Phosphatidylserine is in sports nutrition products

Phosphatidylserine (PS), has emerged as a crucial functional ingredient in sports nutrition for enhancing training efficacy and optimizing athletic performance. Its roles span the entire exercise cycle—from pre-exercise functional reserve to mid-exercise energy metabolism regulation and post-exercise recovery—analyzed in the following dimensions:

I. Central Fatigue Inhibition and Neural Conduction Optimization

1. Delaying Exercise-Induced Central Fatigue

As a key component of neuronal cell membranes, phosphatidylserine delays central nervous system fatigue during exercise by stabilizing synaptic membrane structures and maintaining normal neurotransmitter (e.g., dopamine, norepinephrine) release. Studies show that endurance athletes supplementing with PS experience reduced subjective fatigue perception, extending time to exhaustion by 10%–15%, particularly pronounced in high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Mechanistically, PS inhibits excessive cortisol (stress hormone) secretion during exercise, reducing its suppressive effect on the central nervous system. For example, in resistance training, PS-supplemented subjects exhibit a ~20% lower serum cortisol peak than controls, maintaining prolonged neuromuscular excitability.

2. Improving Motor Control Precision

For skill-based sports (e.g., basketball, gymnastics), PS enhances movement coordination and reaction speed by boosting interneuronal signal transmission efficiency. Experiments show that professional athletes after 8 weeks of PS supplementation improve hand-eye coordination test scores by 12% and accelerate nerve conduction velocity by ~8%, attributed to PS-promoted axonal membrane fluidity and optimized ion channel function.

II. Energy Metabolism Regulation and Muscle Function Enhancement

1. Optimizing Carbohydrate-Fat Energy Partitioning

PS regulates mitochondrial membrane permeability, promoting fatty acid entry into mitochondria for β-oxidation, thus increasing fat contribution and saving muscle glycogen during endurance exercise. Research in marathon runners shows PS supplementation elevates fat energy supply by 18% and reduces muscle glycogen consumption rate by 15%, helping delay the "wall" phenomenon.

Concurrently, PS activates the AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) pathway, promoting glucose transporter (GLUT4) migration to the cell membrane, enhancing muscle glucose uptake—particularly accelerating muscle glycogen resynthesis during post-exercise recovery.

2. Mitigating Muscle Damage and Inflammation

High-intensity exercise-induced muscle microdamage triggers inflammatory factor (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α) release. PS reduces post-exercise muscle soreness by inhibiting neutrophil activation and oxygen free radical production. Resistance training subjects supplementing with PS show a 30% lower serum creatine kinase (CK) level, 40% lower muscle pain score, and 1–2 days shorter recovery time than controls.

III. Comprehensive Roles in Post-Exercise Recovery and Antifatigue

1. Accelerating Hormone Balance and Electrolyte Homeostasis

PS promotes aldosterone and cortisol synthesis in adrenal cortical cells, regulating post-exercise water-salt metabolism and reducing muscle cramp risk. In hot environment exercise, PS-supplemented subjects increase urine output by 15% and reduce electrolyte (Na⁺, K⁺) loss, maintaining internal environment stability.

Additionally, PS enhances the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress adaptability, alleviating post-exercise fatigue accumulation to sustain training quality in consecutive sessions.

2. Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Mechanisms

Exercise-generated free radicals damage muscle cell membranes and mitochondria. As a membrane phospholipid component, PS directly scavenges free radicals and synergizes with antioxidants like vitamin E to enhance cellular antioxidant capacity. Experiments show PS-supplemented athletes have 25% lower serum malondialdehyde (MDA, oxidative stress marker) levels and 18% higher glutathione (GSH) activity, significantly reducing cell damage.

IV. Application Scenarios and Dosage Optimization

1. Targeted Supplementation for Different Sports Types

Endurance sports (long-distance running, cycling): 200–300 mg PS daily, taken 30 minutes pre-exercise to optimize fat energy supply;

Strength & power sports (weightlifting, sprinting): 300–400 mg daily with carbohydrate supplementation to enhance neuromuscular recruitment efficiency;

High-intensity interval training (CrossFit, basketball): Split dosing (150 mg pre-exercise + 150 mg post-exercise) to more effectively inhibit fatigue accumulation.

2. Synergistic Effects with Other Ingredients

With creatine: PS improves membrane function while creatine boosts ATP reserve, increasing strength training repetition counts by 10%–15%;

With BCAA complex: PS reduces central fatigue, BCAA inhibits muscle protein breakdown—suitable for post-endurance recovery, further reducing muscle soreness scores by 15%;

With coenzyme Q10: Enhances mitochondrial function, increasing VO₂max by ~5% in aerobic exercise to delay fatigue.

V. Safety and Cutting-Edge Developments

Safety: Naturally present in soybeans, egg yolks, etc., PS shows no significant side effects at daily doses ≤600 mg. Pregnant/lactating women are advised to consult physicians before use;

Technological innovation: Nano-emulsified PS (e.g., microencapsulation) improves intestinal absorption efficiency, with bioavailability 2–3 times higher than regular PS, now applied in sports drinks and energy bars;

Personalized nutrition trend: Customized PS supplementation based on athlete gene polymorphisms (e.g., COMT gene variants affecting dopamine metabolism) further optimizes individual responses (~30% subjects are more PS-sensitive).

With advancing sports nutrition research, PS is evolving from an "antifatigue ingredient" to a "full-cycle athletic performance optimizer." Its multiple values in enhancing training efficiency, extending sports career, and preventing exercise injuries make it an emerging nutritional choice for professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts.