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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Compound

Huperzine A

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor from club moss — potent cholinergic enhancer.

MemoryFocusCognitive PerformanceBrain & Cognitive

Overview

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor from club moss — potent cholinergic enhancer.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Reversibly inhibits AChE, raising synaptic acetylcholine; mild NMDA antagonist.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Improves cognition in Alzheimer's (Chinese trials)

        Moderate evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · GI upset
        • · Vivid dreams
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            Cholinergic drugs
            Additive.
            moderate

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            50–200 mcg cycled (e.g. 5 days on/2 off)
            With food?
            Optional

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

            Compound
            Huperzine A
            Amazon
            Wide selection · fast shipping
            Compound
            Huperzine A
            iHerb
            Global delivery · curated brands
            Compound
            Huperzine A
            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (8)

            Meta-analysisPLoS One · 2013

            Huperzine A for Alzheimer's disease

            Yang G, et al.

            Meta-analysis of Huperzine A trials in AD.

            Key findings

            Improvements in MMSE and ADL scores.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Huperzine A — Improves cognition in Alzheimer's

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Huperzine A Improves cognition in Alzheimer's" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Huperzine A and "Improves cognition in Alzheimer's". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Huperzine A — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Huperzine A randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Huperzine A and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Huperzine A — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Huperzine A meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Huperzine A and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Huperzine A — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Huperzine A pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Huperzine A and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Huperzine A — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Huperzine A safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Huperzine A and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Huperzine A — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Huperzine A dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Huperzine A and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: Huperzine A — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for Huperzine A as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.