Thanks to lectures and personal conversation with Dr. Parris Kidd Ph.D., I have been using alpha-GPC extensively in my practice with great success way before it came into fashion.
Unlike Phosphatidyl Choline, alpha-GPC is water soluble, therefore, it readily crosses the blood brain barrier, and it requires less energy on the pathway to acetylcholine synthesis or addition of specific brain fatty acids such as DHA. The fact that GPC supports cell membrane fluidity and integrity, allows it to enhance healthy neurotransmitter function and signal transduction.
Clinical trials have shown that supplementation with alpha-GPC helps to maintain healthy phospholipid turnover in the brain, which counteracts age-related cellular breakdown of membrane phospholipids. Acetylcholine is the key neurotransmitter in the brain that favors optimal learning and enhanced memory function.
It is so good protecting the brain, that if you inject scopolamine (an amnesia inducing drug), into subjects, they can recover their memory in half the time (3 vs 6 hours) if they took GPC for 10 days prior to the experiment,
According to research, Alpha-GPC offers you the following positive features:
- Improved maximal strength in workouts 45 min after ingestion.
- Improved memory and focus of attention from the young to the elderly.
- Improved mood status
- Increased growth hormone production by revitalizing master hormone functions from pituitary control, even in 90 year plus subjects!
- Faster brain recovery from stroke or injury or anesthesia
- Reduces the delta or "slow waves" which are increased during aging or accelerat-ed cognitive deterioration
- Prevention of ageing in a multitude of brain function.
- Supports other neurotransmitter systems such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and GABA.
Depending on what you are trying to nutritionally support, the dosage will vary from 400 to 1200 mg, at breakfast and lunch. Since it very energizing to the brain, I recommend to take it no later than 1 P.M. It is also excellent for overcoming jet lag. It is fairly easy to determine if you are taking too much, you will urgent calls to have bowel movements, because it is cholinergic.
Alpha GPC is now available for purchase online at Poliquin Performance.