Verified
“Standardized BaCognize extract.”
The panel names BaCognize, the Verdure Sciences extract with its own clinical trials, at 250 mg standardized to 12 percent bacopa glycosides.
Swanson Bacopa Monnieri Extract BaCognize 250 mg Review
SAC StudioBest Budget Studied ExtractBUY
8.7/10SAC Product Score™
How the score breaks downHide breakdown
SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
- Studied Extract & Dose30%8.8
- Standardization Disclosure20%9.0
- Testing & Manufacturing20%8.6
- Formulation & Form15%7.4
- Value15%9.4
Buy it if you want a studied extract at the lowest price and do not need a vegan capsule
✓ Buy if…
- You want a clinically studied extract for the least money
- You want a printed glycoside standardization
✗ Skip if…
- You are vegan; the capsule is gelatin
- You want one capsule to be the full dose
Read the full analysis
✓ Also buy if…
- You are fine with gelatin and two or three small capsules a day
✗ Also skip if…
- You want the higher-bacoside Synapsa extract
Swanson's capsule carries BaCognize, the second Bacopa extract with its own clinical trials, at 250 mg standardized to 12 percent bacopa glycosides, in a gelatin capsule with rice flour and, per the panel, possibly magnesium stearate and silica. The label suggests one capsule two to three times a day; 90 capsules. Non-GMO is printed on the panel and the listing states USDA Organic, NSF and UL GMP certified facilities with third-party testing for purity and potency.
How we built the SAC Product Score™ — 8.7/10
Studied Extract & Dose30%8.8/10
BaCognize is a clinically studied extract; 250 mg per capsule reaches the 300 mg trial range at two capsules, so it scores just below the Synapsa products.
Standardization Disclosure20%9/10
Standardized to 12 percent bacopa glycosides is printed on the panel; the glycoside standard differs from bacoside assays, which the label does not explain.
Testing & Manufacturing20%8.6/10
Non-GMO on the panel; USDA Organic, NSF and UL GMP facilities and third-party testing are stated in the listing gallery rather than printed on the label.
Formulation & Form15%7.4/10
Gelatin capsule with rice flour and a may-contain line for magnesium stearate and silica; not vegan.
Value15%9.4/10
About $0.16 per capsule, roughly $0.20 for a 300 mg day, the cheapest studied extract here.
The product at a glance
- Form
- Gelatin capsule
- Serving
- 1 capsule
- Count
- 90 capsules (90 servings)
- Per serving
- 250 mg BaCognize Bacopa monnieri whole-herb extract
- Standardization
- 12% bacopa glycosides (printed)
- Other ingredients
- Rice flour, gelatin; may contain magnesium stearate, silica
- Directions
- One capsule two to three times per day with water
- Seals
- Non-GMO (panel); NSF/UL GMP facilities and third-party testing (listing)
- Cost per dose
- ~$0.16 per capsule
Marketing claims vs. reality
Partial
“Third-party tested for purity and potency.”
Stated in the listing gallery alongside NSF and UL GMP certified facilities; the panel itself prints only non-GMO.
Partial
“Supports memory and mental focus.”
Structure-function language consistent with the bacopa trials, but the studied dose is 300 mg a day, which means two of these capsules.
What our test actually found
01A studied extract for a fifth of the price
BaCognize has its own human trials and a printed standardization. Two capsules a day put you at 500 mg, above the studied 300 mg, for around thirty cents; one capsule is a touch under.
02The label is honest and a little vague
May-contain excipients and a testing statement that stays in the listing are the marks of a budget label. Nothing is wrong; less is committed to print than on the winner.
Pros & cons, no sugar-coating
Pros
- Clinically studied BaCognize extract
- 12 percent glycoside standard printed
- About $0.16 per capsule
- NSF and UL GMP facilities stated
Cons
- Gelatin capsule, not vegan
- May-contain excipient line
- Testing claim lives in the listing, not on the panel
The budget-conscious way to a studied Bacopa
If the trial extract matters and the price matters more, Swanson's BaCognize gets you both for about twenty cents a day. Vegans and one-capsule purists should pay the extra for Doctor's Best.
Affiliate link — Super Achiever Club earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
If this doesn’t fit — try these
Doctor's Best Bacopa with Synapsa
9/10The clinically studied Synapsa extract at 320 mg with the bacoside standardization printed on the panel, in a vegan capsule for a third of a dollar a day — the complete package.
See it on the list →Nootropics Depot Synapsa Bacopa
8.5/10The same clinically studied Synapsa extract at 320 mg, verified in the vendor's ISO 17025 lab, but with a maltodextrin filler and no bacoside percentage on the panel, at the highest price here.
See it on the list →Nutricost Bacopa Monnieri
8.4/101,000 mg of extract standardized to 50 percent bacosides per two capsules, third-party tested and GMP, in hypromellose capsules for twenty-eight cents; a dose no trial has tested.
See it on the list →Sources & further reading
- Kongkeaw C, et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;151(1):528-35.Kongkeaw C, Dilokthornsakul P, Thanarangsarit P, Limpeanchob N, Norman Scholfield C · 2014 · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · PMID 24252493
Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract
Pooling nine randomized trials with 518 participants, Bacopa extract improved speed of attention, shortening Trail B time and choice reaction time, with other cognitive domains showing smaller or inconsistent effects.
- Pase MP, et al. J Altern Complement Med. 2012;18(7):647-52.Pase MP, Kean J, Sarris J, Neale C, Scholey AB, Stough C · 2012 · Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine · PMID 22747190
The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: a systematic review of randomized, controlled human clinical trials
A systematic review of six randomized trials concluded that Bacopa monnieri extracts improve memory free recall with consistency, while effects on other cognitive domains were not reliably demonstrated.