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Phosphatidylserine (PS) belongs to a group of fat-soluble substances called phospholipids, which are essential components of cell membranes. PS is found in high concentrations in the brain.
Phosphatidylserine is the major phospholipid in the brains of humans and animals and plays crucial roles in maintaining healthy brain function. It is a naturally-occurring phospholipid, essential for the membranes of all cells, particularly in the brain. Hence it is another 'smart drug'.
Source
Phosphatidylserine is found in only trace amounts in a typical diet; very small amounts are present in lecithin. The body manufactures PS from phospholipid building blocks.
PS may be derived from soy or bovine sources, but concerns about the possibility of humans contracting infectious diseases such as Creutzfeld-Jakob ("mad cow") disease mean that bovine PS is not available in the United States. Soy- and bovine-derived PS are not structurally identical, but it is not known at the time of writing whether these differences are significant.
PS supplements are now derived from lecithin and have been shown to easily cross the blood brain barrier after administration.
Function; Reasons For Use
Functions of PS include: increasing acetylcholine release and synthesis, increasing metabolism of glucose in the brain, enhancing enzymes involved in the release of neurotransmitters, modulating proper fluidity of cell membranes and preventing the aging of neurons.
Phosphatidylserine is not an essential nutrient, and therefore dietary deficiencies do not occur. Adults aged 50 and older -- especially those with age-related cognitive decline -- may not synthesize enough PS, and appear most likely to benefit from supplementation.
Research also points to PS functioning to reduce cortisol secretion in response to stress -- an important finding since depressed subjects are shown to have high cortisol levels. Numerous double blind studies utilizing oral PS reveal significant improvement in depressed and mentally impaired elderly subjects.
PS has some promising effects in stress-related brain decline that take its toll over the decades. Stress causes the pituitary gland to secrete an adrenal cortisol stimulator, ACTH. Two studies from Italy have shown that PS is able to blunt the ACTH and cortisol response to stressors. This means that individuals whose hypnosis-pituitary-A drive is overstimulated may be able to take oral PS to reduce this bad response to stress.
PS has been effective in improving memory in Alzheimer's disease cases, and may even prevent or delay onset of Alzheimer's.
The benefits of phophatidylserine supplementation on the improvement of mood, memory, behavior, and depression have been demonstrated in numerous well-designed studies on both animals and human subjects.
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Phosphytidalserine can help with the following: | | | | | Aging |  Alzheimer's Disease | Although not a cure, placebo-controlled and double-blind studies involving patients with early Alzheimer's disease have shown mild benefits from 300mg per day of PS supplementation when used for three to twelve weeks. In one double-blind study, the improvement on standardized tests of mental functioning averaged approximately 15%. [Fünfgeld EW, Baggen M, Nedwidek P, et al. Double-blind study with phosphatidylserine (PS) in Parkinsonian patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type (SDAT). Prog Clin Biol Res 1989;317:1235-46] Continued improvement has been reported up to three months beyond the end of the supplementation period.
Note, however, that PS probably only slows the rate of deterioration rather than halting the progression altogether. For example, in a six-month trial, benefits began to fade after the fourth month. |
Parkinson's Disease |
Lab Values |
 Elevated Cortisol Levels| | Taking 100mg up to three times a day supports and revitalizes nerve cells and has been shown in numerous studies to slow or reverse cognitive losses attributed to aging. PS is found in every cell in the body, but perhaps most significant is its ability to lower the level of stress hormones such as cortisol which damage brain cells and lead to the accumulation of calcified plaques in the brain. Plaques of this type have been observed in Alzheimer's patients. PS also helps brain cells communicate and improves both memory and the ability to concentrate. |
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Mental |
 Poor Memory
Depression |
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KEY | | May do some good | | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended |
GLOSSARY
Acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter widely distributed in body tissues with a primary function of mediating synaptic activity of the nervous system and skeletal muscles.
Adrenal (Adrenal Gland, Adrenal Glands, Adrenals)
The adrenal glands sit on top of each kidney and consist of an outer cortex and an inner medulla. Of the 50 or so hormones the adrenals make, only cortisone and adrenaline are recognized by most people. Some of these hormones must be produced to preserve life, while others help resist stress. Other hormones from the adrenals control normal energy output (along with the thyroid) and govern the breakdown of stored energy into quick energy sources. The medulla produces epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are specifically designed to help the body deal with stressful situations. The adrenals control the body's potassium/sodium balance, which is vital for energy production. They also produce sex hormones in minute amounts, which is important for later years when the gonads drop or cease their production.
Alzheimer's Disease (Alzheimer's)
A progressive disease of the middle-aged and elderly, characterized by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain, leading to loss of mental functions such as memory and learning. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Cortisol
A hormone. Its most important function is to help the body respond to stress. It also helps regulate your body's use of protein, carbohydrates and fat; it helps maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function; it stems inflammation.
Dementia (Senile Dementia)
An acquired progressive impairment of intellectual function. Marked compromise exists in at least three of the following mental activity spheres: memory, language, personality, visuospatial skills, and cognition (i.e. abstraction and calculation).
Enzymes (Enzyme)
Specific protein catalysts produced by the cells that are crucial in chemical reactions and in building up or synthesizing most compounds in the body. Each enzyme performs a specific function without itself being consumed. For example, the digestive enzyme amylase acts on carbohydrates in foods to break them down.
Glucose
A sugar that is the simplest form of carbohydrate. It is commonly referred to as blood sugar. The body breaks down carbohydrates in foods into glucose, which serves as the primary fuel for the muscles and the brain.
Hormones (Hormone)
Chemical substances secreted by a variety of body organs that are carried by the bloodstream and usually influence cells some distance from the source of production. Hormones signal certain enzymes to perform their functions and, in this way, regulate such body functions as blood sugar levels, insulin levels, the menstrual cycle, and growth. These can be prescription, over-the-counter, synthetic or natural agents. Examples include adrenal hormones such as corticosteroids and aldosterone; glucagon, growth hormone, insulin, testosterone, estrogens, progestins, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and calcitonin.
Lecithin (Phosphatidylcholine)
A mixture of phospholipids that is composed of fatty acids, glycerol, phosphorus, and choline or inositol. Lecithin can be manufactured in the body. All living cell membranes are largely composed of lecithin.
Metabolism (Metabolic, Metabolize, Metabolizes, Metabolizing)
The chemical processes of living cells in which energy is produced in order to replace and repair tissues and maintain a healthy body. Responsible for the production of energy, biosynthesis of important substances, and degradation of various compounds. Also defined as the sum total of changes in an organism in order to achieve a balance (homeostasis): Catabolic burns up, anabolic stores and builds up; the sum of their work is metabolism.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
Neurotransmitters (Neurotransmitter)
Chemicals in the brain that aid in the transmission of nerve impulses. Various Neurotransmitters are responsible for different functions including controlling mood and muscle movement and inhibiting or causing the sensation of pain.
Phospholipid
A fat or lipid containing phosphorus found in high quantities in the brain and very important to the function of cellular membranes and to the nervous system.
Pituitary (Pituitary Gland)
The pituitary gland is a small (half-inch), bean-shaped organ that hangs down from the lower center of the brain on a stalk attached to another gland, the hypothalamus. Weighing less than one gram, the pituitary gland is often called the "master gland" since it controls the secretion of hormones by other endocrine glands. It regulates many body activities, and is partitioned into front and back lobes. The front lobe is stimulated by the hypothalamus, and produces any one of six different hormones that in turn stimulate the thyroid, adrenal and reproductive glands, and also breast milk production.
Last updated: Apr 13, 2008
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