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Phosphatidylserine (PS) is thought to be an effective supplement in lowering cortisol levels. Following info presents 2 sides.
Some info suggest that soy based PS is not effective in humans. The PS studies that have shown PS to be effective in humans was PS made from cow brains. However, PS is no longer animal based.
Here is some info:
"Phosphatidylserine, or PS for short, is a member of a class of chemical compounds known as phospholipids. PS is an essential component in all our cells; specifically, it is a major component of the cell membrane. The cell membrane is a kind of "skin" that surrounds living cells. Besides keeping cells intact, this membrane performs vital functions such as moving nutrients into cells and pumping waste products out of them. PS plays an important role in many of these functions.
Good evidence suggests that PS can help declining mental function and depression in the elderly, and it is widely used for this purpose in Italy, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe. PS has also been marketed as a "brain booster" for people of all ages, said to sharpen memory and increase thinking ability. However, the evidence to support this use is contradictory.
Recently, PS has been marketed as a sports supplement, said to help bodybuilders and power athletes develop larger and stronger muscles.
Note: There is one major caveat to keep in mind regarding studies of PS. Virtually all such studies used animal-source PS, a product that is no longer available. Currently available PS products are made from plant products and might not function identically (see Sources below).
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Sources
Your body makes all the PS it needs. However, the only way to get a therapeutic dosage of PS is to take a supplement.
PS was originally manufactured from the brains of cows, and all the studies described here used this form. However, because animal brain cells can harbor viruses, that form is no longer available. Most PS today is made from soybeans or other plant sources.
There are reasons to expect that plant-source PS should function very similarly to PS made from cows' brains, and some animal studies suggest that it is indeed effective.1,5,43,45 However, in preliminary human trials, soy-based PS and cabbage-based PS failed to prove beneficial.7,46 The bottom line: at present, we do not know whether modern plant-source PS is actually effective."
Studies against PS:
7. Gindin J, et al. The effect of plant phosphatidylserine on age-associated memory impairment and mood in the functioning elderly. Rehovot, Israel. Geriatric Institute for Education and Research and Dept. of Geriatrics, Kaplan Hospital, 1995.
46. Sakai M, Yamatoya H, Kudo S. Pharmacological effects of phosphatidylserine enzymatically synthesized from soybean lecithin on brain functions in rodents. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1996;42:47,54.
Some info suggest that soy based PS is not effective in humans. The PS studies that have shown PS to be effective in humans was PS made from cow brains. However, PS is no longer animal based.
Here is some info:
"Phosphatidylserine, or PS for short, is a member of a class of chemical compounds known as phospholipids. PS is an essential component in all our cells; specifically, it is a major component of the cell membrane. The cell membrane is a kind of "skin" that surrounds living cells. Besides keeping cells intact, this membrane performs vital functions such as moving nutrients into cells and pumping waste products out of them. PS plays an important role in many of these functions.
Good evidence suggests that PS can help declining mental function and depression in the elderly, and it is widely used for this purpose in Italy, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe. PS has also been marketed as a "brain booster" for people of all ages, said to sharpen memory and increase thinking ability. However, the evidence to support this use is contradictory.
Recently, PS has been marketed as a sports supplement, said to help bodybuilders and power athletes develop larger and stronger muscles.
Note: There is one major caveat to keep in mind regarding studies of PS. Virtually all such studies used animal-source PS, a product that is no longer available. Currently available PS products are made from plant products and might not function identically (see Sources below).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources
Your body makes all the PS it needs. However, the only way to get a therapeutic dosage of PS is to take a supplement.
PS was originally manufactured from the brains of cows, and all the studies described here used this form. However, because animal brain cells can harbor viruses, that form is no longer available. Most PS today is made from soybeans or other plant sources.
There are reasons to expect that plant-source PS should function very similarly to PS made from cows' brains, and some animal studies suggest that it is indeed effective.1,5,43,45 However, in preliminary human trials, soy-based PS and cabbage-based PS failed to prove beneficial.7,46 The bottom line: at present, we do not know whether modern plant-source PS is actually effective."
Studies against PS:
7. Gindin J, et al. The effect of plant phosphatidylserine on age-associated memory impairment and mood in the functioning elderly. Rehovot, Israel. Geriatric Institute for Education and Research and Dept. of Geriatrics, Kaplan Hospital, 1995.
46. Sakai M, Yamatoya H, Kudo S. Pharmacological effects of phosphatidylserine enzymatically synthesized from soybean lecithin on brain functions in rodents. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1996;42:47,54.
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