Alpha Glycerophosphocholine (Alpha-GPC) is a nutrient best known for its benefits to memory and cognitive function. A recent study in young men found that a dose of 1,000 mg boosted growth hormone and fat burning by the liver.
There is an interesting connection between brain health and metabolic drive. While we often think of hormones as the regulators of our metabolism, nerves and the immune system also play vital roles. Nerve activation is essential if your metabolism is to operate in an optimal way. Better memory and cognitive function typically correlate with good metabolism, as healthy nerve function is known to activate numerous metabolic pathways.
Alpha-GPC is a unique form of choline that is exactly what your brain uses for its choline chores, which includes making the neurotransmitter acetyl-choline that is vital for memory and cognition.
One and two hours after the 1,000 mg dose of Alpha-GPC, levels of choline were higher. By the two hour point levels of fatty acids in the blood had risen, and the researchers showed that these came from break down of fat in the liver. This is consistent with choline’s well-known role as a lipotropic nutrient, which means “fat flowing from the liver.” Since many people struggle with fat build up in the liver, Alpha-GPC is likely a helpful tool.
I must point out that if you wish to benefit from such fat release then you need to use your muscles for best results, as then the freed-up fat will be burned by muscles as fuel. If you were to eat more or eat too much food, then the freed-up fat is likely to go back to storage. This means choline is a tool to get fat flowing and it is up to you to then use the fat through activity.
The study also showed that choline had released growth hormone into the blood, as documented by the 1 hour post-intake measurement. This means exercise at this time would be ideal, since the higher levels of growth hormone will help physical fitness and rejuvenation.
This study documents two metabolically helpful anti-aging mechanisms of Alpha-GPC, extending its documented potential benefits.


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