Functional Ingredients

Phosphatidylserine 

Phospholipids, a.k.a. lecithin, can be isolated from many plant and animal sources, including vegetable oils, egg yolk, and milk. Phospholipids are an essential component of all cell membranes within the body, especially the brain where lipids make up the majority of the dry weight. Chemically speaking, these are complex lipids, possessing charged groups, represented mostly by phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylserine. These are the very molecules that help mix oil and water in mayonnaise and other foods.

Scientific and clinical evidence accumulated in the past 20 years demonstrates that dietary intake of products containing phospholipids, and especially phosphatidylserine, has many health benefits, including stress management, improved mood, cognition, and physical performance. Some data also suggest that phospholipids have anti-inflammatory and other protective properties.

Mood, Stress, Focus, Cognition, and Memory

A large number of research and clinical trials demonstrated that consumption of 200–900 mg of phosphatidylserine per day helped fight stress and improved mood, focus, memory, and cognitive functions (Benton et al., 2001; Baumeister et al., 2008; Boyle et al., 2019; Moré et al., 2014; Hellhammer et al., 2010; Parker et al., 2011; Starks et al., 2008). One clinical study demonstrated reduced symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (Schmidt et al., 2018). The responses were potentially mediated through a modulation of endocrine responses, including cortisol availability and increased testosterone/cortisol ratio (Hellhammer et al., 2004, Schubert et al., 2011, Hellhammer et al., 2014, Starks et al., 2008, Contarini & Povolo, 2013).

Several trials have shown the significant benefits of milk phospholipids on cognitive outcomes. These benefits are well established in infants, where dairy ingredients that contain milk phospholipids can be added to infant formulas to match human breast milk more closely. Both animal and human trials have shown benefits for the improvement in cognitive development in infants (Ambrożej et al., 2021; Gurnida et al., 2012; Timby et al., 2014). Some data demonstrate similar effects in adults and the elderly (Gallier et al., 2018, Richter et al., 2013).

Anti-Inflammatory and Cardioprotective

Inflammation underlies many adverse health outcomes, and anti-inflammatory foods and diets have been widely popularized in recent years. Both in vitro and in vivo work indicate that both phospholipid-rich and ganglioside-rich components impact a range of anti-inflammatory pathways (Park et al., 2007; Palmano et al., 2019). Numerous scientific reports support the anti-inflammatory properties of milk phospholipids in humans (Dalbeth et al., 2012; Zanabria et al., 2014; Demmer et al., 2016). One recent animal study demonstrated the cardioprotective effect of phosphatidylserine, with both cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory mechanisms involved (Schumacher et al., 2021).

Ambrożej D, Dumycz K, Dziechciarz P, Ruszczyński M. (2021) Milk Fat Globule Membrane Supplementation in Children: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 13(3):714.

Baumeister J, Barthel T, Geiss KR, Weiss M. (2008) Influence of phosphatidylserine on cognitive performance and cortical activity after induced stress. Nutr Neurosci. 11(3):103-10.

Benton D, Donohoe RT, Sillance B, Nabb S. (2001) The influence of phosphatidylserine supplementation on mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor. Nutr Neurosci. 4(3):169-78.

Boyle N B, Dye L, Arkbåge K, Thorell L, Frederiksen P, Croden F, Lawton C (2019): Effects of milk-based phospholipids on cognitive performance and subjective responses to psychosocial stress: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in high-perfectionist men. Nutrition, 57, 183-193.

Contarini G, Povolo M (2013): Phospholipids in milk fat: Composition, biological and technological significance, and analytical strategies. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 14, 2808-2831.

Dalbeth N, Ames R, Gamble G D, Horne A, Wong S, Kuhn-Sherlock B, MacGibbon A, McQueen F M, Reid I R & Palmano K (2012): Effects of skim milk powder enriched with glycomacropeptide and G600 milk fat extract on frequency of gout flares: a proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 71, 929-934.

Demmer E, Van Loan M D, Rivera N, Rogers T S, Gertz E R, Bruce German J, Smilowitz J T, Zivkovic A M, German J B, Smilowitz J T, Zivkovic A M (2016): Addition of a dairy fraction rich in milk fat globule membrane to a high-saturated fat meal reduces the postprandial insulinaemic and inflammatory response in overweight and obese adults. Journal of Nutritional Science, 5, 1-11.

Gallier S, MacGibbon A K, McJarrow P (2018): Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) supplementation and cognition. Agro Food Industry Hi-Tech, 29, 14-16.

Gurnida D A, Rowan A M, Idjradinata P, Muchtadi D, Sekarwana N (2012): Association of complex lipids containing gangliosides with cognitive development of 6-month-old infants. Early Human Development, 88, 595-601.

Hellhammer J, Fries E, Buss C, Engert V, Tuch A, Rutenberg D, Hellhammer D. (2004) Effects of soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex (PAS) on the endocrine and psychological responses to mental stress. Stress. 7(2):119-26.

Hellhammer J, Waladkhani A R, Hero T & Buss C (2010): Effects of milk phospholipid on memory and psychological stress response. British Food Journal, 112, 1124-1137.

Hellhammer J, Vogt D, Franz N, Freitas U, Rutenberg D. (2014) A soy-based phosphatidylserine/ phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) normalizes the stress reactivity of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis in chronically stressed male subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Lipids Health Dis. 13:121.

Moré M I, Freitas U, Rutenberg D. (2014) Positive effects of soy lecithin-derived phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidic acid on memory, cognition, daily functioning, and mood in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Advanced Therapeutics, 31(12):1247-62.

Palmano K P, MacGibbon A K H, Gunn C A, Schollum L M. (2020) In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-inflammatory Activity of Bovine Milkfat Globule (MFGM)-derived Complex Lipid Fractions. Nutrients. 12(7):2089.

Park E J, Suh M, Thomson B, Ma D W L, Ramanujam K, Thomson A B R, Clandinin M T (2007) Dietary ganglioside inhibits acute inflammatory signals in intestinal mucosa and blood induced by systemic inflammation of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Shock, 28, 112-117.

Parker A G, Gordon J, Thornton A, Byars A, Lubker J, Bartlett M, Byrd M, Oliver J, Simbo S, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Kreider R B. (2011) The effects of IQPLUS Focus on cognitive function, mood and endocrine response before and following acute exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 21;8:16.

Richter Y, Herzog Y, Lifshitz Y, Hayun R, Zchut S. (2013) The effect of soybean-derived phosphatidylserine on cognitive performance in elderly with subjective memory complaints: a pilot study. Clin Interv Aging. 8:557-63.

Schmidt K, Weber N, Steiner M, Meyer N, Dubberke A, Rutenberg D, Hellhammer J. (2018) A lecithin phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) reduces symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 24:22-30.

Schubert M, Contreras C, Franz N, Hellhammer J (2011): Milk-based phospholipids increase morning cortisol availability and improve memory in chronically stressed men. Nutrition Research, 31, 413-420.

Schumacher D, Curaj A, Staudt M, Cordes F, Dumitraşcu A R , Rolles B, Beckers C, Soppert J, Rusu M, Simsekyilmaz S, Kneizeh K, Ramachandra C J A, Hausenloy D J, Liehn E A. (2021) Phosphatidylserine Supplementation as a Novel Strategy for Reducing Myocardial Infarct Size and Preventing Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling. Int J Mol Sci. 22(9):4401.

Starks M A, Starks S L, Kingsley M, Purpura M, Jäger R. (2008) The effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderate intensity exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 28;5:11.

Timby N, Domellöf E, Hernell O, Lönnerdal B, Domellöf M (2014) Neurodevelopment, nutrition, and growth until 12 mo of age in infants fed a low energy, low-protein formula supplemented with bovine milk fat globule membranes: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99, 860-868.

Zanabria R, Tellez AM, Griffiths M, Sharif S, Corredig M. (2014) Modulation of immune function by milk fat globule membrane isolates. J Dairy Sci. 97(4):2017-26.

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is a compound naturally found in green tea that’s been demonstrated to provide a sense of control, energy, and balance. Green tea has been helping scholars, warriors, and monks to calm their body and clear their mind for centuries.

L-Theanine (or simply Theanine) is the healthy, safe, and effective option to get all the benefits of green tea and help you manage stress, find your inner calm, and enhance your mental sharpness without the negative side effects of typical energy boosters or sleep aids.

Hundreds of scientific and clinical studies have demonstrated that Theanine enhances relaxation without drowsiness, boosts mental sharpness, and can help improve sleep quality.

Theanine works directly in the brain. Its effect is felt within about 20–30 minutes after consumption and results in an increased output of alpha waves in your brain, indicating your brain is in a relaxed yet alert state. At the same time, your beta waves decrease, which correlates with reducing excitability without feeling groggy.

A 200 mg dose is known to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve focus, attention, learning performance, and mental clarity. What has also been observed is that Theanine reduces the negative effects of caffeine consumption, such as jitters, dizziness, or nausea. And while it is easy to get too much caffeine from just one espresso or a can of energy drink, getting enough Theanine will require you to drink five cups of green tea. Makes a lot of sense to get it in your favorite Mod Protein Bar, doesn’t it? Theanine may be used during the day when you need to perform at your best and at night for a restful, high-quality sleep.

Besides all the other medicinal properties, Theanine is also a promising neuroprotector that may help prevent and treat Parkinson’s disease. There is so much research on Theanine that mentioning even a fraction of what’s available will take many pages. Here are just a few references to relevant review papers for those who would like to learn more.

Camfield DA, Stough C, Farrimond J, Scholey AB. Acute effects of tea constituents L-theanine, caffeine, and epigallocatechin gallate on cognitive function and mood: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2014 Aug;72(8):507-22.

Lopes Sakamoto F, Metzker Pereira Ribeiro R, Amador Bueno A, Oliveira Santos H. Psychotropic effects of L-theanine and its clinical properties: From the management of anxiety and stress to a potential use in schizophrenia. Pharmacol Res. 2019 Sep;147:104395.

Dietz C, Dekker M. Effect of Green Tea Phytochemicals on Mood and Cognition. Curr Pharm Des. 2017;23(19):2876-2905.

Deb S, Dutta A, Phukan BC, Manivasagam T, Justin Thenmozhi A, Bhattacharya P, Paul R, Borah A. Neuroprotective attributes of L-theanine, a bioactive amino acid of tea, and its potential role in Parkinson's disease therapeutics. Neurochem Int. 2019 Oct;129:104478.

*These statements have not been verified by the FDA. This product is not designed to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.