Acute Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine Supplementation Enhances Cognitive Performance in Healthy Men

Background: Choline is an essential nutrient required for proper cell functioning. Due to its status as a precursor to acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter connected to cognition and neuromuscular function, maintaining or enhancing choline levels is of interest. Supplementation with alpha-glycerylphosphorycholine (A-GPC) can maintain choline levels, but its ability to offer support towards cognition remains an area of ongoing research. Methods: Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover approach, 20 resistance-trained males (31.3 ± 11.0 years, 178.6 ± 7.3 cm, 84.6 ± 11.4 kg, 15.4 ± 5.6 % fat) consumed either a placebo (PL), 630 mg A-GPC (HD), or 315 mg (LD) A-GPC (GeniusPure™, NNB Nutrition). After resting hemodynamic assessments, participants took their assigned dose and had cognitive assessments (Stroop, N-Back, and Flanker), visual analog scales, and hemodynamics evaluated 60 minutes after ingestion. All participants then warmed-up and completed vertical jumps and bench press throws before completing a bout of lower-body resistance exercise (6 x 10 repetitions using the Smith squat at a load of 70% 1RM). Venous blood was collected 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes after completion of the squat protocol to evaluate changes in growth hormone and follow-up visual analog scales and cognitive measurements were evaluated 30 minutes after completing the exercise bout. Results: When compared to PL, changes in Stroop total score were statistically greater after HD (13.0 ± 8.2 vs. 5.2 ± 9.0, p = 0.013, d = 0.61) and LD (10.8 ± 7.7 vs. 5.2 ± 9.0, p = 0.046, d = 0.48) administration in addition to significantly faster times in completing the Stroop test in the HD group when compared to PL (-0.12 ± 0.09s vs. -0.05 ± 0.09s, p = 0.021, d = 0.56). No significant differences between groups were found for the Flanker and N-Back assessments while a tendency was observed for HD to have faster reaction times when compared to PL during the Flanker test. No groups differences were realized for visual analog scales, physical performance, or growth hormone. Statistically significant changes in heart rate and blood pressure were observed in all groups, with all recorded values aligning within clinically accepted normative values. Conclusions: HD and LD A-GPC supplementation significantly increased cognitive performance in a group of young, healthy males as measured by changes in the Stroop Total Score and completion time of the Stroop test. These results extend the previously published research which indicated that A-GPC can augment cognition in clinical populations to healthy individuals undergoing acute exercise stress.