Phosphatidylserine
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Phosphatidylserine is a dietary supplement with 12 published peer-reviewed studies involving 781 participants, researched for Cognitive Enhancement & Memory (Adults & Elderly), Stress & Cortisol Response, ADHD & Attention in Children and 1 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Cognitive Enhancement & Memory (Adults & Elderly)
StrongStress & Cortisol Response
ModerateADHD & Attention in Children
StrongCognitive Function & ADHD
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Cognitive Enhancement & Memory (Adults & Elderly)
To investigate whether phosphatidylserine (PS) improves memory and cognitive functioning in elderly individuals with age-associated memory impairment.
Study Type
Double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate whether phosphatidylserine (PS) improves memory and cognitive functioning in elderly individuals with age-associated memory impairment.
Dose
100 mg three times daily (300 mg/day) of bovine-cortex PS
Participants
149 adults with age-associated memory impairment
Duration
12 weeks
Results
PS treatment produced significantly improved performance on tasks of daily life requiring learning and remembering names, faces, telephone numbers, and paragraph information. The PS group improved relative to baseline on all cognitive tasks.
How They Measured It
Buschke Selective Reminding Test, Paired Associates Learning, Digit Span, Name-Face Acquisition
To investigate whether soy-derived phosphatidylserine (Soy-PS) improves cognitive functions in elderly Japanese subjects with memory complaints.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate whether soy-derived phosphatidylserine (Soy-PS) improves cognitive functions in elderly Japanese subjects with memory complaints.
Dose
300 mg/day soy-derived PS
Participants
78 elderly Japanese subjects with memory complaints
Duration
6 months
Results
Soy-derived PS significantly improved memory function, particularly delayed verbal recall, compared to placebo. The PS group showed significant improvements in memory quotient scores on the WMS-R.
How They Measured It
MMSE, Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised (WMS-R), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale–cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog)
To evaluate the efficacy of phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 fatty acids (PS-DHA) on memory and cognitive functions in non-demented elderly with memory complaints.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy of phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 fatty acids (PS-DHA) on memory and cognitive functions in non-demented elderly with memory complaints.
Dose
300 mg/day PS-DHA
Participants
157 non-demented elderly adults
Duration
15 weeks
Results
PS-DHA improved immediate verbal recall memory scores significantly compared to placebo. Subgroup analysis showed the most pronounced benefit in subjects with less severe memory impairment.
How They Measured It
RBANS (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status), CGIC
To investigate the effects of a PS-containing food supplement on cognitive function in older Chinese adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of a PS-containing food supplement on cognitive function in older Chinese adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Dose
200 mg/day phosphatidylserine with α-linolenic acid
Participants
102 older Chinese adults with mild cognitive impairment
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Phosphatidylserine significantly improved short-term memory and overall cognitive function compared to placebo. Mediation analysis suggested that serum ALA levels may mediate improvements in short-term memory.
How They Measured It
MoCA, MMSE, ADAS-cog, serum α-Linolenic acid (ALA)
Stress & Cortisol Response
To investigate whether chronic phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation blunts the stress-induced activation of the HPA axis in healthy men.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover
Purpose
To investigate whether chronic phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation blunts the stress-induced activation of the HPA axis in healthy men.
Dose
800 mg/day of PS
Participants
9 healthy male subjects
Duration
10 days
Results
PS 800 mg/day for 10 days significantly blunted the ACTH and cortisol responses to physical exercise (p=0.003 and p=0.03 respectively) without affecting GH and PRL.
How They Measured It
ACTH and cortisol plasma levels in response to physical stress
To investigate the effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderate intensity exercise, including cortisol and testosterone.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover
Purpose
To investigate the effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderate intensity exercise, including cortisol and testosterone.
Dose
600 mg/day soy-derived PS
Participants
14 male recreational athletes
Duration
10 days
Results
PS supplementation significantly blunted cortisol response to exercise (p<0.05) and improved the testosterone:cortisol ratio, promoting a more favourable anabolic hormonal environment. PS may help combat exercise-induced physiological stress.
How They Measured It
Cortisol, ACTH, growth hormone, testosterone, lactate levels
To investigate whether phosphatidylserine supplementation influences mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate whether phosphatidylserine supplementation influences mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor.
Dose
300 mg/day PS over 2 weeks before acute stress induction
Participants
18 healthy adults
Duration
2 weeks
Results
PS supplementation significantly improved mood and blunted cortisol response to acute psychological stress compared to placebo. PS-treated subjects reported feeling less stressed and showed more positive affect.
How They Measured It
Profile of Mood States (POMS), heart rate, saliva cortisol
ADHD & Attention in Children
To investigate whether soy-derived phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation improves ADHD symptoms and memory in children.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate whether soy-derived phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation improves ADHD symptoms and memory in children.
Dose
200 mg/day of soy-derived PS
Participants
36 children aged 4-14 years with ADHD not previously treated
Duration
2 months
Results
PS significantly improved attention, short-term auditory memory, and self-control in children with ADHD compared to placebo. Mean ADHD score improved significantly in the PS group.
How They Measured It
Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS), ADHD Rating Scale, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
To examine if phosphatidylserine combined with omega-3 fatty acids (PS-Omega3) reduces ADHD symptoms in children.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To examine if phosphatidylserine combined with omega-3 fatty acids (PS-Omega3) reduces ADHD symptoms in children.
Dose
300 mg/day PS combined with omega-3 fatty acids
Participants
200 children aged 6-13 years with ADHD
Duration
15 weeks (double-blind), then 15 weeks open-label
Results
PS-Omega3 significantly reduced restlessness/impulsivity subscale scores. Subgroup analysis showed pronounced benefit in children with more severe hyperactive/impulsive behaviour. Effect was maintained during open-label extension.
How They Measured It
Conners' Rating Scale–Parent (CRS-P), Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ)
To evaluate the evidence for phosphatidylserine in treating paediatric ADHD.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To evaluate the evidence for phosphatidylserine in treating paediatric ADHD.
Dose
200-300 mg/day PS
Participants
Meta-analysis of RCTs in children aged ≤18 years with ADHD
Duration
Various
Results
Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant effect of 200-300 mg/day phosphatidylserine on symptoms of inattention relative to placebo (ES 0.36; 95% CI: 0.07-0.64; p=0.01). PS appears to be a beneficial adjunct for ADHD inattention symptoms.
How They Measured It
Inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity scores across RCTs
Cognitive Function & ADHD
To evaluate sunflower phosphatidylserine supplementation on cognitive function in healthy children.
Study Type
Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose
To evaluate sunflower phosphatidylserine supplementation on cognitive function in healthy children.
Dose
200 mg sunflower-derived phosphatidylserine daily
Participants
Healthy children aged 8-12 years
Duration
3 months
Results
Sunflower phosphatidylserine supplementation significantly improved memory, attention, and processing speed in healthy school-age children.
How They Measured It
Cognitive assessments (memory, attention, processing speed), ADHD symptom scales
To evaluate phosphatidylserine enriched with PUFA n-3 for ADHD in children with epilepsy.
Study Type
Randomized, Multicenter Controlled Trial
Purpose
To evaluate phosphatidylserine enriched with PUFA n-3 for ADHD in children with epilepsy.
Dose
300 mg PS-DHA daily
Participants
Children and adolescents with ADHD and epilepsy
Duration
3 months
Results
PS-DHA supplementation significantly reduced ADHD symptoms and improved cognitive function in children with epilepsy and ADHD.
How They Measured It
ADHD-RS-IV scores, Conners' Rating Scales, cognitive assessments, seizure frequency
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Phosphatidylserine research
There are currently 12 peer-reviewed studies on Phosphatidylserine (Phosphatidylserine), involving 781 total participants. Research covers Cognitive function, Memory enhancement, Stress & cortisol and 1 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (11 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Phosphatidylserine has been researched for: Cognitive function, Memory enhancement, Stress & cortisol, ADHD & attention. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 11 out of 12 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
