Preserve your precious memories with one easy step
Any small changes you can make to protect your memory can prove to be invaluable. And incorporating supplementation into your daily routine is definitely a step in the right direction.
There’s one supplement in particular that stands out as a key support of robust cognitive health. It’s not exactly a household name — it’s called L-alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine — or more commonly referred to simply as Alpha GPC.
This nutrient produces remarkable effects. And quite frankly, it’s a wonder why it’s not one of the most popular supplements on earth.
Boosting your key neurotransmitter
To demonstrate Alpha GPC’s abilities, I’ll start by discussing its effects on one of the most abundant neurotransmitter in your brain: acetylcholine.
Your memory, learning, mental clarity, and processing speed all depend on acetylcholine. Unfortunately, acetylcholine levels drop as we grow older. However, a micronutrient called citicoline has been shown to help boost your acetylcholine levels naturally.
And the latest research shows that an uptake in citicoline can have positive effects on the memory.
In a recent study, researchers tested a citicoline supplement against a placebo on a group of more than 385 participants who had clinically confirmed cognitive dysfunction resulting in memory loss.
After nine months, the group that took 500 mg of citicoline twice daily scored significantly higher on a standardized memory exam compared to the placebo group.
And the beauty of the citicoline compound is that it’s a perfect complement to the Alpha GPC compound…
An unbeatable combination
Alpha GPC, like citicoline, is a form of choline — an essential nutrient, required for maintaining proper brain and nervous system function. Choline is made in the liver and found in many food sources. It’s also similar to vitamin B complex in that it’s used in many chemical reactions in your body.
But most importantly, your body uses choline to create that all-important acetylcholine neurotransmitter.
But Alpha GPC is much more than just a form of choline.
In Dr. Fred Pescatore’s Drug-Free Protocol for Reversing Alzheimer’s and Dementia, he explains that Alpha GPC combines choline and phospholipids, which are the prime building blocks of cell membranes.
This potent combination jumpstarts production of acetylcholine, with impressive results.
Dr. Pescatore highlights three key studies:
- In a trial that included more than 260 participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, those who too took 400 mg of alpha GPC three times daily had consistent improvements in brain function tests over the three months they used the supplement.
- In another trial of over 100 participants with dementia, 1 gram of alpha GPC per day improved memory and word fluency within 45 to 90 days. Researchers also noted a decrease in depression.
- In a study that followed, more than 2,000 stroke victims who took alpha GPC, a stunning 71 percent showed no signs of cognitive decline or forgetfulness within six months of beginning supplementation. (The patients received a daily intramuscular shot containing 1 gram of alpha GPC for the first 28 days after their strokes, then took a daily oral dose of 400 mg, three times each day, for five months.)
Modifying dosage to your needs
In the studies noted above, and in other alpha GPC research, the average dosage tends to run in the 800 to 1,000 mg range for a daily dose.
For the average person, however, that higher level is probably not necessary.
Here’s Dr. Pescatore’s recommendation: “I believe you’ll still find benefits if less is taken — if you combine GPC with complementary nutrients that support brain function, like citicoline.
“You can always start with a lower dose in a combination formula, and if you don’t notice results, try increasing the number of capsules you take to inch closer to the higher dosage.”
But when it comes to treating symptoms of cognitive dysfunction or dementia, Dr. Pescatore says a more individualized approach is likely to be most effective. In other words, he says, it’s essential to work with a skilled practitioner who can help you make adjustments in supplementation as needed.
Dr. Pescatore recommends you visit the website of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM). This is an excellent resource for locating holistic physicians throughout the U.S. For the application of alpha GPC, citicoline, and other natural therapies, these are the doctors most likely to be knowledgeable about administering personalized treatment.
To learn more about how these and other natural approaches can protect your memories or help you regain cognitive health, refer to Dr. Pescatore’s Drug-Free Protocol for Reversing Alzheimer’s and Dementia. For more information on this online learning protocol, or to enroll today, click here.
SOURCES
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23403474
Effectiveness and safety of citicoline in mild vascular cognitive impairment: the IDEALE study
Clinical Interventions in Aging
February 5, 2013