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Phosphatidylcholine (PC, or Ptd-Cho) is one of two fatty acids that make up the outer layer of the membrane covering each of the 70 trillion cells in your body.
Phosphatidylcholine is also converted in your body through a process called hydrolysis to make up the fatty acids AA, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, and DHA. These fatty acids contribute to the signaling within and between brain cells for long-term potentiation (LTP). LTP is behind the formation of long-term memories.
The synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) is largely dependent on the choline provided by Phosphatidylcholine. ACh is critical for cognition, learning and memory.
When you don’t have enough Phosphatidylcholine, brain cell membranes lose integrity and eventually die.
Some Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is naturally synthesized in your body. We also get PC from some of our food including beef, oysters, eggs and some vegetables. As a nootropic supplement, Phosphatidylcholine is derived from lecithin found in soybeans and sunflower seeds.
Note that lecithin and Phosphatidylcholine are NOT the same thing. Plain lecithin is not an efficient source of Phosphatidylcholine or choline. As a nootropic, look for as pure of a source of Phosphatidylcholine (PC) as you can afford.
Phosphatidylcholine helps:
- Neuroprotection: Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a major component of brain cell membranes. And neurons use some of this choline to synthesize acetylcholine (ACh). Supplementing with PC restores the PC that is needed for brain cell membrane integrity. While providing neurons with the ACh needed for memory and learning.
- Neurotransmitters: Phosphatidylcholine increases concentrations of choline and acetylcholine in the brain. Improving memory and cognition.
- Neurogenesis: Phosphatidylcholine helps restore damaged brain cells. Making them more fluid and permeable allows the proper flow of chemical messengers and nutrients into and out of the cell. And improving overall cell function and efficiency. Resulting in better cognition, learning, memory, and mood.
Overview
Phosphatidylcholine (PC, or Ptd-Cho) is a phospholipid that plays a critical role in every cell in your body. Including your brain.
Your brain cells are each encased in a membrane. This bi-lipid layer of two fatty acid tails face each other. The outer layer of each cell contains mostly the phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin, while the inner layer contains predominantly phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylethanolamine.
The outer layer of each cell membrane is highly permeable. But the inner layer is much less permeable. These two fatty acid tails are in a constant state of movement, vibrating at millions of times a second. This continual vibration could be considered the ‘backbone of life’. And is the basis of everything that happens in your brain.
The amount and type of long-chain fatty acids in your diet affects the composition of these cell membranes. The structure and function of your cells depend on the ideal balance of fats including cholesterol, oleic, palmitic and stearic fatty acids. And essential fatty acids like Omega 3. Without this proper balance, cell membrane function is compromised.
And you can be sure that our modern diet does not provide the ideal balance of fatty acids (phospholipids) to maintain brain cell integrity. It’s why we experience brain fog, memory loss, slow thinking and poor decision making.
Some progressive health care researchers and practitioners have found that supplementing with phosphatidylcholine (PC) can lessen the symptoms of diseases like MS, diabetes, immune system problems, asthma, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
You naturally get phosphatidylcholine (PC) from foods such as beef, eggs, oysters, broccoli and brussel sprouts. Supplemental phosphatidylcholine (PC) is made from lecithin found in soybeans and sunflower seeds.
Phosphatidylcholine (PC) maintains the integrity of brain cell membranes. And is directly involved in acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis. ACh is needed for cognition, learning and memory formation.
How does Phosphatidylcholine work in the Brain?
Phosphatidylcholine boosts brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.
Phosphatidylcholine is needed for long-term memory. The hydrolysis of Phosphatidylcholine (by a process called phospholipase A2-catalyzed hydrolysis) is used to make the free fatty acids AA, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and DHA.
These free fatty acids facilitate synaptic transmission by targeting nicotinic ACh receptors using protein kinase C (PKC). This messenger system is needed for long-term potentiation (LTP). Researchers have determined that these fatty acids are critical for learning and memory.
Phosphatidylcholine helps repair neurons. Cholinergic neurons are unique among cells because they serve two functions. PC is a major component of brain cell membranes. And serves as a storage pool for the choline needed as a precursor for acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis.
Researchers demonstrated how this works. They incubated human cholinergic cells in the lab. And followed the metabolic link between membrane composition and turnover, and ACh synthesis. And proved that ACh is synthesized from choline derived from the degradation of Phosphatidylcholine.
If there is not enough choline available to maintain brain cell membrane integrity, and to synthesize the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, brain cell function breaks down. You experience brain fog, poor memory and decision making. And ultimately leading to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, and other motor neuron disorders.
How things go bad
As we get older, our brain chemistry and energy metabolism changes. This can happen at any age once we enter our adult years. Low Phosphatidylcholine levels have even been found in newborn babies.
↓ Brain cell membranes degenerate
↓ Recall, reaction time and mood diminish
↓ Acetylcholine levels decline
All of these changes can happen at any age. Our bodies are influenced by the food we eat, what we drink, lifestyle habits, the air we breathe and more.
So Phosphatidylcholine can help for age-related cognitive decline, as well as a student looking to do better in school.
Phosphatidylcholine to the rescue
Phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been around as long as humans have walked this planet. PC is a critical component of the top layer of the membrane surrounding each one of the cells in your body.
And yet some are talking about Phosphatidylcholine as the “New Wonder Drug”. How could this be? Turns out that PC is a fatty acid. As are many of the fats we consume in our modern diet.
Long-chain fatty acids affect the composition of our cell membranes. When we eat bad fats our cell membrane fluidity is affected, ion channels disrupted, hormones, regulation of neuroreceptors, signaling and other signaling chemicals are affected.
Incorrect amounts or types of long chain fatty acids can lead to a cascade of serious health and cognition problems.
The easiest and simplest way to correct many of these cognition problems is to supplement with Phosphatidylcholine as a nootropic. You’ll feel better as cells are repaired. Digestion issues could be eliminated or minimized. And brain fog, cognition and memory problems could become a non-issue.
How does Phosphatidylcholine feel?
If you eat a perfectly healthy diet and are in optimal physical and mental health, using Phosphatidylcholine may not do anything for you.
But if you’re like most in the Western world relying on fast food, processed food and other unhealthy lifestyle habits, then PC may help.
Neurohackers report that supplementing with Phosphatidylcholine lifts brain fog, improves working memory and boosts alertness.
Others say it helps them prevent anxiety and panic attacks. Mental clarity is improved, and energy levels rise.
Ray Kurzweil, the famous inventor and futurist, gets phosphatidylcholine intravenously once a week at his health clinic. His theory is that this will rejuvenate all his body’s tissues.
The Research
A double-blind study in California with 80 college students investigated the effect of Phosphatidylcholine on memory. The students received a placebo or either 10 or 25 grams of Phosphatidylcholine (PC). 25 grams of PC was estimated to supply about 3.75 grams of choline.
Memory was tested at 60 and 90 minutes after taking PC. The researchers recorded a significant improvement in memory after 90 minutes, and only a slight improvement after 60 minutes.
This 1993 study was the first to test the relationship between a single dose of Phosphatidylcholine on memory in healthy human subjects.
Phosphatidylcholine Prevents Brain Cell Death
Streptococcus pneumonia is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. And is the most common cause of death from pneumonia. If it doesn’t kill you, it can cause paralysis, mental retardation and learning disorders.
In humans, it’s your hippocampus neurons that are the first to die as a result of meningitis. Cell death is officially called “apoptosis”. But I’m using cell death to drive a point home.
Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is an essential component of your cell membranes. And a deficiency of PC, either from chemicals, disease, or bad nutrition leads to cell death. And the first to go are your hippocampal neurons. The same neurons used for learning and memory.
Researchers in Tennessee found that a variety of brain cells die after you get pneumonia. Because it interferes with Phosphatidylcholine synthesis. And apoptosis inhibitors can’t even stop this cell death from happening.
The research team determined that the only way to prevent cell death from pneumonia infection was supplementing with Phosphatidylcholine. Even after the infection set in.
The researchers concluded that supplementing with Phosphatidylcholine was the best way to prevent what they called an “apoptotic cascade”. And the best therapeutic intervention.
Phosphatidylcholine Improves Memory
Studies on the effect of Phosphatidylcholine on memory are limited. So researchers in Japan decided to remedy this lack of data by testing PC in mice with dementia.
They administered PC to mice with dementia and to normal mice. And compared differences in memory, choline and acetylcholine concentration, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity. ChAT is the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of acetylcholine in the brain.
The researchers found that giving phosphatidylcholine for 45 days to mice with dementia improved memory. And generally increased brain choline and acetylcholine concentrations to or above the levels of the normal control mice.
The research team concluded that phosphatidylcholine increases brain acetylcholine concentration and improves memory.
Dosage Notes
Recommended Phosphatidylcholine dosage is 1,200 mg to 5 grams per day. And divide your total daily dose into 2 or 3 equal doses and dosed throughout the day.
To enhance bioavailability and boost absorption, take PC 30 minutes before a meal.
Do not take Phosphatidylcholine with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors since this combination may excessively increase acetylcholine (ACh) levels and potentially cause cholinergic side effects. AChE inhibitors include donepezil (Aricept), tacrine (Cognex), rivastigmine (Exelon) and Huperzine-A.
Side Effects
Phosphatidylcholine is naturally produced in your body and is considered well tolerated and safe. PC is not toxic.
Some may experience sweating, stomach upset and diarrhea. Particularly if you’re already high in choline.
Available Forms
Phosphatidylcholine is sold in tablet, capsule, liquid and powder form. Capsules can run from 420 – 1,300 mg each. 500 mg of Phosphatidylcholine in powder form is equivalent to 2-level 1/8 tsp scoops.
Phosphatidylcholine is sometimes used interchangeably with “lecithin,” although the two are different. Choline is a component of phosphatidylcholine, and is also a component of lecithin. Although closely related, these terms are not the same.
Nootropics Expert Recommendation
Phosphatidylcholine 1,200 mg to 5 grams per day
We recommend using Phosphatidylcholine as a nootropic supplement. Phosphatidylcholine helps build and repair cell membranes. And is found in every one of the 70 trillion cells in your body.
You can get Phosphatidylcholine from some of the food you eat. But Phosphatidylcholine is only found in foods like beef, eggs, oysters and some vegetables. PC levels decline as you age and you are unlikely to get nearly enough through diet. So to get its benefits you must take it as a nootropic supplement.
Phosphatidylcholine is vital to maintaining optimal brain health. And has been shown to increase cognitive energy, boost brain function, enhance communication between neurons, and protect neural membranes from free radical damage.
We suggest starting with a dose of at least 1,200 mg daily. And Phosphatidylcholine is a great compliment to a stack including any nootropic from the racetam-family. Anything that causes an increase in uptake of acetylcholine in your brain.
You need to provide your brain with the choline it is demanding. Or it starts cannibalizing your own brain cells to make more acetylcholine. Signs that you’re lacking adequate choline are headaches.
Use Phosphatidylcholine at a ratio of 1:4. For example, 250 mg of Phosphatidylcholine to 1,000 mg of Aniracetam.
If you have liver damage like cirrhosis, you may want to increase the dose up to 4.6 grams per day for liver repair.
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Health Benefits of Choline
1. Forms DNA and Cell Structures
Choline helps the body to absorb fat, and fats are then used to create cell membranes and structures. Without enough choline in the body, our cells cannot properly withhold their structure and signal messages to other parts of the body.
What is choline’s role in gene expression and DNA? Choline is needed to create DNA that is responsible for building out entire body structure. Choline and folate are known to be key nutrients involved in the methyl group processes, which the body uses to form genetic material that helps build every system within the body.
2. Supports Central Nervous System
One of the main benefits of choline is that it is used by the body in a variety of ways that are crucial for nerve functioning, including aiding in nerve signaling and maintaining the membranes of brain cells.
Choline also helps form tissue within the nervous system that plays a part in brain development and growth. It’s believed that choline can improve signaling capacity of nerves, support their structural integrity, and protect vital neuronal membranes.
Choline acts like a precursor to certain important neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine, which is used in healthy nerve and muscle function. Neurotransmitters are chemical symptoms of communication used throughout the body constantly to relay information from system to system.
The neurotransmitter acetylcholine specifically plays a part in memory and learning, so a choline deficiency can result in poor concentration, poor memory, mood changes and other cognitive impairments, especially as someone ages. Acetylcholine is formed when an acetate molecule combines with a choline molecule, so without enough choline present in the body, this molecule cannot be properly produced and brain function can suffer.
3. Maintains Healthy Liver Function
Choline is needed to properly transport fat from the liver to cells throughout the body. A benefit of choline is cleansing the liver because choline is partially responsible for keeping the liver clear from fat build-up that can accumulate and cause harm. Choline plays a part in transporting both cholesterol and triglycerides, two forms of important fats, from the liver to other parts of the body where they are needed.
In people who have low levels of choline present within their body, some studies have found that they are more at risk for experiencing liver damage and even liver failure. Choline also helps form LDL cholesterol within the liver, and even though LDL is considered the “bad” kind of cholesterol, a certain level is still needed for healthy functioning — without enough, the body will suffer by storing fat in the liver.
4. Helps Protect Memory and Loss of Brain Function
Another one of the benefits of choline is its ability to keep your mind mentally sharp as you age. Because it’s a component of cell membranes and neurotransmitters that are used in nerve signaling, choline also plays a role in preserving memory and preventing dementia, memory loss and other signs of cognitive decline as someone becomes older.
As we age, our brain becomes less elastic. Choline does an important job of maintaining brain elasticity by working to maintain levels of acetylcholine, which naturally declines into old age.
Some studies point to the fact that low levels of acetylcholine may lead to cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia. Patients who develop Alzheimer’s at times show very low levels of acetylcholine, and some medications used to treat Alzheimer’s actually mimic choline’s effect of increasing this neurotransmitter’s effects.
5. Can Help with Exercise Performance and Muscle Function
Choline helps to improve mental energy, focus and concentration, which are all important for physical activity and athletic performance. It’s believed that choline’s effect on your metabolism and neurotransmitters in the brain can produce quicker reaction times and cut down on the amount of time needed for mental processing.
Choline may also be helpful in improving energy levels, your mood, sleep cycles and recovery time following strenuous activity. Additionally, choline is used in muscle nerve functioning and may be useful in preventing fatigue and muscle aches or pains following exercise. Every time a muscle moves within the body, choline is needed to activate the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which sends chemical signals to muscles and makes them mobile.
6. May Help Maintain Heart Health
Choline and folate assist in the conversion of homocysteine, which prevents the body from accumulating too much fat and may be beneficial in cutting down on the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Homocysteine is an amino acid that enters the body from protein sources, normally meat, and high levels of homocysteine have been correlated with development of heart and blood vessel diseases.
Some studies have shown that choline and lecithin can help to reduce blood cholesterol and risk for heart disease, but different studies have yielded inconsistent results, so more research is still needed before doctors will begin to prescribe choline for its ability to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and trigylcerides.
7. Supports a Healthy Pregnancy
Choline belongs in a pregnancy diet. Why? Pregnant women need even more choline than anyone else because choline is rapidly used by fetuses while their brains, cell structures and nerve channels are forming. Some studies even show that when a fetus obtains more choline, they have a better chance of later having healthy, sharp brain functioning and a lower risk of brain abnormalities. Other studies show that pregnant women with a low blood level of choline have been shown to be at a higher risk for having children with neural tube defects and developmental problems.
Choline is also naturally found in breast milk since it’s important for a newborn’s growth and proper development. This is the reason it’s added to most infant formulas. Neuron synapses are being formed in the brain of fetuses and infants at a very rapid rate, so choline plays a major part in helping to build the foundation of the brain’s structure.
Choline is also important during pregnancy because of its relationship with folate. Choline, folate and B vitamins all work together to keep levels of one another in check. Choline is one of the methyl donors in the body — which means that when folate, a vital nutrient needed for fetal development, is low, that choline is able to help fill in and carry out body functions where folate is needed but is missing.
8. Important for Children’s Growth and Development
Neuron plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to build new neuron connections, and choline is thought to be very important for supporting brain elasticity and plasticity.
As children grow older, choline is needed to help develop brain function since it plays a role in learning, remembering, logical thinking and concentration abilities. Children need to acquire choline to form neurotransmitters channels in their brain that will help with information retention, verbal abilities, creative thinking, mathematical skills, social cues, and more.
In fact, choline is needed for forming new brain connections between neurons called synapses, which is the chemical reaction needed for memories to actually form in the brain. Some reports even show that choline can help prevent learning disabilities, including ADHD, and can improve concentration in children and teens.
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