AKA: Choline, Phospholipids, Phosphatidyl Serine
The Mythology: Make you pump long-time!
The Truth: Use lecithin instead of expensive branded choline salts. Yes improves endurance, well being and a host of other things.
Research: There is evidence that Choline in the form of lecithin could be useful for endurance activities and long training sessions if ingested. The market appears to be flooded with a number of Choline salts, some more exotic sounding than others. However its critical to remember that plain old lecithin touted by Schwarzenegger back in the olden days of steroid enhanced bodybuilding, fares better in studies than its new fangled cousins. Studies show lecithin is 12 times more effective than inorganic choline salts at raising human blood choline levels after 24 hours. 1 The oral ingestion of inorganic choline salts (e.g. choline chloride, choline citrate, choline bitartrate) leads to losses of approximately 60% of the available choline, through conversion to trimethylamine by intestinal bacteria. Also, athletes taking doses in the range of 1.0 – 8.0 g in the form of Choline Citrate do not seem to benefit from Choline ingestion. It appears that the studies in which phospholipids have been found to have no effect on sports performance were the studies in which choline salts rather than lecithin was used. Furthermore lecithin contains both the phospholipids implicated as having ergogenic potential – Phosphatidylcholine and Phosphatidylserine. Bodybuilders would do well to use inexpensive Lecithin rather than other expensive choline salts.
Specifically with reference to a weight training, a 1998 study at California State University found that weightlifters found reduced muscle soreness and increased well-being after a weight programme that was designed to overtrain them.
Lecithin apparently has the ability to postpone fatigue, improve endurance, speed recovery, offset the psychological and physiological effects of overtraining and produce a general feeling of well-being.
References
1) Lancet. 1977 Jul 9;2(8028):68-9. Lecithin consumption raises serum-free-choline levels. Wurtman RJ, Hirsch MJ, Growdon JH.
2) Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000 Jun;10(2):170-81. The effects of choline supplementation on physical performance. Warber JP, Patton JF, Tharion WJ, Zeisel SH, Mello RP, Kemnitz CP, Lieberman HR.
3) J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007 Jul 25;4:5. Phospholipids and sports performance. Jäger R, Purpura M, Kingsley M.
Adverse effects: Relatively safe, however there have been reports of nausea, anorexia, abdominal upset, increased salivation and hepatitis
How it works: Muscle contractions are induced by signals carried along cholinergic nerves to the muscle fiber. Acetylcholine, the signaling molecule or neurotransmitter, is synthesized from choline. The concentration of free choline can influence the rates in which acetylcholine is synthesized and released. Consequently, a reduction in free choline during intense physical activity might reduce acetylcholine release and thereby affect endurance and performance. Choline supplementation is believed to replenish free choline stores, thus improving endurance and delaying fatigue. Phosphatidylserine is believed to lower cortisol levels, thus improving mental fatigue and deterioration in performance with prolonged workouts.
