Sarcosine
Is Sarcosine A Viable Nootropic?
Recently I have come across a few nootropic supplements containing Sarcosine in their formulas. Being honest., I have never head of it before, and always looking to learn, I started to research it, just to see if it really was worth taking in your nootropic stack.
Contents
What Is Sarcosine
Sarcosine is a metabolite of Glycine, it shares similar properties with both Glycine and D-serine, although its effects do appear to be weaker.
How Does Sarcosine Work
It works in the body by inhibiting GlyT1, a transporter that takes both Glycine and D-serine into the cells. This process increases the levels of D-serine and Glysine in the body, increasing their effects
Also Known As
It can appear on supplement labels as Methylglycine or N-methylglycine.
Uses Of Sarcosine
Sarcosine is sometimes used to treat depression and schizophrenia, it is generally absorbed better in the body than D-serine, a more common treatment for these two health issues.
It is also thought to have cognitive promoting effects, although tests have only been carried out on rodents under laboratory conditions with limited results.
Increased levels in the body can also be indicative of the presence of prostate cancer, but it is not linked to any particular stage of the disease.
Safe Doses
The std dose of Sarcosine is in the region of 30mg per kg of bodyweight, as an example a man weighing between 150-200lbs would take between 2045-2727mg per day.
Risks Of Taking Sarcosine
It is still not clear if taking it is harmful, but there are some thoughts that it could act as a co-carginogen –
This means that while it does not cause cancer itself, it could have the potential to increase the effects of other cancer causing compounds
To Sum Up
There are a lot of unknowns surrounding Sarcosine, yes it has its benefits, especially with anybody suffering from depression.
However as a viable nootropic ingredient, its benefits and effects are still untested and to be frank – unknown.
Personally I wouldn’t take anything with Sarcosine until more testing has been carried out.
