Study of promising Alzheimer's marker in blood prompts warning about brain-boosting supplements (Serine supplements like Phosphatidylserine or L-serine may hurt patients—patients strangely appear to make more, already)

Medical Xpress / University of California - San Diego / Cell Metabolism ^ | May 3, 2022 | Sheng Zhong et al

[ConservativeMind]

Elevated levels of an enzyme called PHGDH in the blood of older adults could be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease, and a study provides new evidence to support this claim. In analyzing brain tissue, researchers observed a trend consistent with their previous findings in blood samples: expression levels of the gene coding for PHGDH were consistently higher in adults with different stages of Alzheimer's disease, even the early stages before cognitive symptoms manifested.

The findings also prompt caution against the use of dietary supplements that contain the amino acid serine as a remedy for Alzheimer's disease. Because PHGDH is a key enzyme in the production of serine, the increased PHGDH expression found in Alzheimer's patients suggests that the rate of serine production in the brain is also increased, and thus, taking additional serine may not be beneficial, the researchers warned.

The new study builds on earlier work by Zhong. The researchers had analyzed blood samples of older adults and found a steep increase in PHGDH gene expression in Alzheimer's patients, as well as in healthy individuals approximately two years before they were diagnosed with the disease.

The results showed a consistent increase in PHGDH expression among Alzheimer's patients and asymptomatic individuals in all four cohorts compared to the healthy controls. Moreover, expression levels were higher the more advanced the disease. This trend was also observed in two different mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.

The findings come with implications for serine supplements, which are advertised to improve memory and cognitive function. The key player responsible for making serine in the body is PHGDH. Some researchers have proposed that PHGDH expression is reduced in Alzheimer's disease, and that boosting serine intake could help with treatment and prevention.

[ConservativeMind]

I believe it helps younger persons, but this is an interesting finding.

We currently take a Phosphatidylserine supplement, which we may now stop using.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Gen.Blather]

There was a health article in one of my history texts the title of which was something like, “It was all fun and games until his jaw fell off.” Until sometime in the late 1930’s it was felt that adding radium to products and food would have amazing healt benefits. (Pictured was an ad for radium enhanced toothpaste.) One of the early uber-rich was a health nut and he overdid the radium. He developed bone cancer and, apparently, one day his jaw came apart.

My mother pointed out how frequently government health data contradicted itself. This was in the early 60’s. She ticked off eggs good for you, eggs bad for you, bacon good, bacon bad, saturated fats good/bad...she kept going for a fairly long run. She was correct. Government data has been moist defecation forever.

[Cold Heart]

Right now I am in the bacon good fad.

[PGalt]

Thanks for posting. Health/life BUMP!

[sauropod]

.

[Faith65]

Thanks.
BKMK

[KittyKares]

I thought Phosphatidylserine was good for the brain, too. I took it at one time, but stopped long ago

[ckilmer]

I take Phosphatidylcholine but I think that’s a slightly different molecule.

[ckilmer]

I have been taking l serine because it converts to glycine for glutathione production.
Maybe now I’ll just switch to glycine.