Nutrients for a Vibrant Brain
The human brain is a remarkable metabolic dynamo that while weighing only 3 pounds demands 20 percent of our oxygen and blood sugar even when at rest. It also requires a wide variety of nutrients to stay healthy and sharp. Many of us, as we age, feel that we aren’t as sharp mentally as we were when we were younger. This doesn’t have to happen.
Three nutrients stand out from the rest for their proven clinical benefits, their safety of use and their contributions to brain vitality and renewal. The literature on these three brain nutrients has elevated them from the rest. These are PS (phosphatidylserine), GPC (glycerophosphocholine) and ALC (acetyl-L-carnitine). Think of them as The Big Three nutrients for brain vitality and repair.
The nutrients we will discuss are known as orthomolecules, which means that they are orthodox to the body.1 They are found naturally in our cells and are crucial to a healthy, optimally functioning body. This means that not only do these nutrients pack a powerful punch, they also have an exceptional safety record since our cells are literally built on these molecules. These nutrients also are very well absorbed and have numerous action mechanisms that overlap to reinforce each other’s effects on cognition, mood and mental endurance. Let’s examine what each of The Big Three nutrients does.
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
PS (phosphatidylserine) is what is known as a phospholipid nutrient and cell membrane building block. A phospholipid is a type of fat that not only surrounds our cells, but also is part of important neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, which is involved in short-term memory.
Over 22 clinical trials have been conducted on PS with many showing powerful and differing benefits for the brain. A breakthrough trial by Crook and associates done in 1991 clearly indicated that people over the age of 50 who were generally physically healthy but had measurable memory and cognitive function problems improved dramatically after taking 300 mg per day of PS.2 The data from this study indicated that PS could restore several years’ worth of functional mental performance in just 3 months. The research is powerful in suggesting that PS can be used in elderly people with dementia and cognitive dysfunction.3
People with severe cognitive difficulties such as with Alzheimer’s disease should not view PS as a panacea.4 In a number of clinical trials it has been suggested that PS can help improve the overall quality of life, sociability (willingness to interact with others) and can often improve mood and ability to cope with anxiety. Brain imaging has shown that PS can enhance energy in the brain as well.
PS can also help young, healthy individuals. In several clinical trials with people under the age of 30 years of age, PS reduced elevated blood cortisol levels while improving mental or physical performance under stress.5
Glycerophosphocholine (GPC)
GPC (glycerophosphocholine) is similar to PS in the fact that it is also a phospholipid but it is water-based and can build up to some pretty high levels in our cells.6 Because of this, GPC can easily get through the blood brain barrier and play a number of important roles in maintaining brain health.
GPC is a powerful natural substance that helps improve memory, focus and concentration and may also help maintain healthy brain function during aging.7 Over 20 clinical trials have been performed on almost 4,000 patients studied. The results show that GPC is one of the most effective brain nutrients available today. Older adults showed improved reaction time when taking GPC, a sign that their brain is more alert and focused.8 GPC also improves brain wave patterns associated with healthier brain aging. A number of clinical trials have shown that using GPC for nutritional support may help the brain recover some of its functions that are lost during aging.9 There is data that suggests that GPC may even offer nutritional support to those with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and strokes.10-11
When used as a dietary supplement, GPC quickly raises choline levels in the brain, which helps boost acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter involved in short-term memory.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC)
The third of the blockbuster nutrients is ALC (acetyl-L-carnitine). This nutrient is essential for making energy, without which the brain could not get anything done. Abundant energy is crucial in order for PS and GPC to have their revitalizing effects in fatigued brain cells and circuits.12
ALC has two major modes of action. One is to help transport fatty acids into the mitochondria, the energy factories of our cells. These are then used to make ATP, the chemical “energy currency” of life. ALC works together with PS to help maintain healthy membranes surrounding the mitochondria. This energy production is what makes us feel more vitalized and energetic and our brains feel sharper.13
The other function of ALC is to help regulate metabolic pathways such as making acetylcholine with GPC. ALC gives its acetyl group to help with the production of this memory booster. Acetylcholine also helps with muscle contractions and keeping our nervous systems healthy.14
A Sharp Brain, Plus Enhanced Energy
Altogether, these Big Three nutrients’ effects have been studied in more than 60 published research papers, hundreds of experimental studies and thousands of other studies. The three support each other making them work better together, providing a substantial and noticeable boost to both energy and brain vibrance. Along with their well-documented safety record, GPC, PS and ALC are highly tolerable.
In order to provide relevant doses of The Big Three in an easy-to-use and good-tasting gel shot, Brain Vibrance™ Supreme was created. Each gel shot of Brain Vibrance Supreme contains 150 mg of PS, 600 mg of GPC and 750 mg of ALC. Until recently, it was thought that the brain was incapable of any substantial self-repair once damaged. The latest research makes it clear that our brains are quite capable of making new circuits if provided with the necessary cofactors such as those found in Brain Vibrance Supreme.
Remember Brain Vibrance Supreme is highly energizing to the brain, so we strongly suggest taking it at the beginning of the day, to minimize any chance of staying up past bedtime.
Brain Vibrance Supreme Gel Shots is not recommended for children. A Russian study suggests that while GPC can be beneficial in children, it needs to be at much lower doses than found in Brain Vibrance Supreme.15
In summary, Brain Vibrance Supreme is a premier dietary supplement for mental performance, brain vitality and restoration of brain function following damage. For best results with this supplement, follow a healthy diet and do mental as well as physical exercise several times per week.
References:
1. Pauling L. Orthomolecular psychiatry. Science. 1968;160:265.
2. Crook TH, et al. Effects of phosphatidylserine in age-associated memory impairment. Neurology. 1991;41:644.
3. Cenacchi T, et al. Cognitive decline in the elderly: A double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-center study on efficacy of phosphatidylserine administration. Aging Clin Exp Res. 1993;5(1):123.
4. Kidd PM. PS (Phosphatidylserine) Nature’s Brain Booster. St. George, UT. Total Health Communications, 2005.
5. Benton D, Donohoe RT, Sillane, B, Nobb S. The influence of phosphatidylserine supplementation on mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor. Nutri Neurosci. June 2001;4(3):169-78.
6. Kidd PM. GPC (GlyceroPhosphoCholine), Mind-Body Power for Active Living and Healthy Aging. St. George, UT. Total Health Communications, 2006.
7. Vezzetti V, Bettini R. Clinical and instrument evaluation of the effect of choline alfoscerate on cerebral decline. Presse Medicale. 1992;5:141.
8. Locatelli M. Neurophysiological evaluation of alphaGPC (choline alfoscerate) by means of computerized electrolencephalogram (CEEG). Le Basi Raz Tes. 1990;20:79.
9. Vezzetti V, Bettini R. Clinical and instrument evaluation of the effect of choline alfoscerate on cerebral decline. Presse Medicale. 1992;5:141.
10. Barbagallo-Sangiorgi G, Barbagallo M, Giordano M, Meli M, Panzarasa R. alpha-Glycerophosphocholine in the mental recovery of cerebral ischemic attacks. An Italian multicenter clinical trial. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1994;717:253-69.
11. De Jesus Moreno Moreno M. Cognitive improvement in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia after treatment with the acetylcholine precursor choline alfoscerate: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Ther. 2003;25(1):178-93.
12. Crayhon R. The Carnitine Miracle. New York. M Evans and Company. 2001.
13. Kidd PM. PS (Phosphatidylserine) Nature’s Brain Booster. St. George, UT. Total Health Communications, 2005.
14. Pettigrew JW, Klunk WE, Panchalingam K, et al. Clinical and neurochemical effects of acetyl-L-carnitine in Alzheimer’s disease. Neuro Biol Aging. 1995; 16:1-4.
15. Krasnoperova MG, et al. Use of cholinomimetics in the treatment of endogenous autism in children. Zhurnal Neurologii I Psikhiatrii. 2004;6:(35). [Translated from Russian].