Phosphatidylserine for Cognitive Function
Phosphatidylserine shows only weak, inconsistent support for cognitive function: the encouraging older trials used a bovine-brain form that is no longer sold, while modern soy-derived supplements perform less convincingly, with any benefit largely confined to people who start with poorer memory.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
The grade is weak (Tier C) because the most positive human data come from 1990s trials of bovine-cortex phosphatidylserine — Crook 1991 (PMID 2027477, n=149) and Cenacchi 1993 (PMID 8323999, n=494) — which reported memory and cognitive improvements in older adults but used a brain-derived form that was later discontinued over BSE/prion concerns. That evidence does not automatically transfer to the soy-derived product sold today.
Trials of the modern formulation are less convincing. A 2010 soybean-PS RCT (PMID 21103034, n=78) found no overall benefit, with improvement limited to a low-baseline-memory subgroup, and was industry-funded. A 2025 RCT in Chinese adults with mild cognitive impairment (PMID 39317299, n=190) did report gains on a few cognitive subscores, but effects were small and a 2022 meta-analysis judged the overall memory benefit too modest to be clinically meaningful.
Authorities reinforce the cautious read: the US FDA permits only a qualified health claim that carries a mandatory disclaimer calling the supporting science very limited and preliminary, and EFSA rejected the cognitive claim outright. Combined with heavy reliance on industry-funded subgroup findings, this supports a weak, published-with-warning verdict rather than a clear endorsement.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.515
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 無高階證據可裁決
- tier_strict_requirement_check — Tier 條件達標，未降階
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 0 個 hard + 1 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status