Enhancing Phosphatidylserine’s Brain Health Benefits

Introduction

Phosphatidylserine, usually abbreviated PS, is one of the most important phospholipids in the human brain. It helps form the flexible membranes surrounding brain cells and supports the cellular environment required for memory, learning, attention and communication between neurons.

Actiserine® is an advanced PS formulation designed to address a fundamental challenge with oral phosphatidylserine: delivering it efficiently through the intestinal barrier and into the circulation. A recently published study found that Actiserine demonstrated greater intestinal permeability and produced a 2.81-fold higher peak blood concentration than conventional PS. ¹ These findings suggest that Actiserine may provide a more efficient delivery system for this valuable brain phospholipid.

Phosphatidylserine is Critical in the Brain

PS is concentrated in the brain accounting for approximately 13% to 15% of the phospholipids in the human cerebral cortex, the region involved in memory, language, attention, reasoning and decision-making. ²

Within the brain, PS helps:

• Maintain the structure, fluidity and flexibility of neuronal membranes
• Support communication between brain cells
• Promote normal neurotransmitter release
• Support receptor and membrane-enzyme function
• Maintain healthy synaptic activity
• Support mitochondrial function and cellular energy production
• Help brain cells respond to metabolic and oxidative stress

Because PS carries a negative electrical charge, it helps recruit and organize important signaling proteins along the inner surface of the cell membrane. PS is therefore more than a structural fat: it helps create the biological platform on which brain-cell communication takes place. ^2,3

PS and Memory

Memory depends on the ability of neurons to establish, maintain and modify connections. These connections, known as synapses, allow one brain cell to communicate with another. For this communication to occur, brain cell membranes must remain fluid and responsive. They must change shape, release Neurotransmitters and activate receptors at precisely the right time. PS contributes to this dynamic membrane environment.

What Human Clinical Research Shows

Phosphatidylserine has been evaluated in human clinical studies, with the greatest research interest focused on memory, age-related cognitive function, attention and the response to stress. Results are encouraging but not uniform. Benefits can vary according to the PS source and fatty-acid composition, dose, duration, participants'; baseline cognitive status and the tests used to measure change.

Memory and Age Related Cognitive Function

In a randomized controlled study, 149 adults with age-associated memory impairment received 300 mg of PS daily or placebo for 12 weeks. Participants receiving PS improved on several measures of learning and memory. The greatest response occurred among participants who entered the study with more pronounced memory difficulties. ⁴

A later randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated soy-derived PS in 78 Japanese adults aged 50 to 69 years who reported memory concerns. Participants received 100 mg of PS, 300 mg of PS or placebo daily for six months. Among participants with relatively lower memory scores at baseline, PS supplementation was associated with improvement in delayed verbal recall, a measure of the ability to retain and retrieve information after a period of time. ⁵

Another controlled study evaluated a PS preparation containing omega-3 fatty acids in older adults with memory complaints but without dementia. Supplementation was associated with improvements on selected memory measures, with the response influenced by participants'; baseline characteristics. ⁶

Not every trial has been positive. A 12-week study of soy-derived PS at 300 or 600 mg daily did not find a significant overall cognitive advantage over placebo. ⁷

The totality of the evidence suggests that PS may be most relevant for supporting memory in adults experiencing mild age-related changes, rather than acting as a universal cognitive enhancer.

Attention and Mental Performance

PS has also been studied for its potential to support attention, processing speed and executive function. These abilities allow the brain to concentrate, filter distractions, organize information and respond appropriately to changing demands. Some studies have reported improvements in selected measures, although the findings are not completely consistent. The most defensible conclusion is that PS provides nutritional support for the neuronal membranes on which normal attention and mental performance depend.

Supporting a Healthy Stress Response

Mental and physical stress activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, producing changes in cortisol and other stress-related hormones. In a randomized trial, a phosphatidylserine-containing phospholipid complex helped normalize endocrine and psychological responses to a standardized social stress test in highly stressed participants. ⁸ Other research suggests that selected PS preparations may support mood and perceived well-being during periods of mental or physical stress. Effects appear to depend on the preparation, dose and a person' baseline stress level.

Why Delivery Matters

Consuming PS is only the beginning of its journey; it must be absorbed and utilized. That is where Actiserine® comes into play. Actiserine combines phosphatidylserine with a specialized delivery matrix made from green tea catechins along with the monosaccharides mannitol and arabinose.

Together, these compounds surround the PS to improve its dispersion and movement across biological membranes.

What the Actiserine Study Found

A recently published study compared Actiserine with conventional phosphatidylserine using laboratory models of intestinal permeability and cellular compatibility, followed by a preclinical pharmacokinetic evaluation. ¹

Actiserine demonstrated significantly greater movement across an intestinal cell barrier than conventional PS. This is important because the intestinal lining is the first major biological barrier that orally consumed PS must cross. Actiserine produced a 2.81-fold higher peak plasma concentration, or Cmax, than conventional PS. This represents approximately a 181% higher peak circulating concentration than conventional PS.

A More Advanced Approach to Brain Nutrition

The clinical research on PS provides evidence of benefits for memory, particularly in older adults with mild memory concerns. Additional research shows support for attention, mental performance and a healthy response to stress. At the same time, results are not uniformly positive, and findings obtained with one PS preparation cannot automatically be transferred to every other form.

Actiserine is a major development because it improves how efficiently PS enters the body. This improvement should lead to even better clinical results.

References

1. Actiserine: a bioavailability-enhanced phosphatidylserine formulation with improved intestinal permeability and pharmacokinetic performance. ACS Nutrition Science. Published September 3,2026. doi:10.1021/acsnutrsci.6c00049
2. Kim HY, Huang BX, Spector AA. Phosphatidylserine in the brain: metabolism and function. ProgLipid Res. 2014;56:1-18. doi:10.1016/j.plipres.2014.06.002
3. Vance JE, Tasseva G. Formation and function of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine in mammalian cells. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013;1831(3):543-554.doi:10.1016/j.bbalip.2012.08.016
4. Crook TH, Tinklenberg J, Yesavage J, Petrie W, Nunzi MG, Massari DC. Effects of phosphatidylserine in age-associated memory impairment. Neurology. 1991;41(5):644-649.doi:10.1212/WNL.41.5.644
5. Kato-Kataoka A, Sakai M, Ebina R, Nonaka C, Asano T, Miyamori T. Soybean-derived phosphatidylserine improves memory function of elderly Japanese subjects with memory complaints. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2010;47(3):246-255. doi:10.3164/jcbn.10-62
6. Vakhapova V, Cohen T, Richter Y, Herzog Y, Korczyn AD. Phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 fatty acids may improve memory abilities in nondemented elderly individuals with memory complaints: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord.2010;29(5):467-474. doi:10.1159/000310330
7. Jorissen BL, Brouns F, Van Boxtel MPJ, et al. The influence of soy-derived phosphatidylserine on cognition in age-associated memory impairment. Nutr Neurosci. 2001;4(2):121-134.doi:10.1080/1028415X.2001.11747356
8. Hellhammer J, Fries E, Buss C, et al. Effects of soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex on the endocrine and psychological responses to mental stress. Stress. 2004;7(2):119-126. doi:10.1080/10253890410001728379

Dr. Murray's Actiserine™ PS Advanced Phosphatidylserine Complex — 100 mg — 60 Vegan Capsules

$22.99

Actiserine™ Advanced Phosphatidylserine Complex delivers a clinically tested phosphatidylserine complex designed to support brain health, cognitive function, and efficient nutrient delivery. Featuring patented technology, it enhances absorption and provides sustained support.

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