This study examined the effects of oral intake of Glycerophosphocholine (α-GPC) on stress response and cognitive function in e-sports. α-GPC is a precursor of acetylcholine and is sometimes used to treat Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, but its potential effects in e-sports have not been investigated. In this study, 21 participants from university e-sports clubs and other groups were given α-GPC for 2 weeks. We measured their stress responses induced by e-sports and their performance in cognitive tasks. The results showed that the placebo increased the rate of increase in salivary amylase after e-sports, but α-GPC significantly decreased this increase. It also suppressed the increase in heart rate after e-sports. Furthermore, 1g of α-GPC significantly increased the rate of correct responses in a 3-back task, a cognitive task involving working memory, after ingestion. These results suggest that 2-week intake of α-GPC may enhance cognitive function and contribute to stress reduction and suppression of autonomic nervous system disturbances caused by e-sports. Further study is needed to determine the minimum effective intake period of the supplement.
Kamioka et al. (Wed,) studied this question.