dose to 16 weeks
Side effects reported	Stomach upset, nausea, cramps, more frequent stools	No adverse effects on lab tests in the 16-week trial
In our products	Clarity Capsules: 200 mg bacopa monnieri extract per serving	Clarity Capsules: 250 mg 8:1 fruiting body extract; Forage: 200 mg 8:1 fruiting body extract

Bacopa Monnieri vs Lion's Mane for Memory

Bacopa has the longer record of memory trials in healthy people. In one double-blind trial, adults who took 300 mg of bacopa extract daily improved on learning rate and memory consolidation tests, and the effects were largest at 12 weeks (Stough et al., 2001). In 76 adults aged 40 to 65, three months of bacopa improved a test of how well people kept new information, which the authors read as a slower rate of forgetting (Roodenrys et al., 2002).

Older adults show similar results. In 98 healthy adults over 55, 300 mg a day for 12 weeks improved verbal learning, memory acquisition and delayed recall on a word list test (Morgan and Stevens, 2010). In 54 older adults with an average age of 73.5, the same daily amount for 12 weeks improved delayed word recall and Stroop task scores compared with placebo (Calabrese et al., 2008).

Lion's mane memory research has focused more on older adults. In a double-blind trial in Japan, 30 men and women aged 50 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment took about 3 g a day of tablets made from dried lion's mane, or placebo, for 16 weeks. The lion's mane group scored higher on a cognitive function scale at weeks 8, 12 and 16, and four weeks after intake stopped, scores had fallen again (Mori et al., 2009). See also our guide to memory enhancement techniques.

Which Is Better for Focus?

For bacopa, a pooled analysis of 9 randomized trials with 518 people, all lasting at least 12 weeks, found faster times on the Trail B test, a measure of attention and mental flexibility. The authors concluded bacopa may support cognition, especially speed of attention (Kongkeaw et al., 2014).

For lion's mane, a pilot trial in 41 healthy adults aged 18 to 45 gave 1.8 g or placebo. Sixty minutes after a single dose, the lion's mane group was quicker on the Stroop task, which measures how well you focus on one cue while ignoring another (Docherty et al., 2023). Read more in lion's mane for focus and concentration and bacopa benefits. For a focus option studied as a single dose rather than over weeks, our guide to lion's mane vs L-tyrosine compares the two.

Bacopa and Lion's Mane Together

The trials above tested each one on its own, so there is no head-to-head winner. The reason people pair them is that research points to different routes. Bacopa is studied for acetylcholine, serotonin and dopamine signaling and antioxidant activity (Aguiar and Borowski, 2013), while lion's mane is studied for nerve growth factor in cell research (Lai et al., 2013). Neither contains caffeine, so the pairing adds no stimulant.

That is the thinking behind our Clarity Capsules. Each 2-capsule serving gives lion's mane 8:1 fruiting body extract 250 mg, epimedium extract 200 mg, maca root extract 200 mg, bacopa monnieri extract 200 mg, rhodiola rosea extract 150 mg and huperzine A 200 mcg, with ginger extract in vegan capsules. It is made with third-party tested ingredients. See also our hub on cognitive health and mental clarity.

How to Take Them

• Take them daily. Bacopa trials measured results after 12 weeks of daily use, and the longer lion's mane trial ran 16 weeks.
• Follow the label. For Clarity Capsules, the suggested use is 2 capsules daily, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach, or as recommended by your healthcare practitioner. For Forage, it is two capsules daily, taken in the morning with or without food.
• Check amounts. Our lion's mane dosage guide walks through the amounts used in research and how extract strength is labeled.

Safety and Side Effects

Most people tolerate both well. With bacopa, the side effects reported in trials were mainly digestive. In the trial of adults over 55, these were more frequent stools, abdominal cramps and nausea (Morgan and Stevens, 2010), and in the trial of older adults averaging 73.5, adverse events were few and mostly stomach upset (Calabrese et al., 2008).

With lion's mane, laboratory tests showed no adverse effects over 16 weeks of daily intake (Mori et al., 2009). Skip it if you are allergic to mushrooms, and stop if you notice a rash or itching. Our guide to lion's mane side effects has more detail.

Talk to your doctor before taking either one if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take prescription medicine.

Lion's Mane in a Mushroom Blend

If you want lion's mane alongside other mushrooms, Forage gives 8:1 fruiting body extracts of lion's mane, cordyceps and reishi at 200 mg each, chaga, maitake, turkey tail and shiitake at 150 mg each, plus Himalayan shilajit extract 100 mg and ashwagandha root extract 100 mg in every 2-capsule serving. It is made with third-party tested ingredients in vegan capsules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bacopa or lion's mane better for memory?

Bacopa has more memory trials in healthy adults. At 300 mg a day for 12 weeks, it improved learning and delayed recall in several placebo-controlled studies. Lion's mane memory research has focused on older adults, where 16 weeks of daily intake raised cognitive function scores. Many people take both because research studies them for different routes.

Can you take bacopa and lion's mane together?

Yes. They are often paired because research looks at different routes: bacopa for acetylcholine and other brain messengers, lion's mane for nerve growth factor. Neither is a stimulant. Our Clarity Capsules combine both with rhodiola, maca, epimedium and huperzine A. Talk to your doctor first if you take prescription medicine.

Which is better for focus, bacopa or lion's mane?

Both have been studied for attention. A pooled analysis of 9 bacopa trials found faster attention test times after at least 12 weeks of use. In a pilot trial of young adults, a single 1.8 g dose of lion's mane was followed by quicker Stroop task performance an hour later. Many people take both as part of a daily routine.

How long does bacopa take to work compared with lion's mane?

Bacopa trials measured their main results at 12 weeks of daily use, and one trial found the effects were largest at that point. Lion's mane results in older adults appeared from week 8 and continued to week 16. Plan on at least 12 weeks of steady daily use for either one before judging how it works for you.

What are the side effects of bacopa and lion's mane?

Bacopa side effects in trials were mainly digestive: nausea, abdominal cramps and more frequent stools. In a 16-week lion's mane trial, lab tests showed no adverse effects. Avoid lion's mane if you are allergic to mushrooms. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take medication.

Is bacopa or lion's mane a stimulant?

No. Neither contains caffeine, and neither works like a stimulant. Bacopa results in trials built over weeks of daily use, and lion's mane has been studied as a single dose and over 16 weeks. Clarity Capsules combine both for daily focus support without a stimulant.

What dose of bacopa and lion's mane did studies use?

The bacopa memory trials described here used 300 mg of extract a day for 12 weeks. Lion's mane trials used about 3 g a day of tablets made from dried mushroom powder over 16 weeks, or 1.8 g as a single dose. Extract strength changes the amount on a label, so follow the directions on the product you choose.

Sources

• 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, 2001. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11498727/
• Roodenrys S, Booth D, Bulzomi S, Phipps A, Micallef C, Smoker J. Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on human memory. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2002. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12093601/
• Calabrese C, Gregory WL, Leo M, Kraemer D, Bone K, Oken B. Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18611150/
• Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20590480/
• Kongkeaw C, Dilokthornsakul P, Thanarangsarit P, Limpeanchob N, Norman Scholfield C. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24252493/
• Aguiar S, Borowski T. Neuropharmacological review of the nootropic herb Bacopa monnieri. Rejuvenation Research, 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23772955/
• Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research, 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/
• Docherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF. The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study. Nutrients, 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38004235/
• Lai PL, Naidu M, Sabaratnam V, et al. Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24266378/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.