6 Benefits of Phosphatidylserine For Brain Health: Can It Improve Memory?
If you are interested in protecting your brain and optimizing your cognitive function with supplements, you have almost certainly seen several common ingredients included in many of the options on the market—including the Ginkgo biloba, coffee fruit extract, turmeric, and more. However, there is one powerful ingredient that you should not neglect: phosphatidylserine.
Phosphatidylserine is a naturally occurring chemical found in the brain that plays a crucial role in normal brain functions. It has shown the potential to offer vast benefits as a brain booster, mood improver, and overall protector of cognitive function.
If you have considered phosphatidylserine as a supplement (or if you’re just hearing about it for the first time now), here is some helpful information to better understand the power of this impressive natural ingredient…and why it just might be the missing piece of your brain optimization regiment.
What Is Phosphatidylserine?
Phosphatidylserine is a fatty substance that acts as a protective covering on the cells in your brain.
Known scientifically as a phospholipid, phosphatidylserine is produced naturally in the body and plays a vital role in passing messages between nerve cells within the brain and throughout the body. It also helps blood form clots throughout the body, a critical safety response to injury.
Although sourced originally from animals, scientists have found phosphatidylserine natural sources from plants like cabbage or soy. It’s found in foods like fish (especially mackerel and herring), white beans, and soy lecithin.
Why Do People Take Phosphatidylserine?
Scientific studies have suggested that phosphatidylserine could serve as a powerful brain booster, helping to support the mind and its ability to remember things more clearly, recall information more accurately, and aid concentration.
The most common uses for phosphatidylserine as a supplement specifically focus on protecting memory, improving attention, boosting mood, and protecting overall brain health.
1. To Protect Memory
Many people who take phosphatidylserine do so for its ability to help protect (and even boost) memory. Because phosphatidylserine plays a crucial role in helping transmit messages, it is a pivotal component in the brain to form memories by carrying short-term experiences to the long-term memory–forming areas of the brain.
According to one study, participants who received phosphatidylserine after displaying some degree of poor memory showed significant improvement in recall after receiving phosphatidylserine every day for six months. Compared to the control group, the recipients of phosphatidylserine received improved memory scores that could show promise as a powerful protector against memory loss.
2. As a Mood Booster
Science has shown a clear connection between mood and memory. People who maintain a positive attitude have a significantly higher likelihood of learning and remembering information than those with a negative outlook.
That is why phosphatidylserine, having been observed as a potential mood booster for those who take it regularly, could be a helpful booster for both mood and memory. It is beneficial for older adults, who may be at greater risk for memory loss or depression.
3. For Healthy Blood Sugar Response
For decades, phosphatidylserine has been studied for its impact on the brain’s ability to efficiently process glucose (sugar) in the brain and the bloodstream. Past studies have shown a clear connection between phosphatidylserine and healthy glucose metabolism in the brain, which could have major impacts on the brain and body’s ability to safely absorb and process sugar in the bloodstream.
4. For Focus
Staying focused on important tasks can be challenging—and this lack of focus could harm the brain and its ability to absorb and retain information in the long term.
That is why many people turn to supplements like phosphatidylserine to help improve focus. Phosphatidylserine has helped significantly increase focus, especially when paired with Omega 3 fatty acids.
5. For Muscle Soreness
Exercise is a core component within the PreCODE Method (Prevention of Cognitive Decline) by Dr. Dale Bredesen. Regular exercise benefits memory, cognitive function, and overall brain wellness. But for those who struggle with muscle soreness after exercise, keeping that habit over time can be difficult.
Fortunately, phosphatidylserine may be able to help. In one study, subjects who received phosphatidylserine regularly felt significantly less muscle soreness after workouts. It could be that phosphatidylserine has powerful benefits to those working on sticking to a healthy workout regimen.
How Does Phosphatidylserine Impact Brain Health?
Science and its understanding of the actual mechanism of the brain impacted by phosphatidylserine continue to grow all the time. What we do know about phosphatidylserine is that it is crucial for healthy cognitive function in any brain.
Phosphatidylserine is a required ingredient for healthy, functioning nerve cells. Naturally produced in the brain, it is an aid to neurotransmission and plays a pivotal role in helping pass messages both within the brain and from the brain to nerve cells throughout the body.
As a result, phosphatidylserine is a crucial element in forming both short- and long-term memory. It is used by the brain in passing information obtained by the senses into the brain in the form of short-term memory, thus helping to consolidate them into long-term memories as you sleep.
Because phosphatidylserine is used so regularly by nerve cells, it also plays a critical role in normal functions of the nervous system, including the ability to pay attention, concentrate, focus and learn new information, and even perform basic movements.
Without phosphatidylserine, the brain would likely not be able to accomplish much. That is why it is vital to ensure your body always has the right amount of phosphatidylserine.
Is Phosphatidylserine Safe to Take as a Supplement?
Is phosphatidylserine safe to take? Remember, phosphatidylserine is produced naturally by the brain in humans. It is sourced from plants and can provide the same benefits as phosphatidylserine produced naturally in the brain.
However, when taken in large doses, phosphatidylserine may lead to symptoms like insomnia or an upset stomach.
Some scientists are studying phosphatidylserine for its potential blood-thinning effect, which could interact with other blood-thinning medications in the body. It is critical to consider this interaction when taking phosphatidylserine alongside a blood thinner. Always consult with your doctor about taking phosphatidylserine before surgery.
There is some chance that phosphatidylserine may interact with other medications. While not proven, it is always a good idea to consult with your physician before combining phosphatidylserine supplements with your prescribed medication.
Phosphatidylserine is naturally occurring in the body and has been considered safe for regular oral consumption. It is vital to choose carefully formulated sources of phosphatidylserine and remember to talk with your doctor about any supplements you are taking.
What Do Studies Show About Phosphatidylserine?
Several studies in recent years have shown the impact that regular phosphatidylserine intake has on factors such as memory, learning, and basic recall. The results, though varied, all point to the potential of phosphatidylserine as a powerful protector for brain health and overall cognitive function.
One study completed in 2008 showed that elderly individuals who displayed age-associated memory impairment saw significant increases in short-term recall, delayed recall, and total learning ability after regularly taking phosphatidylserine or 15 weeks compared with a control group.
Another study from 2011 utilized double-blind, placebo-controlled methods and tested the safety of taking phosphatidylserine regularly for memory protection. The results found no significant differences in safety between the recipient group and the control group, which provides further evidence that phosphatidylserine is safe to take regularly as a supplement.
Another study from 2015 specifically focused on phosphatidylserine and its potential as a mood booster. Those subjects who received phosphatidylserine along with Omega-3 fatty acids saw both significant mood improvements and benefits to their natural day-night cycle (the circadian rhythm) after regularly taking phosphatidylserine for 12 weeks.
Looking to Protect Your Brain Health? Consider Phosphatidylserine.
Because of its powerful benefits to factors critical in overall brain health—from mood and memory to sleep and recovery from exercise—phosphatidylserine was chosen by NeuroQ and the world-renowned neurologist Dr. Dale Bredesen as a central part of the NeuroQ formula and its combination of naturally-derived, brain-boosting ingredients.
If you are interested in protecting your mind and memory with the power of phosphatidylserine, NeuroQ can help. NeuroQ combines phosphatidylserine with six other naturally-derived brain-boosting ingredients, all carefully chosen and scientifically formulated to provide maximum protection to the brain when taken regularly.
Learn more about NeuroQ and how its ingredients have the power to help keep your brain healthy and functioning at its best, and see why it is the ideal choice for anyone seeking the benefits of phosphatidylserine as a supplement to protect brain health.
- Tags: ingredients, nutrition, Phosphatidylserine
