Study: MemreePlus PS Can Reduce the Stress Response

08 Aug 2014 --- A new study confirms that supplementation with MemreePlus, Lonza’s proprietary blend of soy-based phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidic acid (PA), can decrease the stress response in chronically stressed male adults. The findings were published in “Lipids in Health and Disease” and can be found here: http://www.lipidworld.com/content/13/1/121/abstracti.

Seventy-five (75) healthy male adults were enrolled in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, stratified by chronic stress level, and randomly allocated to one of three study arms. After six weeks of supplementation, participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). This test is a combination of a job interview style presentation followed by a math challenge, designed to provoke a certain stress response. Stress biomarkers were assessed before and at certain time intervals after the TSST. Compared to placebo, supplementation with a daily dose of MemreePlus providing 400 mg PS and 400 mg PA, was effective in normalizing the ACTH (p = 0.010), salivary (p = 0.043) and serum cortisol responses (p = 0.035) to the TSST in chronically high but not in low stressed subjects (all p > 0.05).

Chronic mental stress can lead to adverse physiological and psychological outcomes. Physiological outcomes are typically related to a dysregulation of the stress hormone cortisol. In acutely stressful situations, cortisol helps increase glucose availability, blood pressure and mental performance. Over time, however, chronically high levels of cortisol can lead to impaired glucose tolerance, increased risk for weight gain, decreased immune responses and memory impairment.

“This new study further validates the use of MemreePlus to help with stress reduction,” says Matthias Rüsing, PhD, Global Product Manager for the Memree product line at Lonza. “This is in addition to evidence from 2004, when a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that three weeks of supplementation with a  MemreePlus supplement can significantly decrease levels of cortisol and distress after a stress test, as compared to placeboii.”

References:
i Hellhammer J, Vogt D, Franz N, Freitas U, Rutenberg D (2014). The soy-based phosphatidylserine/phosphatidic acid complex MemreePlus normalizes the stress reactivity of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axisin chronically stressed male subjects: A randomized, placebo-controlled study. Lipids Health Dis 13:121
ii Hellhammer J, Fries E, Buss C, Engert V, Tuch A, Rutenberg D, Hellhammer D. (2004). Effects of soy lecithinphosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex (PAS) on the endocrine and psychological responses tomental stress. Stress. 7(2):119-126