What Is Alpha-GPC?
Alpha-glycerophosphorylcholine (commonly known as alpha-GPC) is becoming more and more popular as the public becomes more and more concerned about brain health and cognitive improvement.
Alpha-GPC is regarded as one of the most effective dietary supplements for the brain. But what exactly is alpha-GPC and can it provide health benefits?
What is alpha-GPC?
Alpha-GPC stands for alpha-glycerophosphocholine, also known as choline glycerophosphate, and has recently gained popularity for its many health benefits. alpha-GPC is a natural molecule that contains a high amount of choline. alpha-GPC is about 41% choline by weight.
This supplement is often grouped with other compounds known as "brain boosters". Intellectual stimulants are a class of formulas and/or supplements that help support and enhance cognitive function.
What is choline?
The body makes alpha GPC from choline, an essential nutrient that is needed for optimal health. Although choline is neither a vitamin nor a mineral, it is often associated with the B vitamins because it shares similar physiological pathways in the body.
Essential for normal metabolism, choline acts as a methyl donor and even plays a key role in the production of certain neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine.
Choline is an important nutrient that occurs naturally in human breast milk and is also added to commercially available infant formulas.
Although the human liver produces choline, this is not enough to meet the body's needs. Insufficient choline production in the body means that we must consume choline from food. If the dietary intake of choline is insufficient, choline deficiency may occur.
Studies have shown that choline deficiency is associated with atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, liver disease and even neurological disorders. In addition, it is estimated that most people do not consume enough choline in their diets.
Although choline is naturally found in foods such as beef, eggs, soybeans, quinoa and red-skinned potatoes, choline levels in the body can be rapidly increased by supplementing with alpha-GPC.
Health Benefits of Alpha-GPC
Research suggests that alpha-GPC may have numerous health benefits.
Since alpha-GPC is manufactured in the body, it is metabolized to phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine, a major component of lecithin, is found in all cells of the body and may support the body in a number of ways, including liver health, gallbladder health, metabolism, and the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that allows nerve cells to exchange messages with other nerve cells, muscle cells and even glands. Acetylcholine is essential for many physiological functions, such as regulating the heartbeat, maintaining blood pressure, and regulating internal intestinal motility.
While acetylcholine deficiency is very often associated with myasthenia gravis, low levels of this neurotransmitter have also been linked to poor memory, learning difficulties, hypotonia, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Studies have shown that alpha-GPC can help increase acetylcholine in the brain because it is absorbed quickly and easily crosses the blood-brain barrier.
This ability gives alpha-GPC some very unique health benefits such as helping to strengthen memory, improve cognitive performance, enhance athletic performance and increase growth hormone production.
