Doc Watson

Every day on the radio and television we hear about people taking illicit drugs and losing their ability to think, to focus, to remember, or to learn new things. They lose everything they hold dear all as a result of taking drugs. But what if this could happen to you anyway – without taking mind altering drugs? What if – as you age you lose your ability to think clearly? You forget the telephone number you just looked up in the phone book a minute ago. Or, you walk into a room and forget why you went there in the first place. Or, you see a friend on the street and remember their face but forget their name. Right now, you may be young and full of fire, and say, “That will never happen to me”. Left to its own devices the brain will succumb to the ravages of aging by the time we reach our forties and fifties. We will be increasingly challenged, and in some cases thoroughly annoyed, as we begin to have more difficulty in putting a name to a face, where we put the car keys, even a word we can’t remember will have us talking to ourselves or using the clique, “I’m having a senior moment.” What all this means of course is we are mentally aging and the result is cognitive decline and that means gradual loss of the ability to learn, reason, concentrate and remember.

For years we have been told by experts to take various supplements to improve our health: calcium for bones, lutein for eyes, hawthorne berries for the heart. There are nutrients like gingko, SAMe and choline which have been said to be helpful for the brain. But, there is one stand out. One that is absolutely vital for the brain, and you probably have never heard of it before, it’s phosphatidylserine (PS, for short). What makes experts so sure that phosphatidylserine is what we need? The brain actually produces it. As we age the production of phosphatidylserine slows to sub optimal levels that keep us from functioning at full mental capacity. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid that is found in all cells of the body, but is most highly concentrated in the inner membrane of brain cells, making up to 70% of the nerve tissue mass. It assists in the storage, release and activity of many vital neurotransmitters and their receptors. Phosphatidylserine improves intracellular communication (inside the cell) as well as intercellular communication (cell-to-cell).

Phosphatidylserine has a great many tasks that it performs or assists in performing. Among its list of functions, phosphatidylserine stimulates the release of dopamine (a mood regulator that also controls physical sensations, and movement), increases the production of acetylcholine (necessary for learning and memory), enhances brain glucose metabolism (the fuel used for brain activity), reduces cortisol levels (a stress hormone), and boosts the activity of nerve growth factor (NGF), which oversees the health of cholinergic neurons.

Phosphatidylserine is one of the most researched nutrients in humans and that research has shown that supplementation with phosphatidylserine can slow and even reverse the decline of learning, mood, memory, concentration, word recall related to dementia or age related cognitive impairment in middle-aged and elderly individuals. Scientists are discovering that phosphatidylserine can help bring the bran back to a more youthful level of activity. Study after study has shown that the phosphatidylserine group improved attention, concentration and short-term memory over the placebo group. When it came to behavioral measurements the PS group showed improvement in socialization aspects, such as, daily living, being more engaged with one’s environment and self-sufficiency. More than 45 separate studies have been conducted on phosphatidylserine all with similar results – our brains become more youthful.

With regards to mood and stress, studies have also shown favorable results with phosphatidylserine supplementation. For example, studies in both men and women, old and young, have found that phosphatidylserine can alleviate depressive and stress-induced symptoms.

Phosphatidylserine has been recommended for young people dealing with ADD and ADHD for its ability to help with concentration and learning new things.

At one point is its history phosphatidylserine was derived from a bovine source but now it is from a vegetable source, soybean lecithin. The fact that there have been no reported toxicity issues or adverse effects with phosphatidylserine supplementation speaks to its high safety profile. The only contraindications with other drugs to date are blood thinners, such as Coumadin and heparin-phosphatidylserine may enhance their effects. This means if you are taking Coumadin and phosphatidylserine, your doctor may be able to lower the dose of Coumadin if your coagulation blood tests (Prothrombin and INR) indicate that phosphatidylserine is helping Coumadin work better.

Source Naturals Phosphatidylserine Complex is one of the best PS products on the market. The recommended dosage is 300 mgs per day of PS for a month. This is considered a loading dose. After a month or so you can lower the dose and take a maintenance dose of 1 or 2 Phosphatidylserine Complex per day. It doesn’t take long to experience an improvement in your overall mental performance. If you can’t find Source Naturals Phosphatidylserine Complex at your local health food store go to our website Doc Watson. Don’t delay, get started on a program today to achieve optimal health instead of chasing symptoms. Take the road less traveled, that can make all the difference.

At Doc Watson’s we believe that we should be reducing the body burden so as to maintain better health and to that end we only carry skin care products that contain no chemicals harmful to the body. For more information check out our website. You will be glad you did. We also have a radio show called Naturally Good for You radio show at KXAM.com and healthradionetwork.com on Saturdays. Take the first step to improve you health and “Let the journey begin”.