The right daily Pterostilbene dosage could be the key to extending the life and health of brain cells.
While boosting cognitive functions, Pterostilbene acts as both an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent, repairing and preventing cellular damage.
Closely linked to the chemical Resveratrol, Pterostilbene shares the same disease-fighting action which prevents cell decay and possibly extends life span.
What’s the right Pterostilbene dose to achieve maximum benefits for mind and body? Read on to find out how much you should be taking every day, and how to combine this natural compound with other nootropic supplements.



- 4x more bioavailable than Resveratrol
- Powerful anti-oxidant for longevity support
- Reduces cortisol for sleep, stress & weight loss
Health Benefits of Resveratrol & Pterostilbene
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Pterostilbene is structurally very similar to Resveratrol, the well-known natural chemical found in red wine, dark chocolate, and berries.
Pterostilbene is the double-methylated version of the same compound, close enough that the two share many similar functions in the body.
Resveratrol is known as a powerful anti-oxidant, which means it protects and repairs cells from the damage of free radicals. These are simply molecules that have been damaged by oxygen, toxic to cells and often the early root cause of very serious diseases like cancer.
Resveratrol is also anti-inflammatory. By limiting the body’s production of sphingosine kinase and phospholipase D, Resveratrol takes the body out of a constant state of inflammation, protecting the vital organs.
While sharing many of the same benefits, Pterostilbene is actually far more beneficial due to a few key factors. It is more bioavailable than Resveratrol, meaning it is able to cross the blood brain barrier and interface directly with cell receptors.
Also, Pterostilbene does not degrade as heavily during digestion, and is not wasted during normal elimination. This is one reason why, given comparable doses of the two supplements, Pterostilbene will deliver more pronounced results – more of it is being transported to the cells where its effects are generated.
Longevity Benefits of a Daily Pterostilbene Dosage
Plants produce Pterostilbene, a phytoalexins chemical, to ward off infection and disease. Humans can actually receive many of the same benefits by ingesting a dose of Pterostilbene once daily. Some of these effects might be the key to extending human life span, surely one of the most sought-after benefits of any wellness regimen – a long and healthy life.
Pterostilbene has a two-pronged approach. First, it up-regulates (increases the response to stimulus) genes which govern apoptosis, programmed cell death. This means that Pterostilbene increases mitochondrial functions like protein targeting and synthesis.
It also aids in cellular respiration, and the movement of electrons. Simultaneously, Pterostilbene down-regulates (decreases quantity of) neutrophils, the white cell matter that is a part of inflammation response. It may also down-regulate cancer cells.
Some of these functions happen naturally in the body on a low calorie diet, which is why this nootropic is said to mimic the positive effects of calorie restriction.
Whether by diet or a Pterostilbene dosage, these activities are thought to increase life span by limiting cell death, inflammation, and cancers. Inflammation alone is credited with many age-related disorders such as atherosclerosis and diminished brain plasticity.
Pterostilbene Body Benefits
Pterostilbene goes to work in the body as a key defender of vital organs like the liver and heart. It cleans up damaged proteins in the liver, lowers blood sugar levels, reduces cholesterol, and controls glucose.
Pterostilbene also fights oxidative stress in the heart, the main cause of heart disease. It protects arteries from hardening over time, resulting in a thriving cardiovascular system which need not decline with age.
Pterostilbene also stops cancer cells from growing by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death). The anti-inflammatory effects pose benefits for tissues and organs throughout the body.
Pterostilbene Mind Benefits
Pterostilbene’s anti-inflammatory qualities are also very valuable for overall neural health. Reducing inflammation in brain tissue adds to the mind’s plasticity – meaning its ability to freely grow new neurons and connections between them.
For this reason, Pterostilbene has been suggested as a possible Alzheimer’s treatment.
In conjunction with other supplements which foster brain tissue growth, such as choline, Pterostilbene contributes to powerful adaptability and longevity in the brain.
Cognitive decline that is thought to inevitably occur over time can be slowed or arrested altogether with these supplements. That’s why Pterostilbene is considered a vital component for any stack of nootropics designed to enhance cognitive function, such as Alpha Brain.
Calculating Pterostilbene Dosage on Its Own Vs. in a Stack
Pterostilbene is fairly uncommon as a stand alone supplement. If you can find it, the recommended daily Pterostilbene dosage is between 50 mg and 250 mg. Many users report best success by splitting up the daily dose into 2 or 3 segments.
Pterostilbene does not have a long half life and it stays active for about 100 minutes.
Most people get their Pterostilbene dosage from a combined nootropic stack such as the one found in the popular Alpha Brain. Alpha Brain combines Pterostilbene with many proven effective nootropic supplements such as Alpha GPC, L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, and AC-11.
Pterostilbene’s anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects combine with the cognitive boosting power of anxiolytics and cholinergics to produce sharp mental focus, enhanced memory, and most importantly, protection of vital brain structures from decay.
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- Gómez-Zorita S, Fernández-Quintela A, Aguirre L, Macarulla MT, Rimando AM, Portillo MP. Pterostilbene improves glycaemic control in rats fed an obesogenic diet: involvement of skeletal muscle and liver. Food Funct. 2015
- Azzolini M, La Spina M, Mattarei A, Paradisi C, Zoratti M, Biasutto L. Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of pterostilbene in the rat. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014
- Dellinger RW, Garcia AM, Meyskens FL Jr. Differences in the glucuronidation of resveratrol and pterostilbene: altered enzyme specificity and potential gender differences. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 2014
- McCormack D, McDonald D, McFadden D. Pterostilbene ameliorates tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced pancreatitis in vitro. J Surg Res. 2012
- Robb EL, Stuart JA. The stilbenes resveratrol, pterostilbene and piceid affect growth and stress resistance in mammalian cells via a mechanism requiring estrogen receptor beta and the induction of Mn-superoxide dismutase. Phytochemistry. 2014
Article last updated on: March 20th, 2018 by Nootriment
2 Comments
I have been taking 2 50mg caps of pterostilbene for about 72 days. At the time
I started pterostilbene I weighed 214 lbs. in shorts. My blood sugar was aver-aging 135 after eight hours of fasting. Official VA medical records showed me at a1C 7.9 % and 24 hour average of 180, in an earlier blood draw, made on 12/23/2014. A recent a1C blood draw, taken at the VA clinic in the S.Fernando Valley, showed a huge reduction of diabetes values. Date: 11/02/2015…a1C only 6.2% 24hr. glucose average just 131. It is now November 20,2015.I am now just 191 lbs. in shorts. That is a 23 lb. weight loss in the 72 day period. My average finger-stick after 8 hours fasting, is a healthy 90 result.I have been taking the popular diabetes pharma drug metformin (slow release version) 1500 mg daily or less. The pterostilbene, has changed my health markedly, for the better. Lower blood pressure…
4 times less frequent intervals for urination, improved facial complexion (KP)
below my eyes, which could have turned to cancer, if untreated with cold
spray, and perhaps the pterostilbene intake. A dark blue, 7 year sub-
cutaneous lesion has cleared to normal back-skin in these 72 days. The pterostilbene seems to have given me control over my meal timeing &
helping size. I have been doing 300% more simple excercise, each day.
My skin has largely shrunk to fit my slimmer, fitter body. (4 inch smaller
waist size). I feel more agile, an now frequently win when watching TVs “Jeopardy”. This seems to be a true start of future progress against aging.
I,m pretty well convinced at this point.
This is a January 30, 2016 update. Having started on on the USDA patented
version of pterostilbene, which the U.S. government & the U. of Mississippi
jointly developed at the U. of MS pharma research lab, in Oxford, MS. It was
invented by a federal bio scientist, Anges Rimando pHd. She came up with
a much more pure version of the substance that was originally discovered in
the outer layers of live blueberries, some years before. By making it from scratch the scientists were able to make a bio-indentical compound almost
perfectly pure. Bark of a tree from south India, is used to make the natural,
but far less pure substance, processed mostly in China. It is a very close,
molecule to the more famous reseveratrol that was found in the skin of red
wine grapes. It is at least 4 to 5 times more bio-available than the red wine
substance. Resveratrol has a half life in the blood stream of about 15 minutes, while the ptero-pure synthetic molecule is reported to have a 105
minute half life in the blood.
As I mention above, I’m an 18 year long, T2 diabetes patient in the VA medical system. All these years I have struggled with this disease taking
first regular metformin, and for the last 6 years, the better extended release
version of metformin. This along with a pancreas stimulating pharma drug
called Glipizide. This is less toxic than the earlier one the tends to stress
or even “burn out” the pancreas, in some cases. All along I have been told
by long term diabetes sufferers to try to not risk these stimulant meds!
5 months ago I had an A1C level of 7.9, now I showing 5.1 levels which are
basically normal. That after 18 miserable years! I started taking the ptero-pure substance, and within days my daily finger-sticks spiraled down.
My weight also began to plummet, because for the first time in 18 years I
felt that I had reasonable control of my eating pattern. That process continued over the 5 month period. Today, Staturday Jan 30, 2016 I saw the
number 179.8 lbs on my digital scale. That is down from 119.2 on the first
day taking both metformin & ptero-pure (2 50mmg caps) That loss is 39.6lbs. I like to think how unpleasant it would be to have to tote around a
thick plastic container of all this useless body fat. My problem started years
ago when a slim 6’2″ 25 year old, I stupidly thought it would be smart to add,
perhaps 5 lbs. of weight under my skin evenly spread around to look a little
beefier! What a dumb, destructive notion that turned out to be. 15 years
later I weighed in at 247 lbs. and stayed well above 210 though most of the interval. I wrecked my arteries, my heartbeat, my carotids, filled my belly
up with unhealthful viseral fat. 5 months ago my waistline was 40 ins. It is now below 33 inches. 3 years ago I had my right side pair of carotid arteries
reamed out by VA/UCLA vascular surgeons. In early April, thanks to my
far better health the same great team will hopefully clear the blockage on
the left side. This will make me much, much less likely to suffer a stroke! I’m
going be 75 when the operate…with luck, if I hold this weight I’ll have a good
chance to dance at a family wedding party in 15 years…at 90!