The role and effects of phosphatidic acid (PA) in sports supplements

1. What is it?
   

Phosphatidic acid is a type of phospholipid that makes up a small portion of the phospholipid pool in the body. Phospholipids are a class of lipids (fat) that make up the main component of cell membranes. Their structure usually consists of 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group.

Phosphatidic acid is a lipid messenger that has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis by signaling the mammalian target of rapamycin…also known as the mTOR pathway.

2. What does it do?

1.Activation of mTOR signaling

Phosphatidic acid has been shown to enhance mTOR signaling in the body. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway includes intracellular and extracellular signaling and acts as a central regulator of cellular metabolism, growth, reproduction, and survival. The mTOR pathway has been the focus of sports supplements due to its involvement in muscle hypertrophy. Studies have shown that muscle hypertrophy induced by mechanical loading, that is, building muscle through resistance training, is entirely dependent on mTOR signaling within skeletal muscle.

2.increase muscle growth

As we just mentioned, muscle hypertrophy or muscle growth is basically regulated by the mTOR pathway. Phosphatidic acid has been shown to increase activation of the mTOR pathway. Additionally, studies have shown that phosphatidic acid supplementation actually resulted in a 2.6% increase in lean body mass (LBM) during just 8 weeks of resistance training. Compared to the placebo group, LBM increased by only 0.1% over the same 8 weeks.

3.reduce protein breakdown

The exact mechanism at work here is still somewhat unknown, but the theory is pretty straightforward. Increased activation of the mTOR pathway due to phosphatidic acid supplementation. The body enters a state where protein synthesis is upregulated. This appears to occur regardless of whether the subject is in a caloric deficit or excess, so the theory suggests that in caloric deficits, phosphatidic acid supplementation would have enormous benefits to help prevent protein breakdown and muscle mass from overtraining break down. As mentioned, this has not been studied, but research suggests that benefits exist given the mechanism of action of phosphatidic acid.

4.increase muscle strength

So far, we've discussed effects you may not necessarily feel or notice when using phosphatidic acid. Over an 8-week period, subjects taking phosphatidic acid increased their 1RM squat by 12.7%, compared with a 9.3% increase in the placebo group. The same was true for the 1RM bench press, with a 5.1% increase in the phosphatidic acid group compared to a 3.3% increase in the placebo group. Increased mTOR activation increases protein synthesis and enhances the natural effects of resistance training, suggesting that phosphatidic acid does have a physical effect on strength and strength.

3. How many doses should be taken?

You need 750 mg of phosphatidic acid per day, it's that simple. All studies used a daily dose of 750 mg of phosphatidic acid, which was consistent throughout the study period. When you're looking at phosphatidic acid supplements, it's important to make sure you're getting the full 750 mg of active phosphatidic acid.

Some companies may show a product with 1,500 mg of phosphatidic acid (yielding 50% of the active ingredient), which will give you the 750 mg you need. On the other hand, you would have the company claim that their product contains 750 mg of phosphatidic acid (yielding 50% of the active ingredient), which only gives you 375 mg of active phosphatidic acid per serving.

4. When should it be taken?

Although the dose of phosphatidic acid was not controlled during the study period. It seems that most supplements containing phosphatidic acid are recommended to be taken in the morning or before a workout.

Our advice is to keep your phosphatidic acid supplements as consistent as possible. Think of it as another creatine type supplement. Consistent daily dosing always yields the best results. Taking phosphatidic acid every morning, along with some food that aids absorption, will help keep your intake consistent.

5. How long does it take to take effect?

All studies on phosphatidic acid were conducted over an 8-week period. That's not to say you need to wait 8 weeks to see any benefits, but the results do show that consistent consumption produces the best results.

You will not see any benefit after a single dose of phosphatidic acid. We recommend that after approximately 3-4 weeks of continued phosphatidic acid supplementation along with a structured resistance training program, you can expect to see physical results.

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