Phosphatidylserine brand and dosage help needed

[topaz]

Hi

Ive posted about my high cortisol before and have decided to try Phosphatidylserine. Ive searched the posts and it appears to have helped some users although it is not widely commented on.

Rich - I know that you recommend a brand but this is not sold on iherb and I would prefer to purchase from one site as I am overseas.

Is a phosphatidylserine complex recommended over straight phosphatidylserine?

Is soy lecithin source preferrable to bovine source for this (btw, all the brands that Ive looked at on iherb are lecithin based)?

What brands and dose are recommended?

Interestingly, phosphatidylserine's primary benefits are touted as memory and cognitive improvements on iherb (and presumeably by the manufacturers themselves as they supply the info) although I will be using it to lower cortisol (which is not mentioned in the descriptions of the brands that I have looked at on iherb).

Thanks in advance for help

 

[penny]

Just my personal experience with serine:

I take 600mg of serine a day, which is a lot I believe. I had blood tests (NutraEval from Genova) which showed I was deficient in a number of amino acids and recommended dosages. They actually recommended 733mg (a totally awkward number), and it's an expensive supplement at these dosages, so I erred on the lower side, thus the 600mg.

I buy these: http://www.iherb.com/Jarrow-Formulas-PS-100-100-mg-60-Softgels/273?at=0
Specifically the softgels, I think they work better (though I don't really know) and they are nice and easy to swallow.
(Though I usually get my supplements from Amazon)

I was taking these during the day because I thought it helped with cognitive functioning, and that seemed to be when I'd want better cognitive functioning! But I also have high cortisol (I've tested high in the morning and have the 'symptoms' of high levels in the evening, never tested for evening levels), so after reading your other thread I've switched to an evening dosage. We'll see if that helps with the unpleasant wired feeling...

ps. I don't know if it's possible to buy the bovine based serine anymore. I think I looked into it a while back because some of the studies that showed benefits of serine used that rather than the soy. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I couldn't find it for sale, though it might be different outside of the US.

 

[hixxy]

I'm just about to try phosphatidylserine for the same reason and I chose Doctor's Best, Best Phosphatidyl Serine, 100 mg, 120 Veggie Caps from iherb because it contains very little other phospholipids. I find phosphatidylcholine stimulating.

I'll post back with my experience!

hixxy

 

[heapsreal]

i use drs best brand from iherb as they seem the best priced. I initially used it at night to help sleep through lowering night time cortisol and it did help some, and then i changed to morning dose as i have read articles saying it can help improve speed up brain function, dont think this helped much. But last night i started taking it again at night and my sleep was definately improved as apart of my sleep combo, so will continue using it at night now, i just take 1 x 100mg cap, seems to do the job. Phos serine 100mg with 3000mg of tryptophan taken at night on an empty stomache i have found can make me feel abit drugged out and sleep improves.

cheers!!!

 

[topaz]

Thanks heapsreal and hixxy82

Your experience with the different timings of dosages is helpful healspreal.

I am still torn between 'pure' phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylserine complex. Ordinarily I prefer to purchase single ingredient supplements however Amy Yasko/Rich recommend the phosphatidylserine complex from holisticheal (http://www.holisticheal.com/phosphatidyl-serine-complex-pspepc.html) and not the phosphatidylserine-only product.

The one recommended by Rich contains the following:

Phosphorus 10 mg
Potassium 3 mg
Phosphatidyl serine complex: 500 mg
~Phosphatidylserine 100 mg
~Phosphatidylcholine 55 mg
~Phosphatidylinositol 10 mg
~Phosphatidylethanolamine 20 mg
~Linolenic acid 10 mg
~Linoleic acid 85 mg
~Oleic Acid 15 mg
~Palmitic Acid 27 mg
~Stearic acid 6 mg
~Capric acid 51 mg
~Caprylic acid 120 mg

I also saw a youtube (sorry, unable to recall source) recommending 100ml Phosphatidylserine with 1tspn of d-ribose as a great stress reliever "cocktail" following a stressful day, especially if have events to attend in the evening.

Anyway, I still remain on the fence and uncertain whether to get the complex or only the single ingredient Phosphatidylserine \.

 

[penny]

It may be coincidence but the week I took my serine in the evening, I had more difficulty with cognitive functioning. So I've switched back to daytime doses and my cognitive functioning is back to my recent normal.

Also, because of this thread, I spent some time searching google for articles about serine and cortisol, I found a couple of interesting articles that discussed how serine dampens the cortisol reaction to exercise and to stress. I didn't see, though I may have missed it, articles mentioning lowering base line cortisol. But reducing stress/excercise cortisol reaction seems really useful for us, since very mild activity / stress has an exaggerated impact. Interestingly the effective dose is different between different studies, one showed no significant effect below 800mg a day, and another showed an effect at 400mg but NOT at 600mg or 800mg. Weird.

A few of the articles:
Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men
http://www.springerlink.com/index/RV8R3551T2235342.pdf

Effects of phosphatidylserine on the neuroendocrine response to physical stress in humans
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10253890410001728379

The effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderate intensity exercise
http://www.springerlink.com/content/m11v647w35516146/

(hopefully these links work...)

 

[topaz]

Thanks penny

I will try to find the links I came across regarding using PS to lower cortisol but as my night time cortisol is high ie rising throughout the day rather than starting high and falling, it is likely to be a response to stress and hence PS may help.

I was listening to Rich vank's lecture and he specifically mentioned reduced phosphatidylcholine found in PWC's so on that basis, I have decided to go with a PS Complex (to ensure that phosphatidylcholine is included together with PS).

Thanks

 

[penny]

Good luck! I hope it helps : )