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Phs8.5
Phosphatidylserine Research
Mostly mechanism / observationalHigh safety
15 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Mostly mechanism / observational
Most Phosphatidylserine studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from high-quality randomised trials published 2008–2026 with a typical study size of 83 participants.
Based on 15 studies · 9 RCTs · 1,633 total participants
Confidence
High
What the studies found
1helped· 14 more without graded effect data
By outcome
Cognitive functionBetter memory, especially in cognitive decline · 4-12 weeks
Anxiety & stressReduced cortisol and stress response · 2-4 weeks · Attenuation of cortisol response to stressors · 1-4 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
RecoveryBlunted cortisol response to exercise · 2 weeks
Too few graded studies2 studies
Cholesterol & lipids
Too few graded studies2 studies
Women's healthMay help reduce PMS-related mood and cognitive symptoms · 1-3 cycles
Too few graded studies1 study
Therapeutic & clinical
Too few graded studies1 study
By the numbers
Pulled from 9 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
100%
across studies
People studied
1,633
typical study: 83 people
Strongest designs
9
0 pooled, 9 randomised
Showed benefit
100%
1/1 studies
How long studies ran
1–3 months
2
Populations Studied
Cancer patients1
Age-related cognitive decline1
Chinese older adults with mild cognitive impairment1
Glioblastoma patients1
Active research area
10 studies in the last 5 years
200820172026
1Systematic ReviewCited 11×n=118 · medium study2023
The areas of neurology and psychiatry have shown great advances regarding the deepening of knowledge in prophylaxis and pathophysiology, as well as in the treatment of established diseases.
Nogueira-de-Almeida CA et al. · Central nervous system agents in medicinal chemistry (2023)
According to the GRADE instrument, most studies (>50%) followed a controlled clinical study model and had a good methodological design.
The areas of neurology and psychiatry have shown great advances regarding the deepening of knowledge in prophylaxis and pathophysiology, as well as in the treatment of established diseases.
The recognition of the role of nutrition as an adjunct to these processes is currently growing.
2Lipid profiling for cancer prognosisSystematic ReviewCited 15×n=38 · small study2024
This systematic-review examined the effects of Phosphatidylserine.
Takanashi Y et al. · Lipids in health and disease (2024)
In conclusion, the potential for developing lipidomics in cancer prognostic prediction was demonstrated.
However, the field is still nascent, necessitating future studies for validating and establishing lipid markers as reliable prognostic tools in clinical practice.
4Cognitive function improvementsRCTCited 5×n=190 · medium study2025
This food supplement containing phosphatidylserine could improve different cognitive functions of MCI patients, especially short-term memory, and increase serum n-3 PUFAs and neurotransmitters levels.
Duan H et al. · Journal of affective disorders (2025)
A total of 190 participants (mean [SD] age, 67.95 [5.62] years; 70 (36.8 %) male and 120 (63.2 %) female) were randomized to the placebo group (n = 95) and intervention group (n = 95).
Compared with placebo group, the intervention group had statistically significant improvements in arithmetic testing (β, 0.688; 95 % CI, 0.103-1.274), the similarity test (β, 1.070; 95 % CI, 0.472-1.667) and short-term memory (β, 0.600; 95 % CI, 0.399-0.800).
And the intervention may improve short-term memory by increasing serum ALA levels (average causal mediation effect = 0.132, 95 % CI, 0.053-0.225) with 19.7 % mediation proportion.
5Treatment response prediction using circulating EVPsRCTCited 2×2025
This rct examined the effects of Phosphatidylserine.
Youngblood MW et al. · Nature communications (2025)
Thus, our study introduces an efficient microfluidic platform for the capture of circulating GBM EVPs and demonstrates that release upon BBB opening is predictive of outcomes following paclitaxel treatment.
This approach represents a real-time surrogate biomarker for treatment response for a disease where imaging-based assessment of response has not been shown to be reliable.
Dietary integration could be considered as an option in patients who could not undergo surgery.
D'Orio M et al. · Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis (2023)
Dietary integration could be considered as an option in patients who could not undergo surgery.
Symptoms and pain could improve, but surgery remains the gold standard for recovery of function in mild to moderate CTS.
Further research warranted to confirm findings
7Glycemic factors and hepatic functionRCTCited 160×n=80 · small study2020
In conclusion, the present trial shows that supplementation with a phytosomal preparation of curcumin containing phosphatidylserine and piperine could improve glycemic factors, hepatic function and serum cortisol levels in subjects with overweight and impaired fasting glucose.
Cicero AFG et al. · European journal of nutrition (2020)
After 56-day treatment, the curcumin-treated group experienced a significant improvement in fasting plasma insulin (FPI), HOMA index, waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, liver transaminases, gamma-GT, index of liver steatosis and serum cortisol compared to the baseline.
FPI, TG, liver transaminases, fatty liver index and serum cortisol level also significantly improved compared with the placebo-treated group.
In conclusion, the present trial shows that supplementation with a phytosomal preparation of curcumin containing phosphatidylserine and piperine could improve glycemic factors, hepatic function and serum cortisol levels in subjects with overweight and impaired fasting glucose.
Results substantiate the efficacy of PAS in reducing symptoms of PMS.
Schmidt K et al. · Clinical nutrition ESPEN (2018)
Likely real
For the biomarkers, the salivary cortisol percentage increase of the CAR was significantly less pronounced in the follicular phase of cycle 4 than in the follicular phase of cycle 1 for subjects taking PAS when compared to subjects taking placebo (p = 0.018).
Results substantiate the efficacy of PAS in reducing symptoms of PMS.
In view of the recent inclusion of severe PMS symptoms (PMDD) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the positive results of this clinical study merits consideration of developing the PAS complex as a botanical drug for treatment of PMDD.
9Memory and cognitive functionsRCTCited 21×n=109 · medium study2022
Results indicated significant benefits of Magtein®PS in improving memory and cognition in healthy Chinese adults.
Zhang C et al. · Nutrients (2022)
Subjects receiving Magtein®PS showed significant improvements over the control group in all five subcategories of "The Clinical Memory Test" as well as the overall memory quotient scores.
The older participants showed more improvement than younger participants.
Results indicated significant benefits of Magtein®PS in improving memory and cognition in healthy Chinese adults.
This review summarized recent advances in these areas, updates our understanding of PE's basic biology, and explores novel strategies for neuroprotection and health promotion.
Shi Z et al. · The Journal of nutrition (2026)
This approach holds potential not only for populations with or at risk for neurodegenerative disorders but also for developing fetuses and newborns during critical nervous system development.
This review summarized recent advances in these areas, updates our understanding of PE's basic biology, and explores novel strategies for neuroprotection and health promotion.
This systematic-review examined the effects of Phosphatidylserine.
Henn D et al. · Autophagy (2025)
To maintain lysosome integrity and functionality, cells have evolved multiple quality control pathways corresponding to different types of stress and damage.
These can be divided into five levels: regulation, reformation, repair, removal, and replacement.
The different levels of lysosome quality control often work together to maintain the integrity of the lysosomal network.
In the future, supplementation with phytosterols and phospholipids may be considered for improving blood lipid profiles in individuals with borderline hyperlipidemia, thereby preventing or delaying the progression to overt hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.
Li L et al. · Food & function (2026)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
After 60 days of intervention, the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in the combined PSs and PLs group decreased by 7.8% and 6.4% (P < 0.001), respectively, relative to the baseline.
In the PSs-only group, the level of total cholesterol (TC) was significantly reduced by 6.2% (P < 0.001).
Nevertheless, in the PSs and PLs group, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was significantly reduced by 7.7% compared with the baseline only at 30 days of intervention (P = 0.017).