Phosphatidylserine

 

Phosphatidylserine, or PS, is a member of the family of phospholipids. PS is essential to the functioning of all the cells of the body. It is essential for the health of the liver, immune system, and nerves but most concentrated in the brain. Its relative abundance in the brain reflects its proven involvement in an assortment of nerve cell functions, including nerve transmitter release and synaptic activity. While the body can make its own PS, there is increasing evidence that supplementing with it can improve memory, mood, stress resistance, learning, and concentration. The modern diets are deficient in PS, they could supply about 50 mg a day if you eat a lot of meats, and less than 10 mg to a typical vegetarian diet.

 

How it works:

  • A building block for cell membranes. The sites of action of PS appear to be exclusively in cell membrane. Membranes are the major work surfaces of all cells. The generation of the electrical current, the transmission of the current along the cell, and the relaying of the current across the cell-to-cell chemical synapse are all membrane-driven events. Membrane protein play key roles in all these processes. PS after absorbed orally is rapidly cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain and acting on regulating the activities of membrane proteins.
  • A building material for neurotransmitter receptor site.  PS has been linked to the nerve cell functions include the conduction of the nerve impulse (accumulation, storage, and release of the nerve transmitter substances) and target cell receptor.

 

Positive Effects:

  • Provide brain nutrient.
  • Enhance mental function in young people. Strengthen memory, boost learning, increase vigilance and attention, intensify concentration, increase mental acuity, semantic skills, and control over mood.
  • Help nerve cell stay at homeostasis and renewal.
  • Keep the brain’s processes within normal limits, raising them when they are low and lowering them when they are high.
  • Benefit grain functions from the most basic to the most sophisticated.
  • Improve age-related memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease. Slow the loss of brain functions and rejuvenate them.
  • Relieve depression and improve mood.
  • Decrease stress. Inhibit exercise and stress induced increases in cortisol. Boosts the weak stress response in the elderly person, and calms down exaggerated stress response in the healthy young person. May also benefit children with attention deficit disorder (ADD).
  • Sports and fitness support. May have the capacity to normalize the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and so improve athletic training capacity.

 

Safety:

Phosphatidylserine has good bioavailability by the oral route and no danger is evident from long-term intake. While PS appears to be the best single means currently available for conserving the intellect, its membrane-based action mechanism make it compatible with other nutrient classes like the antioxidants, the B vitamins, and the minerals. PS also has proven compatibility with many of the pharmaceuticals that are in common use by the elderly. As an orthomolecule it is unlikely to interfere with the actions of the few pharmaceuticals available for cognitive decline, and as pro-homeostatic nutrient it should actually complement their actions.

Do not use phosphatidylserine when you are using blood thinners (coumadin, heparin, aspirin, trental, plavix, or ticlid).

References: 

  • Amaducci L. Phosphatidylserine in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: Results of a multicenter study. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1988;24:130-134. 
  • Crook T, Petrie W., Wells C et al. Effects of phosphatidylserine in Age-associated memory impairment. Neurology. 1991;41:644-649. 
  • Cenacchi T, Bertoldin T, Farina C, et al. Cognitive decline in the elderly: a double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study on effecicacy of phosphatidylserine administration. Aging (Milano). 1993;5:123133. 
  • Delwaide PJ, Gyselynck-Mambourg AM, et al. Double-bline randomized controlled study of phsophatidylserine in senile demented patients. Acta Neurol Scand. 1986;73:136-140. 
  • Villardita C, Grioli S, Salmeri G, et al. Multicentre clinical trial of brain phosphatidylserine in elderly patients with intellectual deterioration. Clin Trials J. 1987;24:84-93. 
  • Monteleone P, Maj M, Beinat L, et al. Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stree-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men.Eur J Clin Pahrmacol. 1992;42:385-388. 
  • Jorissen BL, Brouns F, Van Boxtel MP, et al. The influence of soy-derived phosphatidylserine on cognition in age-associated memory impairment. Nutr Neurosci. 2001;4:121-134. 
  • Kingsley MI, Wadsworth D, Kilduff LP et al. Effects of phosphatidylserine on oxidative stress following intermittent running. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005;37:1300-1306. 
  • Kingsley MI, Miller M, Kliduff LP, et al. Effects of phosphatidylserine on exercise capacity during cycling in active males. Med Sci Spots Exerc. 2006;38:64-71