Again, let me point out you you Babychris, that TAU + HupA + Fish Oil does not equal UMP + GPC + DHA. The only acceptable substitute in this stack is to switch out Uridine Monophosphate and Alpha-GPC for Triacetyluridine and CDP-Choline. The High DHA Fish Oil is paramount, and normal Fish Oil contains lower amounts of DHA and higher amounts of EPA. The basic reasoning behind these supplements is to increase the amount of protein and membrane synthesis in the brain. This is not one of those stacks that you can substitute the elements and expect the same response, especially with a chemical that disrupts the choline pathways in the way that Huperzine A does.
To clarify, as someone pointed out that I might not have explained what I mean about disrupting the pathways. I know this is likely to be overlooked as people don't read the whole thread before purchasing, and are always trying to cut corners, but here goes:
Huperzine A is an Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. As such, it inhibits the enzyme which breaks down acetylcholine, and thus increases the amount of Ach in the brain. This can lead to some good effects, but it does nothing about the amount of choline in the brain.
Alpha-GPC and CDP-Choline provide the body with increased amounts of choline. In addition to then combining with Acetyl-CoA to become Acetylcholine, this can also be used in the brain to create Phosphatidylcholine and other such cell membrane components. Uridine is a part of this mechanism, but free Uridine does not cross the blood-brain barrier. CDP-Choline creates free Citidine Diphosphate, which can then be converted into Uridine when crossing the Blood Brain Barrier, but Uridine Monophosphate is preferred since it is supplementing this directly. Triacetyluridine is acceptable, and has a better chance of getting across the BBB, but adds another step to the process (must be de-acetylated first).
Dicosahexaeonic acid combines with Choline in this system of brain to form Phosphatidylcholine, and a particularly powerful form of it as the fatty acid portion of PC can be one of a few different fatty acids, DHA providing possibly the best for neurons.
This is why Huperzine A is not an acceptable substitute for the choline supplements in Happy's Stack: It doesn't do a thing for actual levels of available choline in the brain. You CAN get a lower level of the stack to work with just pure DHA plus CDP-Choline, due to the conversion into Uridine, but it is not as efficient and only adds another rate limiting step to overcome.
So the best form of this stack is UMP + CDP-Choline + High DHA Fish Oil. The DHA, The Choline, and The Uridine Monophosphate. No substitutions allowed unless they're REALLY close in effect, and even then it will make the stack much less powerful.
And given the length of time it will take for neurogenesis to take place, I think it goes without saying that you have to wait a few weeks before this stack's true character begins to show itself. Don't take it once and then give up, give it time.
Edited by Jeoshua, 12 April 2014 - 04:10 AM.
LongeCity
