Health Benefits Of Alpha-GPC
Health benefits of alpha-GPC
1. α-GPC and memory enhancement
Research suggests that the relationship between alpha-GPC and acetylcholine may help support memory function and memory formation. Since acetylcholine is critical for memory production and retention, alpha-GPC may help strengthen memory production.
An animal study in rats found that alpha-GPC supplementation helped strengthen memory function while protecting the brain from the harmful effects of stress.
Another animal study found that alpha-GPC supplementation helped optimize brain cell growth and prevented brain cell input and death after a crohn's attack.
On the human level, one study evaluated the effects of alpha-GPC supplementation on memory and word recognition in patients with age-related hearing loss.
There was another study that divided 57 participants between the ages of 65 and 85 into an invention group and a control group and found that supplementing with alpha-GPC was able to significantly improve word recognition scores over an 11-month period. The control group, which did not receive α-GPC, experienced a decrease in word recognition scores. Additionally, the group using alpha-GPC reported few side effects during the study period.
α-GPC may help strengthen memory, and studies have shown that it also helps improve overall cognitive performance.
2. α-GPC and enhanced cognitive performance
Studies have shown that alpha-GPC can help optimize and improve cognitive performance, not just strengthen memory.
For example, one double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study using alpha-GPC covered more than 260 male and female participants between the ages of 60 and 80 who were diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Participants took either alpha-GPC or placebo three times a day for 180 days.
After 90 days, the study found that patients in the alpha-GPC group had significantly stronger cognitive function. At the end of the study, patients in the alpha-GPC-using group showed multifaceted improvements in cognitive function and decreased scores on the General Decline Scale (GDS). In contrast, scores in the placebo group either remained the same or declined. The General Decline Scale (GDS) is a screening test that helps medical providers assess patients with dementia.
Another study found that alpha-GPC supplementation may help slow cognitive decline in older adults with high blood pressure. The study involved 51 elderly participants divided into 2 groups. One group received alpha-GPC supplementation while the other did not. At a 6-month follow-up, the study found that cognitive function was significantly optimized in the alpha-GPC group. This study suggests that α-GPC optimizes blood vessel integrity and growth, which in turn helps increase brain perfusion and optimize cognition.
α-GPC helps to improve cognition, and studies have shown that it also helps to improve athletic performance.
3. α-GPC and improved athletic performance
Research suggests that alpha-GPC may benefit cognition, and research also suggests that this wonder nutrient may have a wide range of benefits for the body.
Research suggests that alpha-GPC supplementation may help improve athletic performance and strength. For example, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study using a placebo control, 13 college men took alpha-GPC for six days.The participants completed several different exercises, including upper and lower body isometric exercises. The study found that supplementation with alpha-GPC better optimized isometric muscle strength compared to placebo.
Another double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study using a placebo control covered 14 male college football players between the ages of 20 and 21. Participants took alpha-GPC supplements 1 hour before performing a series of exercises, including vertical jumps, isometric exercises, and muscle contractions. The study found that alpha-GPC supplementation prior to exercise may have helped to increase the speed at which the subjects lifted weights. The study also found that alpha-GPC supplementation may help reduce exercise-related fatigue.
Research suggests that alpha-GPC may not only help improve athletic performance, but may also help increase the production of growth hormones.
4. α-GPC and Increased Growth Hormone Production
The human growth hormone, known as HGH, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain.HGH is necessary for the overall health of both children and adults. In children, HGH is responsible for increasing height by promoting bone and cartilage growth.
In adults, HGH promotes bone health by increasing bone mineral density and supports healthy muscles by promoting muscle growth. HGH is also known to improve athletic performance, and many sports programs have banned the use of HGH by direct injection.
As HGH production naturally begins to decrease in middle age, this can lead to increased accumulation of abdominal adipose tissue, loss of muscle mass, weaker bones, poor cardiovascular health, and even an increased risk of death.
Studies have shown that alpha-GPC supplementation can help promote increased growth hormone production even in middle age.
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study included seven men between the ages of 30 and 37 and had them perform weight lifting and resistance training after alpha-GPC supplementation. The study found that supplementing with alpha-GPC before weight training and resistance exercises increased the production of the growth hormone by as much as 44-fold, rather than just 2.6-fold.
Increased HGH in middle-aged adults may be associated with decreased body fat, increased muscle mass, and improved cognitive performance.
