Depending on whom you ask, lecithin has two definitions. First, it refers to commercial lecithin, such as lecithin supplements, that come either from soybeans or egg yolk. Second, lecithin is a term used synonymously with phosphatidyl choline (PC), a phospholipid that is found in the cells of all living organisms, plant and animals alike.
As a phospholipid, lecithin or phosphatidyl choline composes one of the 10 main types of lipids in cell membranes, including cholesterol, glycolipids, spingomyelin, phosphatidylethnolamine, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl glycerol, diphosphatidyl glycerol (cardiolipin), and phosphatidic acid. Phospholipids have hydrophobic tails, which means they continually push away from the watery areas surrounding the cell and maintaining the fatty cholesterol, which gives rigidity to the cell membrane. This function of lecithin is often termed as its “emulsifying action,” and one of the main uses of commercial lecithin is actually as an emulsifying agent used to keep butter, margarine, chocolate bars, etc.
However, when talking about lecithin supplements, what people generally refer to is phosphatidyl choline, or more specifically its purified form, which is choline, a B-vitamin and an essential nutrient.
There is much health benefit attributed to both phosphatidyl choline and choline found in lecithin supplements. The compound has been associated with treatments for a variety of diseases from lowering high blood cholesterol, to reducing heart attacks and stroke, atherosclerosis, dispelling symptoms of cirrhosis of the liver and gall stones, and improving memory loss. Lecithin supplements are even currently marketed as aids to weight loss.
However, it should be noted that phosphatidyl choline itself is not an essential nutrient. Our bodies already have it and can produce more of it should the need arise. Choline, on the other hand, can only be derived from the foods we eat. A deficiency in this compound could lead to various debilitating diseases, not least of which is cirrhosis of the liver. The good thing about it is that phosphatidyl choline is normally synthesized by the body to form choline, so taking in lots of lecithin supplements containing a high percentage of the compound could help boost your supply of choline and overcome a potential deficiency.
Lecithin supplements are one of the few emulsifiers approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as GRAS or Generally Recommended as Safe for consumer use. There are no Recommonded Dietary Allowances for lecithin supplements; however some scientists do recommend an Adequate Intake for choline. For men, 550 mg is often recommended as adequate for daily use while for women, 425 mg is needed.
Both choline and lecithin supplements are available in the market. However, if you want the most effective way to elevate your choline levels, the intake of lecithin supplements is often recommended. Anyway, your body will just synthesize the phosphatidyl choline into choline for use. Another reason that choline supplementation is sometimes discouraged is that taking large amounts of choline supplements has been known to produce a fish-like smell in the user.
Taking lecithin supplements with meals is the best way for your body to absorb the nutrients. Consider sprinkling lecithin supplements in granular form unto your food.
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Lecithin Sources
... beneficial to your health. Each tablespoon (roughly worth 7.5 grams) of lecithin granules contains about 1700 mg of phosphatidylcholine, 2,200 mg of essential fatty acids like linoleic acid and 1000 mg of phosphatidylinositol, all of which contribute to just how good lecithin is. And yet as good as lecithin is made out to be, a lot of people do not consume adequate amounts of the compound. While a deficiency in lecithin does not seem to have any adverse effects on people, a deficiency in choline, a component of lecithin, however, can lead to serious illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. The reason for the reduced Lecithin Supplements consumption of lecithin may have something to do with the lecithin sources themselves. Before World War II, people were in the habit of eating large amounts of organ meats, red meats, whole eggs, whole milk with cream, dairy cream, and liver, all of which are excellent lecithin sources. But what makes these foods such excellent lecithin sources also make people turn away from them. That's because...
Lecithin Weight Loss
... in digestion. It is critical for the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine and serves as a major route for eliminating cholesterol. The presence of lecithin in bile is primarily to keep the fatty acids from mixing with other organic molecules also found in bile, such as bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, and bilirubin. By acting as an emulsifying agent, lecithin ensures that bile does all its functions smoothly. Lecithin, the Aid to Fat-Burning Another function of lecithin is to help burn fat. When you eat fatty foods, the fat gets deposited in the liver, which will then break it down so the body can use it as a source of energy. If the fats are not properly broken down, they will accumulate and can become rancid producing free radicals that damage liver cells. Lecithin in liver cells helps facilitate proper functioning of the liver, particularly in fat metabolism. In addition, lecithin helps keep fats in liquid form. That way, they...
Lecithin Supplement
... in foods that we eat, including soybeans, egg yolk, wheat germ, grape seed, and virtually every plant and animal. The compound acts as an emulsifier, maintaining the fats in bile and easing digestion to help the body better absorb valuable nutrients. However, when scientists speak of lecithin, they generally mean the compound element phosphatidyl choline or PC. Phosphatidyl Lecithin Supplements choline is s vital component in the formation of cell membranes and cell walls, which play a role in facilitating the movement of fluids in and out of the cell. Professor and chair of the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. says that lecithin also helps to maintain the structural integrity of cells. He explains, "Without lecithin, nothing would survive,...
What is Lecithin
... other related science, lecithin is a synonym for phosphatidyl choline. It is the main lipid component in biological membranes, like our cell membranes or cell walls of Lecithin Supplements plants. On the other hand, commercial lecithin is actually a natural mixture of neutral and polar lipids, including glycolipids, triglycerides, sterols, and small quantities of fatty acids, carbohydrates, and sphingolipids. The polar lipid Phosphatidyl choline is present in commercial lecithin in concentrations of 20 to 90%. Where does lecithin come from? After asking what is lecithin, you want to know where it is found. Lecithin that contains phosphatidyl choline is produced mainly from vegetable sources, although it may also be found in animal and microbial sources. Majority of commercial lecithins sold in the market today come from soybean (mostly), sunflower, and grape seed. When talking about plant lecithins, the most common source is soybean. When Maurice Gobley, the French scientist discoverer of lecithin, found lecithin in egg yolk in 1950, egg yolk was the sole source of lecithin used by the...
Health Lecithin
... phosphatidylcholine (PC), a phospholipid component found in every living cell of the body, whether that body is plant or animal in origin. Scientists say that the health lecithin functions encompass everything that pertains to life, e.g., breathing, metabolism, energy production and transport, and nerve function. Many studies have shown the health lecithin benefits include the following: * Improve memory * Normalize reproductive health * Lower risks of cancer * Increase physical performance * And enhance liver and heart health. However, these health lecithin benefits are but the tip of the iceberg. As more and more researchers are focusing much of their time and energy Lecithin Supplements on investigating the compound, more and more of the health lecithin benefits may be uncovered. Where Lecithin Comes From Lecithin is found in many of the foods we have for our daily diet. However, if you want foods that are rich in lecithin, then turn no further from those same foods that are high in...
Lecithin Side Effects
... proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, lecithin is actually not an essential nutrient. Well, yes, it does do wonders for the body, but a deficiency in lecithin won't make life bad for you. Besides, it is not like you are going to run out of lecithin anytime soon. You can always get your supply of lecithin from the foods that you eat, like eggs (yolks), soybeans, sunflower, grape seed, wheat germ, to name a few. Lecithin has been the subject of various extensive research studies, particularly concerning its role in degenerative diseases. Because of its being a major component in the structure of myelin sheath and nerve cells, Lecithin Supplements scientists believe that lecithin side effects include a possible cure for conditions involving cognition or those that affect the mental processes used to acquire, maintain, retrieve, and utilize information. One example is...
Soy Lecithin Allergens
... and protect liver cells from the ravages of oxidation. Other studies also showed that choline may play a significant role in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. This led others to believe that lecithin may help improve the cognitive functions of the brain, even going so far as to help enhance our memories. But while there are quite a number of studies that seem to show evidence of the benefits of lecithin, there is little in the way to show a real connection between improved conditions and the taking of lecithin supplements. Instead, what doctors have observed is a concerning number of reports of soy lecithin allergens. Soy Allergy In line with the increasing use of soy products today, soy lecithin allergens also arose and allergic reactions arose. It was in the early Lecithin Supplements 1980s that Stuart Berger, MD, labeled...
Organic Lecithin
... fats is the basis of the scientific premise that the compound may have positively affect those with high cholesterol levels in the blood stream. But while there is very little evidence to prove that scientific claim, there is however enough proof of organic lecithin's emulsifying action to go around the commercial food industry. Lecithin can be used to lower the fat content of some foods at the same time enable them to still taste good. Organic lecithin sold commercially is composed of a naturally occurring mixture of the phosphatides of choline, ethanolamine, and insotil, with smaller amounts of other lipids. This compound is present in every cell of all living organisms, but is especially vital in organs such as the liver and the reproductive tract and muscles containing high concentration of phospholipids. The function of organic lecithin in the liver bears...
Lecithin Benefits
... and out of cells. Lecithin forms one of the major components of this membrane. In addition, lecithin is also a major component in the protective sheaths that surround the brain, muscles, and nerve cells. Although lecithin is essentially a lipid, it is also partially soluble in water due to its phosphate group. This unique structure of the compound contributes to one of its lecithin benefits, which is to act as an emulsifying agent, making it a convenient ingredient to use in many processed foods. Lecithin for Health While there is little doubt that lecithin is indeed a powerful emulsifier, there is more to lecithin Lecithin Supplements benefits than that. For decades, people have been touting that treatment for high cholesterol is one of the many lecithin benefits. There is little evidence to support this claim, mostly because when the studies conducted were largely unreported. Still, these claims about lecithin benefits on high cholesterol may have something to do with the fact that lecithin, specifically phosphatidylcholine, appears to have the ability to disperse cholesterol in...
Lecithin Effects
... of cells. Lecithin is one of the major components that make up the cell membrane or outer covering of our cells. "Without lecithin, nothing would survive, because you wouldn't be able to separate the various compartments within cells, nor would you be able to separate cells from each other," he further adds. Lecithin Effects and Choline The word lecithin actually has several different meanings. The generic term refers to lecithin, the compound of lipid and phosphate acid mixtures used in Lecithin Supplements the commercial food industry. However, in chemistry, biochemistry, and other similar sciences, the term takes on a whole different meaning. Often, lecithin is used synonymously with choline, kelecin, lecithol, soy lecithin, vegilecithin, vitrellin, and phosphatidylcholine. Strictly speaking though, choline is actually just a component of lecithin - a major one, that is. Out of the many chemicals found in lecithin, the most important and the most studied is choline. For years, the lecithin effects...
Lecithin Granules
... to danger. You wouldn't know for instance that there is a fire somewhere when you smell smoke and hence, won't be able to take any precautions to avoid getting in harm's way. Besides playing a significant role in cell signaling, PI in lecithin granules also generally aids in maintaining the integrity of the cell structure, sharing much of PC's functions. Linoleic Acid (LA) Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid of the omega-6 family that is important to human health. It is found in cooking oils and processed foods as well as LA-containing supplements like lecithin granules. Once LA in lecithin granules enters the body, it is converted to GLA or gamma-linoleic acid, another omega-6 fatty acid that is needed for normal brain function, growth and development, bone health, stimulation of skin and hair growth, regulation of metabolism, and maintenance of Lecithin Supplements reproductive processes. According to PowerPak, "The omega 6 LA comprises 7% to 9% of our daily caloric intake, while the omega 3 LNA makes up about 0.7%...
Facts about Lecithin
Certainly, that is what the adverts have been telling us. However, the facts about lecithin will tell you that the substance actually comes from the diet and is only synthesized in the body. Therefore, it is not an essential nutrient, although it may have some beneficial effects. As a phospholipid, the facts about lecithin will indicate that the substance is a major component in cell membranes. Lipids make the cell membrane semi-permeable - that is, it allows some substances in while keeping other substances out. With its main component of choline, lecithin facilitates the movement of fats in and out of cells, as well as ions, wastes, and nutrients. Besides providing protection around the cells, the facts about lecithin will also tell you that its function encompasses even the framework of the cell itself. Along with protein...
Structure of Lecithin
... the structure of lecithin consists of a mixture of neural and polar lipids that act as emulsifiers and/or lubricants. In biochemistry, it refers to phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid composed of glycerol, two fatty acids, a phosphate group and choline. Lecithin was first discovered in 1846 when French scientist Maurice Gobley separated the nutrient from egg yolk. In 1850, he gave it the name lekithos, which is Greek for "egg yolk." But by the 1930s, majority of the lecithin sold commercially was derived from soybean oil. The nutrient was found as a by product of the degumming process of soybean oils. The Structure of Lecithin: Egg Yolk There are differences in the structure of lecithin derived from egg yolk and those derived from plants, such as soy lecithin. First, the structure of lecithin derived from egg yolk is essentially composed of triglycerides and phospholipids, which differs considerably from plant lipid mixtures. Egg yolk lecithin contains long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids known as LC-PUFAs or Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic...
Lecithin is Powerful
... its structure is utterly variable and dependent on fatty acid substitution. Another reason that lecithin is powerful is its role in protecting fatty acids from the damages caused by oxidation. An essential nutrient, fatty acids are highly vulnerable but greatly needed by the body. They are polyunsaturated fats and are a vital pat of each molecule. By keeping these fatty acids from becoming damaged due to oxidation, phosphatidylcholine or lecithin stabilizes them, keeping them away Lecithin Supplements from harmful substances. Lecithin is powerful because of its unique structure. It is both fat loving for the fatty acids (lipophilic) and hydrophobic, meaning it will always be moving away from areas with lots of water. This tendency of lecithin to move away from watery areas and towards areas with lots of fats is the...
Liquid Lecithin
... emulsifier, the function of liquid lecithin is to separate the fatty acids in the bile and protect them from the ravages of oxidation. The compound also helps keep the liver cells healthy so they can continue doing their function of filtering and cleansing the blood of all toxins and harmful molecules. Sources Liquid lecithin can be found in nearly all kinds of food. But the richest sources of liquid lecithin are those that are high in fat and cholesterol, such as eggs, red meat, organ meat, etc. Soybeans are also good sources of liquid lecithin. In fact, majority of commercial lecithin sold in the market today are derived from soybean oil even as the first lecithin was separated from egg yolk in 1850. Every person needs adequate supply of liquid lecithin. While it is true...