How much is the standard Phosphatidylserine dosage? As with many of the lesser-known neurochemicals, pinning down the proper dose, or even finding the supplement in stores, is often challenging.
However, this fat-soluble phospholipid is one of our essential tools for enhancing memory and cutting the chemical causes of stress, such as cortisol.
Phosphatidylserine is found in several food sources, albeit rare ones for the modern diet. Not too many plates of bovine brain, pig’s spleen, chicken heart, or cuttlefish appear on dinner tables that frequently.
So, balancing levels of this important neurochemical must generally come through supplementation via appropriate Phosphatidylserine dosages. Here’s a quick guide to what we know about this memory-boosting nootropic.



- Supports memory function & cognition
- Boosts neuron health & communication
- May improve mood, sleep & relaxation
Phosphatidylserine’s Role In The Brain
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Phosphatidylserine (PS) occurs naturally in the brain as an amino acid. As a phosphor lipid, it forms an essential part of cell structure integrity in the brain.
Phospholipids also contain choline, precursor to Acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter which governs memory, mental acuity, and the growth of new synaptic connections between neurons.
Imbalances in any of the factors which are required to produce Acetylcholine have been identified as contributors to poor mental performance, memory loss, and many neurological conditions such as bipolar disorder and Alzheimer’s Disease.
For this reason, a daily Phosphatidylserine dosage has often been prescribed for elderly patients suffering from various forms of cognitive degeneration. Phosphatidylserine is normally released from native cell membranes during the apoptosis process in healthy systems.
Cognitive Benefits
A daily Phosphatidylserine dosage has been shown to significantly reduce stress levels. This is accomplished by cutting the amount of cortisol which is released during stressful situations, thus limiting the body’s fight or flight reactions.
Phosphatidylserine has been shown to improve memory and logical reasoning skills in the elderly, while boosting those same qualities to higher than normal levels in younger, healthy adults. Faster processing and reaction times have also been noted for daily users.
Bovine vs Soy Phosphatidylserine
There are two type of Phosphatidylserine which are therapeutically used. One is sourced from soy, while the other is derived from bovine brain. After the rise of Mad Cow Disease, new forms of Phosphatidylserine were synthesized from cabbage and soy to allay fears of contagion.
Most products which are available to the public are made from soy (including the PS 100 supplement), however much research only applies to the animal version of the supplement.
This distinction should be noted when reading accounts of Phosphatidylserine’s effects, though it is unclear at this time if both varieties are equally effective. Some studies suggest that the soy-derived version is not an effective nootropic.
Dosage amounts for each type of Phosphatidylserine should remain similar.
Phosphatidylserine and the FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not come to any hard conclusions about the value of Phosphatidylserine yet.
Upon evaluating the supplement for use in the fight against dementia and other cognitive impairments, the FDA would not endorse Phosphatidylserine as a therapy. As such, no recommended Phosphatidylserine dosage was released.
However, this decision was tempered by a simultaneous acknowledgment that Phosphatidylserine has some cognitive benefits and indeed may improve symptoms related to neurological decline in older people.
This conflicting viewpoint most likely indicates that not enough studies of Phosphatidylserine have been published yet.
Phosphatidylserine And Exercise
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Phosphatidylserine is its connection to the mental and physical processes relating to exercise. More than any other nootropic, Phosphatidylserine has been shown to promote several cognitive and physical benefits during and after intense physical exertion.
Phosphatidylserine has been shown to cut exercise-related stress and reduce the fatigue that people feel during exercise over 85% VO2 max. Less stress-inducing cortisol is released, muscle damage is limited in a variety of sports, and hormones are balanced.
Phosphatidylserine also affects the mental aspects of athletics, giving athletes more of a sense of mental focus, control, and positive attitude. All of these are key to delivering peak performance in any sport, at any level.
Phosphatidylserine Dosage Recommendations
Phosphatidylserine is not a widely available supplement to buy so only general dosage guidelines are available at this time. As with all new supplements, proceed witch caution and respect when calculating your dose.
It is preferable to take one’s daily Phosphatidylserine dosage over three different sittings. The baseline dose for most people is 300 mg, taken in 3 100 mg servings throughout the day. Total daily dosage should not exceed 550 mg in any case.
If you have trouble finding Phosphatidylserine or are unsure about the proper dose, it might be worthwhile to try a similar class of nootropic supplements which perform many of the same functions. Any of the cholergics, such as CDP Choline, generate similar stress-cutting, memory enhancing effects through the stimulation of Acetylcholine.
- Kato-Kataoka A, Sakai M, Ebina R, Nonaka C, Asano T, Miyamori T. Soybean-derived phosphatidylserine improves memory function of the elderly Japanese subjects with memory complaints. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2010
- Kingsley M. Effects of phosphatidylserine supplementation on exercising humans. Sports Med. 2006
- Liu SH, Chang CD, Chen PH, Su JR, Chen CC, Chaung HC. Docosahexaenoic acid and phosphatidylserine supplementations improve antioxidant activities and cognitive functions of the developing brain on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure model. Brain Res. 2012
- Ammassari-Teule M, Fagioli S, Maritati M, Populin R, Pavone F. Chronic administration of phosphatidylserine during ontogeny enhances subject-environment interactions and radial maze performance in C57BL/6 mice. Physiol Behav. 1990
- Vakhapova V, Cohen T, Richter Y, Herzog Y, Korczyn AD. Phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 fatty acids may improve memory abilities in non-demented elderly with memory complaints: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2010
- Wells AJ, Hoffman JR, Gonzalez AM, Stout JR, Fragala MS, Mangine GT, McCormack WP, Jajtner AR, Townsend JR, Robinson EH 4th. Phosphatidylserine and caffeine attenuate postexercise mood disturbance and perception of fatigue in humans. Nutr Res. 2013
- Richter Y, Herzog Y, Lifshitz Y, Hayun R, Zchut S. The effect of soybean-derived phosphatidylserine on cognitive performance in elderly with subjective memory complaints: a pilot study. Clin Interv Aging. 2013
Article last updated on: March 20th, 2018 by Nootriment
1 Comment
Instead of taking a supplement for weight loss, 100g (roughly 3.5 oz) of tuna has just under 200mcg of Phosphatidylserine. Other foods are organ meats, mackrel, eel, white beans. Even beef, turkey and pork have it in smaller amounts. If you’re talking about nutrients, let’s talk about real food. People who need to lose weight need to eat better quality foods, not pop pills.