NMN supplements typically show noticeable effects, such as increased energy and focus, within a few days to weeks, while long-term benefits like improved metabolism and anti-aging effects may take months.
Alpha GPC vs Choline: Key Differences, Benefits, and Best Choice for You
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Key takeaways:
- Alpha GPC is distinguished among choline supplements for its high bioavailability that allows good absorption in the brain.
- Choline is necessary for physical and mental fitness, and Alpha GPC provides the best choline benefits for athletic performance and cognitive function.
- The more specific the lifestyle goal, the more use Alpha GPC will give being the superior product on the market for choline supplements.
Many facets of our brain function, like cognitive ability or memory, that are necessary both for daily tasks and more challenging assignments depend on essential nutrients like choline.
Alpha GPC has gained particular attention among choline supplements and is loudly applauded for its cognitive benefits.
In this article, we will dive deep to see how Alpha GPC compares with other choline supplements and which choice would be the best to make.
What is Choline?
Choline is an organic, water-soluble basic compound important in the synthesis and transport of lipids. It plays a pivotal role in brain function, liver health, and metabolism.
A small portion of choline can be produced in the body naturally, but sufficient amounts can only be obtained through diet or by taking choline supplements.
Choline sources
- Food sources: eggs, beef liver, chicken breast, salmon, soybeans, yogurts, Brussels sprouts, and whole grains.
- Supplement forms: choline bitartrate, phosphatidylcholine, and citicoline (CDP-Choline).
Among choline supplementation forms, choline bitartrate is very famous on the market because it is affordable for users. However, its downside is that it has lower bioavailability for brain function.
While such supplementation as citicoline supports cognitive function, it provides less choline than Alpha GPC.
Phosphatidylcholine is another popular form found in soy lecithin and is known for supporting liver health and cell membrane integrity.
What Is Alpha GPC?
Alpha GPC (L-alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine) is a choline compound that has a very high bioavailability, meaning it will be well absorbed and reach the systemic circulation in the body.
This supplement is able to cross the blood-brain barrier efficiently. It makes Alpha GPC one of the best choices for cognitive and athletic benefits, improving behavioral and biochemical parameters of the body (1).
Cognitive benefits:
- Enhances memory and learning ability while also helping with concentration (2).
- Increases acetylcholine levels that are essential for supporting neurotransmission (3).
- Reduces the risk of cognitive impairment, vascular dementia (4), and other neurodegenerative diseases (5).
Physical benefits:
Key Differences Between Alpha GPC and Choline
Bioavailability & Absorption
Alpha GPC is more bioavailable and easily crosses the blood-brain barrier which makes it more absorbable for the body. In comparison, standard supplements for choline are not as effective in increasing brain choline levels.
Cognitive Performance
Alpha GPC directly supports neurotransmitter production, leading to sharper focus, memory, and learning ability compared to standard choline forms, also reducing the risk of cognitive decline and showing dopaminergic neurons induced (9).
Athletic Performance
Studies show Alpha GPC enhances power output and recovery (10), making it a superior choice for athletes.
Best Form of Choline for the Brain
Due to its high bioavailability and effectiveness in increasing acetylcholine levels, Alpha GPC is the best choice for cognitive enhancement.
Who Should Take Alpha GPC or Choline?
If you’re thinking about taking Alpha GPC, the ideal candidates for Alpha GPC’s given cognitive support can be found among students, professionals, and older adults looking to enhance memory and focus.
In other words, people with more challenging tasks constantly given to their brains are the ones who will benefit the most from Alpha GPC on the cognitive side of the supplement. Standard choline would be less beneficial since it has lower bioavailability for brain function.
Athletes and bodybuilders and those who include a lot of fitness in their lifestyle will also see Alpha GPC as an ideal choice. If you seek improved endurance and strength, Alpha GPC, with its blood-brain crossing capability, lets you absorb most of the necessary compounds.
Although Alpha GPC is undeniably beneficial for general health without the need to achieve specific lifestyle goals, those with choline deficiency can do well with basic forms of choline, like phosphatidylcholine, but more specific goals make Alpha GPC a more suitable choice.
For instance, pregnant women can choose Alpha APC as a maternal choline supplementation to help fetal brain development (11).
Who Should Avoid Choline?
Individuals with trimethylaminuria (TMAU) may experience a fishy body odor when supplementing with choline.
Also, people with mental disorders, especially if they have bipolar depression, should avoid this supplement. It can interfere with mental health in those individuals who have a higher risk of mental disorders (12).
Although it has indicated use for fetal brain development, pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult doctors before taking prenatal choline supplementation.
Those with low blood pressure should consult a doctor since Alpha GPC may lower blood pressure further.
People with gastrointestinal discomfort may experience nausea or diarrhea with high doses.
The general recommendation would be to consult a medical professional in any case and be cautious before using Alpha GPC or any other form of choline if you have any sort of allergies, disorders, or abnormalities in your health, to make sure any of the side effects bypass your well-being.
How to Supplement & Dosage Recommendations
Recommended daily dosages might vary depending on the lifestyle, current health state, or other conditions (e.g. pregnancy) of the user.
The Food and Nutrition Board determined an adequate choline intake to prevent liver damage which is 550 mg daily for men and 425 mg daily for women of ages 19+. For pregnancy and lactation, it is 450 mg and 550 mg daily, respectively (13).
For Alpha GPC, taking 300-600 mg per day for cognitive benefits is a good range to fit in, while athletic performance might require consuming more to feel the benefits, going up to 1,200 mg per day and splitting into several servings to not take the whole amount in one take.
Using Alpha GPC together with choline bitartrate or other choline forms might be beneficial in case of a severe choline deficiency but normally Alpha GPC would be enough since it is a highly bioavailable form of choline that can effectively raise acetylcholine levels in the brain.
There is no determined time for when and how the supplement should be taken, but the good practice is to combine dietary choline intake with meals and water at the same time, giving more focus on taking it pre-workout for athletic performance and in the morning for daily productivity.
Potential Side Effects & Safety Considerations
Possible mild effects may include headaches, nausea, and low blood pressure. If you stay in the range of safe daily dosage, heavier side effects would normally be absent. In case they do occur, you should stop using them immediately and seek medical advice.
Excess choline intake may drive mild effects more extreme and lead to sweating, body odor, dangerously low blood pressure, and dizziness.
Supplements that are high in choline may have negative outcomes when taken together with anticholinergic or blood pressure medications but their usage is not known to interfere with specific foods.
You should always consult a doctor if you are in doubt about your medication and how it will interact with supplements.
Why Alpha GPC is the Superior Choice
Alpha GPC is the superior choline form, compared with choline bitartrate and other choline forms, since its high bioavailability allowing to cross the blood-brain barrier in the body ensures the best absorption and effectiveness:
- Cognitive enhancement: best for focus, memory, and neurotransmitter support.
- Athletic performance: boosts endurance and muscle recovery for better gains.
If you want to find the best Alpha GPC products on the market, why wouldn’t you start with partiQlar’s Alpha GPC partiQlar’s Alpha GP where a highly pure, clinically tested, and optimized for maximum absorption oral choline supplementation is provided without unnecessary fillers or additives?
Conclusion
The choice between Alpha GPC and standard choline supplements depends on the goals for which you need it. The more defined goals require the more superior product, which by far is Alpha GPC.
Its high bioavailability allows good absorption in the brain, making cognitive and physical performance better for those seeking to optimize their mental and physical well-being.
FAQ
What is the best source of Alpha GPC?
Alpha GPC supplements, particularly high-purity options like PartiQlar’s Pure Alpha GPC, provide the most effective dose.
Does Alpha GPC increase GABA?
Not, directly it doesn’t. Alpha GPC primarily boosts acetylcholine, but increased cognitive function may indirectly support the activity of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that serves as the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter (14).
What depletes choline in the body?
Poor diet, alcohol consumption, pregnancy, and high-fat diets can reduce choline levels. Also age is a big factor because the brain takes less of choline circulation with age.
Can you take too much choline?
Yes, you should always stick to the healthy dosage. Excessive intake may cause low blood pressure, sweating, body odor, dizziness, and nausea.
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