Alpha-GPC

“Yeah, as a milder alternative to nicotine. One advantage of alpha GPC is if you're going to work out late in the day and you need to sleep a few hours later, it does have a sort of quote-unquote stimulant effect, but it actually can increase the amount of REM sleep you get as opposed to mess with your sleep like a lot of stimulants.”

“mainly did it on caffeine. I think, you know, alpha GPC cognizant as well, acetylcholine. Like I think I get on really well with that. I find it's a nicer focus, not just kind of getting all jittery tyrosine, L-Tyrosine as a precursor to dopamine, Huperzine , and the cholinergic pathway.”

“So, for instance, alpha-GPC, which is essentially a choline donor, acts in the pathways related to the neuromodulator acetylcholine and can enhance focus. So, at dosages of anywhere from 300 to 600 milligrams, people experience heightened levels of focus for sake of mental work or physical work.”

“or physical work. The half-life of alpha-GPC is about four to six hours, so it's relatively short-lasting, although you wouldn't necessarily want to take it right before bed. I don't recommend that.”

“So, for instance, 300 milligrams to 600 milligrams of alpha GPC taken alone will allow people to be more focused, but doesn't tend to make people feel jittery or overstimulated. Similarly,”

“Then you decide to combine them. What people tend to experience is that the cholinergic stimulation from alpha GPC and the dopaminergic stimulation from L-tyrosine, or simply L-tyrosine alone, or alpha-GPC alone, leads to increased levels of focus without the kind of overall feelings of stimulant-based alertness that one would experience with caffeine.”

“that combine all three of these things together: caffeine, alpha GPC, and L-tyrosine. And while I'm not suggesting that's a good or a bad thing, I would suggest that anytime you start to explore the cognitive enhancing effects and the focus-enhancing effects of any supplement, that you ask which ones are stimulants.”

“So, for instance, caffeine and alpha-uhimbine, which ones tend to tap more into neuromodulator systems like alpha-GPC and L-tyrosine, and to separate those out conceptually, because whereas things like Alpha yohimbine and caffeine will mostly serve the role of increasing levels of”

“Again, individual ingredients are going to be the way to go in terms of figuring out what's best for you. I will routinely take 300 milligrams of alpha GPC prior to some cognitive work or prior to a workout. I do often combine that with some caffeine, not in capsule or pill form, but rather in the form of a cup of coffee or Yerba Mate.”

“You're just kind of dialed in and focused. That and alpha GPC. If I take that combination, I am just dialed in and just swimming. Every single stroke, I'm just there, like going, good, high elbow, good.”

“Are you like constantly filling up in that stuff? Are you like replenishing your stock as you're swimming? Yeah, alpha GPC, you, I know Huberman talks about you have to cycle that, so that I will. But certainly with caffeine, Cognizin, I'll be having that pretty much on most swims. Alpha GPC, you have to cycle in terms of like how often can you take it?”

“Do you ever take acetylcholine by itself? No, so that's the neuroscope. Or alpha GPC. Do you ever take that? Yeah, alpha GPC. Yeah, there you go. So it's a patented branded form of acetycholine, a natural brain nutrient and nootropic ingredient used in dietary supplements, energy drinks, and functional beverages.”

“But the Zynamite stuff was the active version of that previous, it's like Cognizin. Cognizin is an activated alpha GPC. Alpha GPC is like the classic version of that Cognizin, which is what we've got half a gram up in there. Is that similar? Ever since I got into like the energy drinks in different businesses, I do, I basically do fat electrician”

“more acutely increase acetylcholine. And indeed, I use these myself. The most effective one I've found is alpha GPC. Alpha GPC consumed at dosages of 300 milligrams to 600 milligrams prior to a workbout or prior to a workout greatly increase one's ability to focus and concentrate.”

“At least that's been my experience. And there are some good data in humans. Now, a number of people have contacted me about a recent study suggesting that alpha GPC, when taken chronically over many years, could increase one's vulnerability to stroke.”

“And one known way to offset increases in TMAO that are associated either with alpha GPC or increases due to other things. So ingestion of particular food compounds actually can increase TMAO, is to offset that by taking 600 milligrams of garlic.”

“Now, I've been taking alpha GPC pretty consistently for a number of years. I do not take it every day. I would say I take it about four days per week, again, prior to workouts or bouts of cognitive work. I have not seen my TMAO spike, and I've evaluated that by way of blood tests.”

“capsule of garlic anytime I take alpha GPC, which again for me is about four days per week. So, if one wants to increase the amount of dopamine transmission in the brain and body for sake of increasing concentration and focus, one of the most efficient ways to do that is by ingestion of the amino acid L-tyrosine.”

“Oh, I do. I always get asked, what should I take? I talk about alpha-GPC, L-tyrosine. I talk about theanine. I talk about theanine's use with low-dose caffeine for enhanced test switching, which is a very interesting literature.”

“world consumes caffeine every day. So that's a foregone conclusion that they're already taking it. I am a big fan of alpha GPC. I am. 600 milligrams or 900 milligrams of it. It increases choline, which increases acetylcholine. Oh, I feel like acetylcholine in the cupboard.”

“There are very, very few things that can increase focus and energy that don't damage your sleep. But even better, alpha GPC gives you more REM sleep. Nobody wants to hear this, but it's absolutely true. But the other thing, the important caveat is that it can increase something called TMAO, which can increase cardiovascular risk.”

“We said omega-3. We said vitamin D. And then I said alpha GPC would be my preferable thing to nicotine or prescription stimulants. But caffeine is great. Great data on caffeine.”

“motivation. And again, it's fast acting. So my particular protocol, the one I use, is I'll take phenylethylamine at dosages of about 300 to 600 milligrams along with some L-tyrosine, or I'll take it on its own with a molecule or I should say a compound that we'll talk about a little bit later as it relates to acetylcholine, alpha GPC.”

“Some people take it and feel absolutely terrible, but some people do use them as cognitive enhancers. Supplements that I have used and do use for increasing acetylcholine are things like alpha-GPC or huprazine. Alpha-GPC is in the choline pathway such that more acetylcholine is synthesized after you ingest it.”

“It's very inexpensive. So my suggestion would be just to be on the safe side. If you're going to take Alpha-GPC pretty regularly, and you didn't mention how often you're doing these workouts late in the day, I don't know if this is five days a week, or if this is three days a week, I would say anytime you're going to take Alpha-GPC, you should take 600 milligrams of garlic along with it.”

“that you need to get a really terrific workout in. And that doesn't require taking anything. And if you happen to take Alpha-GPC too, now you're doubling up these tools, right? So when I say we vastly underestimate, you know, most people just kind of go into the gym, they're looking at their phone. So if you can afford to,”

“I recommend make your workouts for you, pour everything you can, hand into them mentally and physically. Maybe use Alpha-GPC once, maybe twice, maybe three times a week, offset that TMAO effect. And then there's another piece to this, which is how can you ensure that you get the best possible sleep coming off a workout, regardless of what you took, okay?”

“and others who are working out late in the day, if you do these things, right? Sometimes alpha GPC, sometimes no. Get your head straight before you go in the gym so you can really focus. That's the main one, I have to say. You know, I was recently down in Spain working out with six-time Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates.”

“Very hard to increase REM except by heating your sleep environment in the last third of your night. And maybe some alpha-GPC in the late day can bump it up a bit. Or you can REM deprive yourself. Or you can smoke cannabis for 10 years then quit and then you'll get a lot of REM because you got no REM for 10 years. Do not recommend that protocol.”