Bacopa vs Mucuna for mood
Short answer: For mood, more users report improvement with Mucuna — 83% of 6 reports, versus 51% of 106 for Bacopa.
Bacopa has 16 meta-analyses and 17 randomized trials on PubMed; Mucuna has 4 and 9.
Based on 1,156 reports about Bacopa and 43 about Mucuna. Not medical advice.
| Bacopa Supplement | Mucuna Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 54%helped474 reports · high confidence | 63%helped13 reports · few reports |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | BResearch: Moderate |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 16 / 17 | 4 / 9 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Memory % reporting improvement | 96% (286) | — |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 92% (142) | — |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 51% (106) | 83% (6) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 84% (107) | — |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 23% (56) | 67% (3) |
| Common side effects | fatigue, drowsiness, stomach issues, demotivation | irritability, fatigue, drowsiness, down-regulation |
| Typical dose reported | 600 mg / daily | 150 mg / 2x daily |
Caffeine enhances attention and executive functions. Together, the results from the compiled studies highlight the nootropic effects and the inconsistencies regarding PDNs that require further research.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.2021137.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023 ↗“Bacopa monnieri is the best against my brain fog, I grow my own. But it does not give more energy, just good mental focus.”
(quixabeira). We suggest that the scientific community concentrates research efforts on tree legumes, due to their resilience and physiological, nutritional, and culinary qualities.
PLoS One, 2020 ↗“Personally I feel like Mucuna is good for this and that I can feel a difference. I feel like I have more sensitivity and lower refractory period.”
Related comparisons
Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate