(PS) is a naturally occurring phospolipid that exists in the cell membranes of all species. In simple words, it’s a type of fat that can be found in every cell membrane of the human body that also contains the mineral phosphorus. Roughly 60 grams of phosphatidylserine can be found in human brain, testes, lungs, muscle tissue, kidneys, liver, and blood plasma. About 50% of the PS in the body exists in neural tissue.

The Functions of PS in the Body Include: ï‚· Transports molecules in and out of the cell ï‚· Delivers signals to the interior of the cell membrane ï‚· Improves signaling between the cells ï‚· Protects cell membranes from oxidative stress Because nearly 50% of the phosphatidylserine exists in neural tissue, it’s also believed that the phospholipid has a brain function improving effect. In other words, it’s believed to be a nootropic (smart drug).

And research supports this belief, as several human studies have found out that phosphatidylserine improves cognitive function, attention, working memory, processing speed, processing accuraccy, and general memory (study, study, study, study.) Not to mention that PS is also known for reducing stress, fatigue, ADHD symptoms, and cognitive decline (study, study, study, study, study, study). 81 So, phosphatidylserine clearly has some benefits as a brain booster and I guess we can easily call it a well researched nootropic.

However cognitive stuff is not all that this lipid has been researched for. There are two very interesting facts about phosphatidylserine that could make it a potential testosterone booster. Firstly, it’s a message sender between the cells, which means that it could also improve the signals that come from hormones. Secondly, it protects cells (think leydig) from oxidative damage (brains and testicles contain the most of phosphatidylserine in the body).

So in paper, there could be some testosterone boosting effects in phosphatidylserine supplementation due to its ability to act as a secondary message sender and a potential cortisol/oxidative damage blocker. Fortunately we don’t even have to speculate, as few studies have examined the above already

Not only is great for the brain, it seems to also be great for guys who exercise – after all – scientist often use the testosterone to cortisol ratio as a measure to see how effectively the body can build lean muscle mass. “Are there any food sources for phosphatidylserine?” Answer: Bovine brain, chicken heart, pig spleen, pig liver, and certain lechitins (sunflower and soy mainly) are all good sources of PS. However to reach the dosages used in the studies above supplementation is easier, but not required (see a chart of foods highest in PS here). NOTE: Soy lechitin can be quite estrogenic, so if you’re planning on getting your PS through food, I recommend at least 100 grams of bovine brains a day (this would give you about 800 mg of PS). “What are the phosphatidylserine supplements made of?” Answer: Originally PS supplements were all derived from bovine brains, but when the mad cows disease panic started in the US, manufacturers pussied out and started 83 deriving their supplements from plants. That’s why most of the phosphatidylserine on the market is now derived from soy lechitin.

Taurine and Testosterone Taurine is a semi-essential organic amino acid that’s synthesised in the body from methione and cysteine, comprising roughly 0,1% of the weight of the human body. What makes taurine interesting is the fact that it’s the most prominent free amino-acid in the male testicles, and in the breast milk that made you grow when you were just a baby. This hints that taurine may have a very important – yet not that clearly understood mechanism – in testicular function and testosterone production. Furthermore the fact that breast milk is loaded with taurine, hints that it may be more important for the human body than originally thought, as breast milk is literally jampacked with everything that a small human needs to become a big human.

Taurine was originally isolated and discovered from the bull testicles back in 1827. And the fact that it was discovered from bull gonads started a myth where some dumbidiots claimed – and still claim to this day – that taurine would be bull urine or semen (which it clearly is not). We already know that taurine comprises about 50% of the amino acids in cardiac tissue and that when ingested, it significantly increases blood flow and arterial relaxation in human subjects. 84 We also know that it’s extremely important amino-acid for our central nervous system functioning, eye sight, calcium signaling, and the development and functioning of muscle tissue, antioxidation, etc. (now do you understand why breast milk is filled with this stuff?) However the most interesting benefits of taurine are related to testosterone protection and production: a) Several studies have found that taurine protects testosterone molecules from oxidative damage inside the ball sack. So far it’s seen that taurine preserves testosterone from the damage caused by cadmium, nicotine, arsenic, and doxorubicin. b) Furthermore taurine seems to protect testosterone molecules from the destructive effects of diabetes in animal model (study, study). c) In this study, taurine increased testicular SOD (superoxide mutase) and gluthatione levels, both of which are extremely strong antioxidants. Same study also found out that it increases testicular nitric oxide, meaning that it improves the blood flow inside the ball sack, which in theory should increase testosterone production too. d) The researchers in this study, saw that when a pregnant rat mommy is fed with a diet consisting of 1% taurine, her offspring has significantly higher baseline testosterone levels than placebo rat babies. e) Up to 180% increases in serum testosterone levels took place in this animal study where baby, adult, and elderly rats were fed with a diet consisting of 1% taurine. f)

This study replicated the 1% taurine diet on rats and found out similar results: testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were all significantly increased. 85 g) The researchers in this in-vitro study found out a possible mechanism of action on why taurine increases testosterone. It stimulated the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) induced testosterone production. So as you can see, taurine is very-very-very interesting amino-acid indeed, but the lack of human research raises concerns, as we’re not rats (even though we share remarkably similar endocrine and reproductive systems with them). However the massive amount of evidence in the animal model – and the fact that our gonads are filled with taurine – is enough for me to believe that this amino acid is protestosterone. Luckily, it’s also cheap to supplement with, and extremely safe and well tolerated by the human body (not a surprise as our bodies synthesize some taurine on a day-to-day basis). So all-in-all, it’s a supplement with a lot of potential, but until more human research is conducted it’s wise to take everything with a grain of salt. For the optimal dosages of taurine, 5 grams taken 3 times a day is roughly the human equilavent of the dosages on the animal studies above.