How to Use Rosemary for Brain Health?

Science Based

Rosemary seems to be an interesting herb for brain function. Studies suggest it may support memory, attention, stress regulation, sleep, and may also be beneficial for people with anxiety and depression.

Rosemary Benefits for Brain Health

Here are some interesting quotes from different studies on rosemary and brain health

Cognitive Function

This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that administration of R. officinalis improved cognitive function in animal models of cognitive deficit and in normal intact animals. The outcomes may be used in the planning of clinical studies provided the included studies are robust enough to account for the heterogeneity observed. The cognitive benefits provided by R. officinalis and its mechanisms of action are in synchrony with the fundamental pathophysiology of cognitive deficit and the herb could be a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

Memory and Sleep

Rosemary as a traditional herb could be used to boost prospective and retrospective memory, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve sleep quality in university students.

Stress Regulation

This study looked at whether rosemary extract is safe and whether it can help reduce stress.

In the first trial, 22 healthy adults took a high dose of rosemary extract every day for 4 weeks. No serious side effects or health problems were found, showing that the extract was safe to use.

In the second trial, 40 participants took either rosemary extract or a placebo. After 4 weeks, those taking rosemary extract showed lower levels of long-term anxiety, improved heart rate variability, which is a sign of better stress regulation, and reduced short-term anxiety after taking a single dose before a stressful mental task.

These results suggest that rosemary extract is safe for consumption and may effectively reduce chronic and acute stress in healthy individuals. These findings support the use of rosemary extract as a natural dietary supplement for stress management.

Depression, Anxiety and Memory

The scores of anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Beck Depression Inventory significantly decreased in the rosemary group compared to those in the control group 8 weeks after the treatment. Memory improvement was a beneficial side effect observed in the study. The use of rosemary as an adjunctive therapy could improve the symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with major depression.

How to Use Rosemary for Brain Health?

It seems there are 4 safe ways to use rosemary for brain function.

As an herb in cooking

You can buy either fresh or dried rosemary and use it as a culinary herb. Obviously, you would need to use it in generous amounts in meals and stay consistent with it, as you can’t really expect a tiny amount consumed occasionally to make a noticeable difference. Rosemary used cooking is probably best suited for general anti-inflammatory support and as a preventive measure.

Unfortunately, fresh rosemary can taste soapy for some people, so if you don’t want to ruin your meals, tea might be a better option.

Rosemary tea

I don’t expect herbal teas to be particularly tasty when I drink them for health benefits. It’s actually much easier to use rosemary in tea than in cooking, so this works well for me.

Aromatherapy

This method has been used in some studies and is also very convenient. Diffusing rosemary essential oil while working or studying may support cognitive function, and it also makes your home or office smell nice as an added benefit.

Supplements

Standardized extract capsules have also been used in some of the studies mentioned in this article because they make it easier to control the dosage.

Generally, they used between 500-1000 mg per day for 4-8 weeks.

My Final Thoughts on Rosemary and Brain Health

Gut issues such as SIBO often affect brain function as well. Rosemary is an interesting option because it may support cognitive health while also helping to reduce inflammation. For stronger effects, a standardized extract is likely a better choice than rosemary tea or the dried herb used in cooking.