Some Alpha GPC reviews claim that this easily obtainable supplement is a miracle. It can help with bodybuilding muscle gains, increased energy levels, improved cognition, and at higher doses can even be a mild nootropic.
Well, that’s an incredible list of claims for something so basic. So what actually is Alpha GPC, and how does it work in the body to potentially produce these effects?
Although it’s found in natural sources, it’s at higher doses that it does seem to produce a range of Alpha GPC benefits as we have just stated. So let’s take a look at them in detail, and also see if there are any side effects, talk about dosage, and tell you where to buy Alpha GPC.
What Is Alpha GPC?
Alpha GPC (L-alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine) is a choline-containing phospholipid, a molecule that acts as a choline pro-drug. It’s also a precursor to both acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine in the body.
It’s naturally occurring, but not produced in the human body. Its’ present in eggs, some red meats, and other organ tissues, but it’s actually quite rare to ingest from natural sources. The highest natural concentration in foods appears to be beef liver, which has a concentration of 78 mg per 100 grams of mass.
So most Alpha GPC out there is actually synthetically made, hence why people buy Alpha GPC supplements. Synthetically, it’s made from egg or soy.
How Does Alpha GPC Work?
Alpha GPC works by rapidly crossing the blood-brain barrier and delivering a significant increase in levels of choline into the brain and body.
So Alpha GPC helps to:
- Increase levels of choline in the body (blood and brain)
- Is a precursor to both acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine
- Can increase dopamine and serotonin levels
At the heart of how Alpha GPC can increase cognitive functions, it increases levels of acetylcholine, which can improve several key aspects of our learning abilities.
Interestingly, it’s successfully been used the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as by people recovering from strokes, and helping to stall the onset of effects of dementia.
Alpha GPC Benefits Explained
The key potential Alpha GPC benefits you can experience over time include
- Improved brain health
- Better cognitive performance
- Improved muscle availability, maintenance, and growth
- Improved energy levels
- Better mood and motivation
In addition to all that, there is evidence that Alpha GPC helps to increase the production of HGH (the human growth hormone). When combined with increased exercise levels, which you will achieve through better motivation and mood alongside your muscles being sparked into action more easily, you really can increase muscle gains above natural levels.
Cognitively, Alpha GPC can improve your memory retention and recall, your focus, attention span and speed of thought. That’s exactly why it’s used by so many people as a nootropic, both on its own, and stacking Alpha GPC alongside other nootropics.
In fact, many people stack Alpha GPC because it introduces choline rapidly into the body. Many nootropics use up the body’s natural supply of choline rapidly, which gives headaches and a diminished performance the day after taking them. Alpha GPC can introduce choline, and have its own smart drug benefits, making it perfect to stack.
Alpha GPC Dosage
To get this fantastic range of potential Alpha GPC benefits, what sort of dosage should you be taking?
Well, this is where things become problematic. There have been no clinical studies that have ever been completed into the cognitive benefits of Alpha GPC in healthy humans.
Studies have been conducted into the treatment of Alzheimer’s using Alpha GPC, which have shown an improvement in the condition, but at a high dose. In the studies I’ve seen, you are talking about the dose of around 1200-1500 mg per day.
Other studies have shown a dose of around 600 mg per day, while the average supplement consists of a dose of around 200-400 mg per capsule.
For me, I’d just start with a single capsule per day, around 300 mg. But anything up to 600 mg per day seems to be completely safe, so you could double up on capsules after a few weeks if you want to.
Alpha GPC Side Effects
So do all these fantastic benefits come at a price of negative side effects? Well, within the normal dosage range the evidence is that there are very few side effects. Long-term, no negative side effects have yet been recorded.
However, at higher doses, some people do report nausea, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, and minor skin rashes. But in the studies on humans, only around 1% of people experienced the side effects, and that was in the Alzheimer’s trials where they were taking doses of up to 1500 mg every day, for months on end.
Alpha GPC has no effects on sleep patterns, this was definitely proven in human trials, as well as in a multitude of animal trials. So you can take it as a supplement and suffer no ill effects from sleep either.
But it’s best used as a supplement taken in the morning, every day, to elevate levels of acetylcholine in your body.
CDP Choline Vs Alpha GPC
One thing to make clear here is that you shouldn’t get confused between the different types of choline, known as cholinergic supplements. Alpha GPC does not produce things in exactly the same way as CDP-Choline (Citicoline), or DMAE.
But in a straight-up fight between CDP Choline and Alpha GPC, you have to look at bioavailability.
CDP Choline contains 18% choline and doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier effectively. Alpha GPC contains a 40% choline and crosses the blood-brain barrier with ease.
However, that’s not the whole story. CDP Choline also contains Cytidine, a precursor to nucleotide uridine. This is a key element of neural connectivity, helping us to think faster. So in terms of nootropic effects, it’s not just about the choline levels.
But if you’re looking to just benefit from the best supplement to cross the blood-brain barrier with as much choline as possible, then Alpha GPC is definitely the better choice.
Using Alpha GPC For Bodybuilding
The key reason why some people are looking to get Alpha GPC bodybuilding benefits is the fact that it produces acetylcholine in greater quantities.
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that motor neurons in the central nervous system use to influence muscle use and power output. In the brain, the same chemical can help with motivation, alongside Alpha GPC allowing a slight increase in the production of serotonin and dopamine, the reward chemical.
So you can see exactly why some people use a good quality Alpha GPC supplement for bodybuilding. It appears that physically and mentally, Alpha GPC benefits can really help people looking to improve their physique.
Evidence is not clear on the effects of Alpha GPC on bodybuilding, but one study in a US college was done with a daily dose of 600 mg for six weeks. After just six days, improvements were seen in baseline strength. However, we just don’t know how much of that was just natural strength and stamina gains from the increased exercise levels.
Where To Buy Alpha GPC Supplements
Alpha GPC is actually a problematic supplement to buy. If you want to experience Alpha GPC benefits, then you need high-quality Alpha GPC that is 100% available, so that it can release up to 40% choline through the blood-brain barrier.
However, what many Alpha GPC reviews don’t mention is that it breaks down rapidly when it comes into contact with oxygen.
In fact, Alpha GPC degrades at such a rate when oxygenated that within a few hours it can be completely destroyed. So you have to make sure that you buy properly constructed capsules, and that you store the product in an airtight container after you’ve bought it.
One of the few places I’ve found in the USA that sells guaranteed quality Alpha GPC is Absorb Health. The first thing I want to point out is that the latest certificate of analysis from an independent lab is always published on the product page. That way you know that you are getting pure Alpha GPC.
For just $19.99 (current price, it’s usually $25.99), you will get 50g of Alpha GPC powder.
So there you go, Alpha GPC reviews are accurate, it can help with bodybuilding, cognitive benefits, and as long as you know where to buy Alpha GPC that is pure quality and well stored, you can benefit from long-term gains at a very reasonable price.
