What is Alpha GPC
Alpha GPC is a water-soluble choline compound. Choline is important to growth and early development, and beyond those stages, it is important to optimal functioning of our brain and liver. The composition is similar to that of B-vitamins.
There is not much yet known about choline, but it is known to work in conjunction with methionine, an amino acid, and folate. Our bodies will make choline naturally, but it is recommended we get some choline through outside sources, be it from food or supplements.
In most countries, this is a non-prescription drug. There have been extensive studies on brain development and how choline affects this. Studies on fetal rats whose mothers did not get sufficient choline in their diets have revealed that there is a direct connection to memory development. Much research until recent years has been focused on fetal development.
Only recently have studies been conducted regarding how choline may well play a definitive part in thwarting cognitive decline as associated with memory loss as we age.
Benefits of Alpha GPC
Alpha GPC is phospholipid, and this directly impacts development of cell membranes in the cerebral cortex. The cerbral cortex is very important to cognitive function in humans and other mammals as it comprises the outer layer of neural tissues surrounding the cerebrum. This is also the very important area of the brain that is referred to as “gray matter.”
This area is home to most all information processing, and is the most highly developed area of the brain. This cerebral cortex determines personality, intelligence, motor function, touch, organization, planning and touch.
For all of the reasons just mentioned, Alpha GPC has benefits related to increasing memory, attention span, focus, mental energy and our capacity to learn new things. Alpha GPC works to increase brain activity of acetylcholine neurotransmission. It has great “bioavailability,” and perhaps greater than taking a choline supplement, as it is easily absorbed into the blood. This is important as it this makes Alpha GPC fast-acting and potent.
Possible Side Effects Of Alpha GPC
Studies on side effects have revealed few, if any, when Alpha GPC is taken at the recommended dosage amounts. Most side effects of using Alpha GPC are usually mild and do not pose any life-threatening problems. Some things to look for should a person feel they might be having an allergic reaction, or experience a side effect, are heartburn, headaches, fatigue, nervousness, skin rash and insomnia.
Reports of side effects have been reported generally when recommended dosage amounts are exceeded. If any of these possible side effects should appear, it is recommended to reduce your dosage of Alpha GPC. Try that for a short period as a means to determine if your side effects subside, or if they disappear completely. If, however, you are not seeing a noticeable improvement after reducing dosage amounts, it might be necessary to stop taking the supplement completely.
There have more serious side effects reported in a few cases. Some people reported experiencing dizziness and confusion. When taking this supplement, should you experience those more serious side effects, to discontinue taking it and immediately consult a physician.
Research on Alpha GPC
In recent years, studies of how Alpha GPC can help treat cognitive disorders, like stroke and Alzheimers, have been on the rise. There are many reports that Alpha GPC can also promote overall neuron function. Other studies indicate that taking Alpha GPC can help to repair damaged cells. For this reason, some studies have been undertaken to try to figure out what impact Alpha GPC might have on stemming the proliferation of cancer.
There are indicators that it also might help to avoid developing cancer. Little is known about cancer, and we all know there is no cure, but along this highway to learning more about this daunting foe, anything that might help avoid its development, or spread, is worth taking a second look at, especially when side effects are largely non-existent.
Other studies indicate that Alpha GPC will increase the development of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). The pituitary glands seem to work in conjunction with Alpha GPC to increase the amount of HGH produced and released.
This is welcome news to bodybuilders in particular who no longer have to wait for muscles to repair before working that muscle again. It decreases recovery time because it increases muscle tissue reparation. In the fitness community, Alpha GPC gets a lot of attention for this reason.
Long Term Benefits
The increase of acetylcholine synthesis is critical to memory formation as well as several other cognitive processes. Alpha GPC increases synthesis of acetylcholine, which will cause your brain to increase the speed at which synapses occur. This serves to increase the speed at which many thought processes are carried out.
Essentially the long term benefit of increasing the number of neurological connections, and the speed at which they occur, can generally make you smarter. The speed at which a person processes information is the basis for the development of greater intelligence quotient(IQ) levels. The 3 legs of this brain stool are inspection time, reaction time and evoked potentials.
It all comes down to how quickly your brain can process information, and whatever a person can do to this end, the greater their level of intelligence will be. Alpha GPC can help increase the speed at which we process information in the long-term.
Short Term Benefits
Alpha GPC has benefits for bodybuilding. It has a few benefits that go a long way to create muscle growth. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is one of the primary drivers of muscle growth. The job of HGH is tissue repair. When a person lifts weights, they are essentially tearing the to help it grow. The fast this tear is repaired by the body, the less time a bodybuilder has to take before they can work that muscle again.
In general, bodybuilders work body parts relative to whether the exertion is pushing or pulling. Muscles are worked in logical groups, like chest and triceps, which involve pushing. That muscle group is then rested for 4 days as they complete the cycle of working all muscles of the body. There is normally one day of rest and then, on the 6th day, chest and triceps can be worked again. If a bodybuilder can avoid resting a body part for 6 days, and perhaps cut that to 3 days, this allows for much faster development, and increases the creation of greater strength by 100%. This is one of the greatest, and proven, short-term benefits of Alpha GPC.
What Will I Feel Like if I Take Alpha GPC?
Most people report greater mental clarity, enhanced memory and the ability to learn new things increases. It is generally held that 90% of the population does not get recommended daily allowance of choline through dietary sources. This basically means almost every person you pass on the street is likely a candidate who could benefit from using Alpha GPC. With 90% of the population not getting enough choline, it is easy to understand why cognitive disorders, and largely those that occur with the onset of age, are on the rise.
Taking Alpha GPC makes you feel clearer, and better able to remember information. Your brain stores memories and information, and the greater neurotransmission rate, the better we can recall those details. This is largely what is reported by those who are taking Alpha GPC. It helps people regain a sense of well-being they had previously just assumed they had to give up their rights to with the onset of old age.
How Will This Affect my Appetite?
There is not much research indicating appetite will be affected at all. In the unlikely event you experience some of the side effects, like dizziness or headaches, a byproduct of this will likely be appetite reduction. Side effects, with proper dosing, are hardly reported at all. The important point is to figure out how your appropriate dosage, and this will likely help avoid any side effects.
Alpha GPC Dosages
There are, as of yet, few guidelines relative to what dosage of Alpha GPC is best. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not provided usage guidelines, nor have other health organizations. There are thousands upon thousands of people using this product, however. More to this point, there seems to be a collective dosage rule-of-thumb rising up out of this community. Users who have provided reviews seem to indicate an appropriate dosage range is between 400mg to 1200mg per day.
These numbers are the byproduct of a collective building of consensus. Each person should attempt to start at the low range, and see how things go. In the event that you are tolerating Alpha GPC well, slowly increasing dosage to find out what works best for you is the most beneficial way to get maximum benefits. This consensus-building model might be best as it is happening organically. People are able to tell each other what their experience has been, and we are learning from each other how best to use this powerful supplement.
Alpha GPC User Reviews
The preponderance of reviews are excellent. Users report increased clarity, awareness, no longer feeling cloudy thought processes, an increased ability to quickly recall information and they feel better than they have in years. Bodybuilders are particularly fond of this as they can work our harder, and longer, than they were able to before taking Alpha GPC. Muscles repair much faster, so reparation resting periods are reduced.
Those that give it lower ratings represent less than 15% of the reviews. Some of these people reported headaches, and others reported negligible results. There were some reviews where it seemed somewhat obvious they were designed to drive market share to competitive products. There were few concrete, definitive complaints, however. As previously stated, dosing guidelines are not available so users have to take their time and find the right dosage for them. That being said, negative reviews are likely due to overzealous dosing, or not taking the time to raise dosages to reap benefits.
My Personal Experience While Taking Alpha GPC
I was really starting to feel that my memory was not what it could be. I was forgetting simple things, and was really getting frustrated with this. All of my life I have been a fast learner, and could easily pick up new ideas, information and learn new things pretty quickly. I found that with the passage of time, what I took for granted was starting to fade away. I was not feeling quite so sharp any longer. Some people lament the onset of wrinkles, or muscle atrophy, but I am a lifelong learner and was not going to just let my mind slip away!
I was talking with a friend who told me about Alpha GPC. After doing much research, I decided to try it. Within a week of starting to take the recommended daily dosage, I noticed a marked difference in my memory. All research on Alpha GPC seems to reflect that, although may not be able to reverse severe cognitive loss, it can certainly help those of us who are not diagnosed with such conditions regain some of our mental sharpness and memory. I found that my memory got much, much better.
I was actually starting to feel like I did a decade ago, able to readily recall details, facts and where I left my car keys! My experience has overall been very positive, and I could easily recommend this to others.
Final Thoughts about Alpha GPC
Our busy lives have taken us away from prudent balancing of our nutritional intake. Furthermore few people know exactly what that should look like. We are bombarded with contraindications and the messages of capitalistic profiteers. Sorting through the myriad of information is cumbersome at best. Having said that, a supplement that will help us more quickly discern the information we are being given will help us more quickly process, and hopefully better decision-making will be a natural result.
For this reason, anything that helps us to this end, especially something like Alpha GPC which carries few side effects, should be at least tried to test efficacy. There is no reason anyone should settle for a reduced processing ability when there is something relatively innocuous on the market that can help.
