From The March 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Phosphatidylserine Boosts Brain Function

by Anthony Almada

The lipid phosphatidylserine (PS), found in foods such as soy and egg, is gaining recognition as a supplement that enhances brain function. Numerous studies have explored the effects of PS; however, the vast majority of these studies have used injectable PS derived from cow brains rather than that extracted from soy and egg. Such studies have shown PS helps prevent chemical-induced amnesia and improves cognitive and brain chemical function in young, middle-aged, and aged animals.^1,2

Controlled, human studies examining the influence of orally administered (300 mg/day doses) brain-derived PS upon dementia, Alzheimer's, and cognitive decline have shown mild and lasting improvements in various parameters of brain function, metabolism, and behavior.^3,4 Recent animal studies have now compared PS taken from different sources (egg, soy and cow brain), and have found injectable soy PS to be on par with cow brain PS, despite their difference in fatty acid content (brain PS contains the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is not found in the soy form).² In addition, high doses of brain and soy PS (800 mg/day) may alter the stress response to exercise in humans but do not appear to show improved performance or muscle metabolism.⁵

Anthony Almada is a nutritional and exercise biochemist and has collaborated on more than 50 university-based clinical trials. He is the co-founder of EAS and founder and chief scientific officer of IMAGINutrition.

Disclosure: Anthony Almada has been asked to be a member of the scientific and medical advisory board of Pharmalink, a company that distributes Lyprinol.

References

1. Alves CS, et al. Phosphatidylserine reverses reserpine-induced amnesia. Eur J Pharmacol 2000;404:161-7.

2. Blokland A, et al. Cognition-enhancing properties of subchronic phosphatidylserine (PS) treatment in middle-aged rats: comparison of bovine cortex PS with egg PS and soybean PS. Nutrition 1999;15:778-83.

3. Engel RR, et al. Double-blind crossover study of phosphatidylserine vs. placebo in patients with early dementia of the Alzheimer type. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 1992;2:149-55.

4. Pepeu G, et al. A review of phosphatidylserine pharmacological and clinical effects. Is phosphatidylserine a drug for the aging brain? Pharmacol Res 1996;33:73-80.

5. Monteleone P, et al. Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stress-induced activation of thehypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1992;42:385-8.