“Age takes away all things, even the mind,” wrote Virgil in 70 BC.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. By making healthy food and lifestyle choices, you can retain good mental function throughout life.
One of these choices concerns a particular type of fat. Research has been conducted on it for so many decades that its brain benefits are no longer in doubt.
Results from more than 3000 research papers and 60 clinical trials in the United States and worldwide show that phosphatidylserine – PS – strongly supports mental function and reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Key Takeaways
- Phosphatidylserine (PS) supports brain healthby keeping cell membranes flexible, enhancing communication, and promoting fast signal processing.
- PS supplementation improves cognitive functionin older adults, with benefits in memory, learning, mood, and daily activities, particularly for those with cognitive decline.
- Natural PS production declines with age, and dietary sources are limited, making supplementation an essential strategy for maintaining brain health.
PS: A host of brain-protective properties
About 60% of brain tissue is fat. If you lack all the fats you need, mental processes slow down, and the brain can’t function as designed. PS is a critical phospholipid that affects many areas of the brain.
Keeps membranes flexible — It’s needed to keep cell membranes pliable and fluid so proteins and nutrients can pass easily in and out of cells.
Better communication — PS can also increase the number of receptors on the cell surface to create more docking points. This allows messages to be transmitted more efficiently and improves communication.
Supports myelin—PS enriches the myelin sheath surrounding and insulating nerve cells. Myelin is needed for rapid conduction of electrical impulses, which in turn creates fast processing speeds.
Restores acetylcholine—Lab studies show PS can also help replenish acetylcholine in older brains. Depleted levels of this neurotransmitter indicate brain cell degeneration. Pharmaceutical drugs that help memory and cognition usually aim to increase acetylcholine.
Other actions of PS include antioxidant activity, protecting the brain against free radicals, promoting calcium uptake in brain synapses for efficient transfer of electrical and chemical signals, and lowering excess levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Too much cortisol has many negative consequences for the brain.
PS shows benefits in human studies
Over the years, scientists have conducted dozens of human studies on older people. Seventeen of those studies were double-blind, comparing a group of participants taking PS with others taking a placebo.
Results of taking PS have been consistent, showing improvements in memory, learning, verbal ability, mood, concentration, sociability, and activities of daily living. In one remarkable study – frequently quoted in ads for PS supplements — 149 patients past the age of 50 were treated for age-related memory loss with either PS or a placebo for three months.
The researchers found the PS group improved scores on learning and memory by 15%. Those that were the most impaired to begin with improved the most. The benefits from taking PS continued for a month after supplementation was stopped.
One of the authors of the study concluded that PS seemed to reverse about a dozen years of mental decline.
In the most extensive study, 494 patients aged between 65 and 93 with moderate to severe cognitive decline were included. The study was conducted over six months. Results for the PS group were deemed “highly significant,” showing improvements in learning and memory scores compared to the placebo group.
PS – Are you getting enough?
The body can manufacture PS, but this ability declines with age. PS levels also decrease in people experiencing stress and among those who consume refined fats and oils or low-fat and vegetarian diets.
While PS is present in nearly all foods, the amounts are generally tiny. Just a few contain measurable quantities, with the highest being cow’s brain, a food not high on Americans' shopping lists. Other good sources are organ meats such as liver and kidneys. White beans are the best vegetarian source.
PS is also available as a supplement, either on its own or as part of a brain-healthy formula. This is the best way to maintain your PS levels, especially if you’re older.
Green Valley Naturals offers a scientifically proven dose of PS in our Maximum Memory Support formula – along with a host of other good ingredients.
Summary
Phosphatidylserine (PS), an essential phospholipid in the brain, is vital in maintaining cognitive function and reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Over 3,000 studies and 60 clinical trials confirm that PS supports brain health by keeping cell membranes flexible, enhancing communication between neurons, promoting myelin health, and replenishing acetylcholine levels. PS also acts as an antioxidant, protects against free radicals, and lowers cortisol levels, which can damage the brain. Human studies show that PS supplementation improves memory, learning, mood, and cognitive abilities, especially in older adults. Since natural PS production decreases with age, supplementation is recommended for maintaining optimal brain function.
