Claims That Phosphatidylserine Improves Memory Lack Evidence

Phosphatidylserine is a fatty chemical substance in the brain that helps keep nerve cells healthy. It’s also involved in communication between brain cells. The fat makeup in your brain changes as you age, which is why people have looked to adding fatty phosphatidylserine as a way to prevent the cognitive decline that can come with aging.

Phosphatidylserine supplements are among the most recommended by supplement makers for older adults with memory complaints — second only to ginkgo. But there’s not enough evidence to support those ringing endorsements, says the Global Council on Brain Health. The council of scientists, health care providers, scholars, and other experts reviewed research on the benefits of phosphatidylserine supplements and published their findings in a consensus report.

Overall, the results are limited and mixed. A few small studies have found some benefits of taking phosphatidylserine supplements, but larger, more well-designed studies haven’t confirmed that the supplement helps preserve memory or brain function. The studies didn’t keep track of study participants for long enough to show that the benefits of the supplements last. One study suggested that effects fade away in about six months. What’s more, the doses in many of the studies have been inconsistent. So, if there are benefits of the supplement, it’s unknown how much you’d need to take to get them.

Finally, research that found benefits included phosphatidylserine that came from cow’s brain cells. But, concerns about mad cow disease shut down most production of that type of supplement. Now, most phosphatidylserine supplements are plant-based. They come from soy or cabbage. Those forms of the fatty chemical don’t seem to bring the same benefits that the animal-derived supplement might have.