Yes! Feed your brain and reduce stress damage with the natural amino acid, phosphorylated serine (PS). This amino acid is important in the communication and activity of our brain cells and repairing damage caused by stress. For many, it takes the edge off a stressful day and helps many achieve a better quality of sleep. Studies have shown its effectiveness in treating ADD and ADHD and replacing medications that are often harmful and not well tolerated.

Seriphos. At Natural Bio Health, we use Seriphos, a natural supplement that provides activated phosphorylated serine in a chelated form of magnesium and calcium. This naturally occurring compound is derived from pure phosphate and vegetable sources. We use it primarily to lower the stress hormone cortisol, help improve the quality of sleep, and to increase the health and efficiency of the brain.

Our 12 hour saliva stress test and written stress test can both provide guidance for the optimal use of Seriphos and other treatments for optimal brain health and repairing damage caused by catabolic stress hormones.

Beneficial effects of Phosphorylated Serine

Research has shown that when Phosphorylated Serine is given as a supplement, it may have several positive effects.

• It can protect against overstimulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis thereby preventing surges in cortisol.
• It results in a decrease in post-exercise cortisol levels and improves mood and muscle soreness that sometimes occur after overtraining.
• It can raise the levels of calming neurotransmitter, such as dopamine, thereby improving mood and reducing anxiety and depression.
• It may prevent or reduce chronic stress induced memory loss.
• Phosphorylated Serine has been used for Alzheimer’s disease, age-related decline in mental function, improving thinking skills in young people, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, preventing exercise-induced stress, and improving athletic performance.

Clinical uses of phosphorylated serine

• Seriphos is an excellent supplement to modulate cortisol. It is used in stage I and stage II stress (see diagram below from 12 hour cortisol test) to lower cortisol when it is high. In stage II, where cortisol can be up and down, it tends to modulate the cortisol to more normal steady levels.
• Most patients with stress will have elevated cortisol in the evenings that will interrupt sleep. Taking a Seriphos capsule at bed time generally helps improve sleeping patterns.
• Seriphos can be used after vigorous exercise to help bring cortisol down and reduce the soreness of muscles.
• Although the studies are somewhat inconsistent, there may be benefits for memory loss from chronic stress or other dementias.
• The dose varies from one capsule (100mg) twice a day to three times a day depending upon the saliva test results for stress.
• For ADD and ADHD, it has been shown to be more effective AND SAFER, then the commonly prescribed medications. The studies generally are based on three months of use at 300 mg per day, starting at 100 mg per day.

Are there any side effects?

• Phosphorylated Serine is safe in most adults and children when taken by mouth. It has been used in research studies for up to six months.
• Potential side effects may include insomnia in some patients (although it usually helps sleep by lowering cortisol) and stomach upset. This may occur in doses over 300mg.
• There is some concern that products made from animal sources could transmit diseases such as mad cow disease. To date, there are not any known cases of humans getting animal diseases from Phosphorylated Serine supplements since most are made from plants.
• Special precautions and warnings: Pregnancy and breast feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking Phosphorylated Serine is you are pregnant or breast feeding. Unfortunately, this is true of most beneficial products.

Other information

The serine is from vegetable sources and the phosphate is from a pure phosphate donor compound. Contains cellulose and is dairy, soy, egg & gluten free. Vegetarian. It is a pure product not derived from animal tissue.

Possible medicine interactions:

• Drying medications (Anticholinergic drugs) interacts with Phosphorylated Serine. Some drying medications are called anticholinergic drugs. Phosphorylated Serine might increase chemicals that can decrease the effects of these drying medications. Some drying medications include atropine, scopolamine and some medications used for allergies (antihistamines) and for depression (antidepressants).
• Medications for Alzheimer’s disease (Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors) interacts with Phosphorylated Serine.
• Phosphatidylserine might increase a chemical in the body called acetylcholine. Medications for Alzheimer’s disease called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors also increase the chemical acetylcholine. Taking phosphatidylserine along with medications for Alzheimer’s disease might increase effects and side effects of medications for Alzheimer’s disease. Some acetylcholinesterase medications include donepezil (Aricept), tacrine (Cognex), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Reminyl, Razadyne).
• Various medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions (Cholinergic drugs) interacts with Phosphorylated Serine.
• Phosphorylated Serine might increase a chemical in the body called acetylcholine. This chemical is similar to some medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, and other conditions. Taking Phosphorylated Serine with these medications might increase the chance of side effects.
• Some of these medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, and other conditions include pilocarpine (Pilocar and others), and others.

Mechanism of action.

“Serine phosphate derivatives are believed to help optimize brain neurotransmissions with specific reference to hypothalamic-pituitary area. The product also exerts a beneficial effect on memory retention and recall by stimulating morphogenetic neuronal plasticity which delays or prevents age dependent neurotransmitter function deterioration or decline.”

If you’re interested in trying Seriphos, check it out here on our store.

Disclaimer: There are no published research articles on phosphorylated serine available on the Internet.  Nevertheless, this information is believed to be true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Dr. Joseph NBH is a provider at Natural Bio Health.  He has been in practice for over 30 years.

NBH has written or contributed to numerous medical articles, has years of experience in treating infertility and PMS, and worked in the area in the area of women’s health for years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Woman’s Hospital of Texas and was Medical Director of the Premenstrual Syndrome Program at Woman’s Hospital. NBH has years of experience in the use of natural hormones, the treatment of PMS and endometriosis and the clinical application of hormone therapy for both men and women.