Get More Out of Fish Oil with Uridine
We know that fish oil is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids which can protect your brain, but did you know that pairing fish oil with Uridine can also increase the amount of acetylcholine in your brain by 30%?
We could all use more acetylcholine because it is a neurotransmitter which signals within the brain in areas, like the hippocampus, which control learning and memory. The body can synthesize acetylcholine from dietary choline, but it also uses a cycle called the Kennedy Cycle which utilizes Uridine (a nucleotide necessary for the Kennedy cycle) to make more phosphatidylcholine.
When DHA from fish oil is taken with Uridine, the levels of phosphatidylcholine in the brain increase by 30%! Increasing the amount of phosphatidylcholine means that your neurons can synthesize more acetylcholine which can boost your cognition.
Cholinergic Pathway and Uridine Benefits
Phosphatidylcholine, the final step in the Kennedy Cycle, serves as a direct substrate for neurons in the cholinergic pathway to synthesize acetylcholine. Uridine, found in cell organelles and plasma, acts as a precursor to citicoline (CDP choline), initiating the Kennedy Cycle. When the final step occurs, the phosphatidylcholine is formed, and acetylcholine can be synthesized from phosphatidylcholine as a substrate. Are you still with us? Adding Uridine to fish oil offers notable benefits, though the concept may seem complex at first glance.
Uridine, when taken alone, aids in creating phospholipid precursors for cell membranes and forming synapses between neurons, boosting anti-inflammatory activity. Uridine is present in organ meats, cruciferous vegetables, and in small amounts in breast milk and fermented beer. Your body begins to synthesize Uridine on its own in your liver after you no longer consume your mother’s milk. Other dietary sources include fish, baker’s yeast, brewer’s yeast, mushrooms, broccoli, oats, Chinese cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, parley and tomatoes.
These foods, rich in RNA, are good sources of Uridine as it’s a building block found in RNA.
Uridine strengthens cell membranes, enhancing cell function and resistance. Its crucial role includes forming new synapses between neurons. Uridine, choline, and DHA in the brain all work together to encourage new neurons and synapses to form.
If you’re already taking Uridine, try pairing it with fish oil to get amazing benefits. With a low side effect profile, capsules containing it are easily accessible for supplementation.
