Herb & supplement monograph

Phosphatidylserine Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Phosphatidylserine interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Phosphatidylserine is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Phosphatidylserine is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Phosphatidylserine Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Phosphatidylserine drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and every one of them rests on theoretical reasoning rather than documented effects in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The two groups worth knowing about are anticholinergic drugs and cholinergic drugs. Phosphatidylserine is thought to raise levels of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger in the body. In theory, that could make anticholinergic medicines work less well, or add to the effects of cholinergic medicines. Neither effect has been confirmed in human studies, so these are cautions rather than proven problems.

What the rest of the list means

The long list of interacting medications can look worrying, but it comes down to those two broad medication classes, which together include a large number of individual drugs. All of the concern is based on how phosphatidylserine might work in theory, not on reports of actual harm in people. That does not rule out an effect, but it does mean most people taking these medicines are unlikely to notice a meaningful change.

Check your medications against Phosphatidylserine

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Phosphatidylserine interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Phosphatidylserine

219 medications have a known interaction with Phosphatidylserine, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Phosphatidylserine using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Phosphatidylserine interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Phosphatidylserine combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Phosphatidylserine affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Phosphatidylserine is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 2 drug categories Phosphatidylserine interacts with

Anticholinergic DrugsCholinergic Drugs

Anticholinergic Drugs

Theoretically, phosphatidylserine might decrease the effectiveness anticholinergic drugs.
Phosphatidylserine is thought to increase acetylcholine levels, which could theoretically interfere with the activity of anticholinergic agents.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Cholinergic Drugs

Theoretically, phosphatidylserine might have additive effects with cholinergic drugs.
Phosphatidylserine is thought to increase acetylcholine levels, which could theoretically lead to additive cholinergic effects when used with cholinergic drugs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Monograph

Phosphatidylserine: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Phosphatidylserine is a natural fat-like compound found in cell membranes, especially in the brain, and it is sold mainly to support memory and thinking. Some research suggests possible benefits for age-related memory problems, but the evidence is limited and far from conclusive. It is generally well tolerated, but check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Part used: Phospholipid derived from soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin, or (historically) bovine brain
Common forms: Capsules, softgels, tablets, powders

People commonly use it for

Memory and cognitive support
Age-related cognitive decline
Attention and focus (ADHD)
Mental performance under stress
Exercise recovery

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated in studies, but long-term safety is not fully established.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Phosphatidylserine is a type of fat called a phospholipid. It is a normal building block of the membranes that surround every cell in your body, and it is especially concentrated in brain cells. Your body makes its own phosphatidylserine, and you also get small amounts from foods.

As a supplement, phosphatidylserine is usually made from soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin. In the past it was made from cow (bovine) brain tissue, but plant-based sources are now standard because of safety concerns about animal-brain products.

People most often take phosphatidylserine hoping to support memory, focus, and overall brain health, particularly as they get older.

How it works

Phosphatidylserine sits in the membranes of cells, where it helps keep the membrane flexible and supports cell signaling. In the brain, healthy membranes are important for how nerve cells communicate and release chemical messengers (neurotransmitters).

Researchers think that adding more phosphatidylserine may help support these membrane functions and possibly affect chemicals involved in memory. It has also been studied for its possible effect on cortisol, a stress hormone.

It is important to know that much of this understanding comes from laboratory and animal research, and it is not certain that taking a supplement produces meaningful effects in the human brain.

Effectiveness

Does Phosphatidylserine work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 11 uses evaluated

2 Possibly effective 9 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Age-related cognitive decline