Seriphos, a phosphorylated serine supplement that I rate highly and have personally used with success, is not available right now. I’ve had a number of people reaching out frantically asking for help:
What do I use instead of Seriphos to help lower high cortisol that is affecting my sleep and making me anxious at night?
It’s my top product for addressing high cortisol at night and I’ve been recommending it for years for this purpose (as did one of my mentors, Julia Ross). It’s extremely effective when used a few hours before high cortisol (as measured on a salivary cortisol test). It also starts to work within about a week for most individuals.
Unfortunately Seriphos has been unavailable for a number of months. The company has no information on when it will be available again but have assured me via email that the formulation will be the same. This is really good news after a previous debacle when the formulation changed in 2016/2017.
Until then, there are some other options that may be an effective alternative. And even if you still have some Seriphos in your calming/sleep stash I encourage you to pay attention as it’s important to have a backup plan for situations like this!
Read on below for information on phosphatidylserine, the cortisol/stress research and how it compares to phosphorylated serine; which phosphatidylserine products to consider instead of Seriphos; other options for lowering high cortisol levels (such as Cortisol Manager, Relora® lactium and bergamot); the amino acid theanine for neurotransmitter support and high cortisol; and additional resources when you are new to amino acids.
What is phosphatidylserine and how does it compare to phosphorylated serine?
From this 2023 paper, Phosphatidylserine: An overview on functionality, processing techniques, patents, and prospects
Phosphatidylserine is the part of cell structure in the body and has many beneficial functions especially in brain-related aging diseases.
Supplementation has been reported to show improved memory and cognition (including ADHD and Alzheimer’ s disease), and also better exercise performance. The research also shows benefits when it comes to lowering cortisol levels and feeling less stressed:
- One study reported 300 mg/day for 1 month was “associated with feeling less stressed and having better mood in a sub-group of healthy young males.”
- And another study using a moderate dose of 600 mg/day promoted “a desired hormonal balance for athletes by blunting increases in cortisol levels”, suggesting that phosphatidylserine “partly counteracts the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamopituitary-adrenal axis.”
- One additional study reported that 800 mg/day for 10 days lowered “plasma cortisol concentrations in healthy inactive males”
As you can see the range of doses varies (which makes sense since we are all unique) but it has been established as a “safe oral supplement capable of attenuating the serum cortisol and creatine kinase responses to acute exercise stress.”
“Lower daily doses (<500 mg/day) for longer duration” are recommended for ongoing cognitive benefits. One study reported improvements in “behavioral and cognitive functions in a group of geriatric patients with cognitive impairment” who used 300 mg/day for 6 months.
Seriphos is unique in that it is a phosphorylated serine product – this is where the magic happens when it comes to lowering cortisol so well. It is similar to phosphatidylserine but as far as I am aware, there is no actual research on phosphorylated serine. They quote studies on phosphatidylserine on their site.
Which phosphatidylserine products to consider instead of Seriphos?
Here are two excellent professional grade phosphatidylserine products to consider. It may be a matter of trial and error to find what works well for your needs, plus adjusting the dose up as necessary.
- Designs for Health PS 150 – Phosphatidylserine 150 mg: non-soy, sunflower sourced phosphatidyl serine with one capsule providing 150mg, so using a higher dose may be more effective:
- Feedback from a colleague: “We have equally good results with phosphatidyl serine, but the dose usually needs to be in the 300-500mg range, to equate to what 1 or 2 Seriphos capsules could do.”
- Feedback from another colleague: “We started using PS150 from DFH and love it.” He often uses this in conjunction with another Designs for Health product called Catecholacalm.
- Designs for Health Phosphatidylserine Powder 200mg: One quarter teaspoon provides 200mg phosphatidylserine in a powder form.
- This one is made from soy (GMO-free) but may be easier to use to get higher doses. Per their site the powder is an “excellent delivery system for children and the elderly who may have difficulty swallowing capsules; it has virtually no taste and will dissolve into applesauce or any food.”
Other options for lowering high cortisol levels: Cortisol Manager, Relora® lactium and bergamot
- Cortisol Manager by Integrative Therapeutics – 2 capsules contain a proprietary blend of: ashwagandha (Sensoril®), L-Theanine, plus a blend of Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis) and 100mg of phosphatidylserine (soy free). I have seen mixed results with this product:
- A colleague shared this: “Cortisol Manager can be dosed up to 2-3 tablets per day and used with or without additional phosphatidyl serine which can easily go as high as 600 mg.” He has seen salivary cortisol levels shift with this approach and shared: “Interestingly, I never saw those changes with Seriphos despite being a heavy user between 2009 and 2011 so I thought it was just hype.”
- Feedback from someone on my blog: “Cortisol Manager was too stimulating with the Ashwagandha”
- Feedback from a practitioner who first used Cortisol Manager personally and then switched to Seriphos at my recommendation: “Cortisol Manager did nothing for me. I dosed it high enough and took it for a month – but I felt nothing. Seriphos, on the other hand, worked the same night, within an hour or two.”
- Relora®, a proprietary blend of Magnolia officinalis bark extract and Phellodendron amurense bark extract
- This 2013 study, Effect of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense (Relora®) on cortisol and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects, found that after 4 weeks of supplementation (500 mg /day, with 250 mg at breakfast and 250mg at dinner) these were the results seen in the Relora® group (compared to the placebo group):
- salivary cortisol exposure was significantly lower (18%)
- lower overall stress (11%)
- lower tension (13%)
- less depression (20%)
- less anger (42%)
- less fatigue (31%),
- less confusion (27%)
- and significantly better mood state parameters (11%) and vigor (18%)
- This 2013 study, Effect of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense (Relora®) on cortisol and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects, found that after 4 weeks of supplementation (500 mg /day, with 250 mg at breakfast and 250mg at dinner) these were the results seen in the Relora® group (compared to the placebo group):
- Biotics Research De-stress, contains Lactium®, also known as hydrolyzed casein.
- I have used this product with clients with good results and based on the research it lowers high cortisol. It’s also calming because it works on the GABAA receptor.
- You’ll also see Lactium® referred to as alpha-s1 casein hydrolysate, hydrolyzed casein concentrate, and tryptic hydrolysate from bovine milk alphaS1-casein. More on this blog
- There is very promising research on essential oils lowering cortisol levels – such as bergamot. In this blog I share an animal study that shows very promising results: Acute effects of bergamot oil on anxiety-related behaviour and corticosterone level in rats
both bergamot essential oil and diazepam exhibited anxiolytic-like behaviours and attenuated HPA axis activity by reducing the corticosterone response to stress
The amino acid theanine for neurotransmitter support and high cortisol
Theanine is a calming amino acid that supports low GABA, low serotonin and low dopamine, and has been shown to help with stress levels when salivary cortisol is high.
A 2021 study, A Randomized, Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study to Investigate the Efficacy of a Single Dose of AlphaWave® l-Theanine on Stress in a Healthy Adult Population, 200 mg of AlphaWave® l-Theanine was shown reduce “salivary cortisol in healthy, moderately stressed adults” and increase frontal region alpha wave activity.This was “indicative of relaxation in the brain and suggest a calming response.”
The authors conclude as follows:
Four weeks of supplementation with 200 mg of l-theanine has been shown to improve trait anxiety scores, suggesting that continued supplementation with AlphaWave® l-Theanine may have positive effects on trait anxiety as well, which may be an important application in longer-term stress management.
As you may already know, I am a proponent of long-term stress management with individual amino acids such as GABA, theanine and tryptophan/5-HTP. And the more I learn about the benefits and mechanisms of theanine the more excited I get!
Additional resources when you are new to using theanine, GABA or other amino acids as supplements
We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low GABA (indicating a possible need for GABA or theanine) or low serotonin (indicating a need for tryptophan or 5-HTP) or low endorphins (indicating a possible need for DPA) or low dopamine (a need for tyrosine) other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues. The importance of quality animal protein and healthy fats is also covered.
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. We’ll be launching a budget-friendly homestudy version in a few weeks – sign up for the wait list here (the live version with Q&A is offered only a few times a year). The amino acids GABA and theanine are covered.
If you also need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program is a good place to get help. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
Now I’d love to hear from you …
Have you used Seriphos with success in the past for lowering high cortisol and helping with sleep and middle of the night surges or adrenalin-type anxiety and panic?
Have you had success with any of the Designs For Health or other phosphatidylserine products? How much did you need to use to get results?
What about Cortisol Manager, essential oils, Relora or lactium? Or something else?
Do you also use theanine with success? And if yes, how much helps you?
Feel free to post your questions here too.
