Benefits of Lecithin

benefits of Lecithin
research finds, updated on November 2008 zhion@zhion.com

Does lecithin help lower your cholesterol? Do it help lower our body weight?

[November 07, 2008] When I first prepared this article in 2005, I found a few reports about
its benefits on lipid-lowering, control of triglyceride, stabilization of membrane functions
and support of hepatic functions. But, the number of studies is very limited. [1] Marketers
also promote it as weight-loss agent.

Today, I checked with research data to see if there are reports about its
cholesterol-lowering effects or weight-loss in the last two years. Maybe, my search was
not thorough enough, I couldn't find any reports.

Theoretically, lecithin is a solubilizing agent for fat and so it can remove fat. And because
of this action, it may help weight control. Really, there is no scientific support for this claim.
Besides, lecithin supplement carries calorie. I am not sure if it really helps weight loss.

About Lecithin

Lecithin is an important component of VLDL (very low density lipoproteins) that helps to
transport fats around the body from the liver. Lecithin can be found native in a number of
different foods such as eggs, dairy products, and meats, but the primary source for lecithin
that is used today comes from soybean.

Lecithin is an essential fatty substance that also protects cell membranes from hardening.
High concentrations of lecithin are found in the brain and prostate gland. Lecithin is largely
composed of choline, plus linoleic acid and inositol. Lecithin acts as an emulsifying agent,
enabling fats and other lipids to be dispersed in water.

Phosphatidyl choline (a different kind of lecithin) is a powerful fat-emulsifying compound. It
solubilizes fats and cholesterol in the bloodstream and solubilizes dietary fats in the intestinal
mucosa. It maintains the structural integrity of cell membranes.

Lecithin is also a source of choline, a B vitamin with powerful lipotropic activity. Choline is
utilized by virtually every cell for synthesis of various phospholipids, proteins, and the
neurotransmitter-acetylcholine.

TRADITIONAL USES OF LECITHIN SUPPLEMENT
Administration of choline or lecithin raises plasma and brain choline and acetylcholine levels.
As discussed before, people take lecithin supplement mainly for proper liver function and fat
utilization. It is also believed that oral choline and lecithin may help alleviate neurological
motor disturbances, and restore cognition and memory. Oral administration of choline, lecithin
or phosphatidylcholine may ameliorate symptoms of tardive dyskinesia and Alzheimer's
disease.

RESEARCH FINDINGS
Cholesterol
As early as 1966, Japanese researchers have already evaluated the cholesterol-lowering
effect of iodine-lecithin. [2]

Then in 1977, Simons LA et al showed use of oral lecithin to lower cholesterol in an open
clinical trial. In 1/3 of healthy subjects and in 3/7 patients suffered from
hypercholesterolaemia, lecithin therapy led to a significant fall in plasma cholesterol
concentration (10-18% fall). [3]

How does lecithin lower the cholesterol?
In 1996, A French research group demonstrated that lecithin diet could lower the total and
HDL-cholesterol level. They believed that the cholesterol-lowering effect of lecithin was related
to hepatic microsomal pools of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. [4]

Four years later, this research group demonstrated that the cholesterol-lowering mechanisms
induced by dietary soybean lecithin in hypercholesterolemic rabbits at the hepato-biliary level
in a study using rabbits. They also showed that the soybean phosphatidylcholine (lecithin)
could actually lower cholesterol level by retarding the intestinal absorption of cholesterol in
study of endothelial cells. [5, 6]

Synergistic health benefits of lecithin on cholesterol level
Wilson TA et al at University of Massachusetts Lowell demonstrated that soy lecithin
enhanced the cholesterol-lowering effect of the American Heart Association Step I diet without
reducing plasma HDL-C levels. [7]

Gurevich VS et al, Cardiology Institute, S. Petersburg, Russia, found an improved effect on
lipid-reducing action when lovastatin was combined with Lipostabil (lecithin) in the therapy. [8]

LECITHIN SIDE EFFECTS
Lecithin side effects have been reported in a few cases. Mostly, the lecithin side effects are
arised from injections or over-ingestion. Oral lecithin is safe and lecithin supplements are well
accepted, in general.

LECITHIN SIDE EFFECT ARISED FROM INGESTION OF LARGE AMOUNT OF VEGETABLE
OIL AND LECITHIN
One cased was reported that a healthy man ingested a large amount of vegetable oil
containing lecithin. He developed abdominal pain, early satiety, and significant weight loss,
and required surgical removal of the mass. [9].

LECITHIN SIDE EFFECT ARISED FROM TREAMENT OF LOWER EYELID FAT PADS
In a treatment of intraobital fat pad herniation, patients received 0.4 mL a lecithin-derived
phospholipid injections. Improvement and lecithin side effects were observed. The lecithin
side effects were burning, erythema, and swelling at the injection site. [10]

LECITHIN SIDE EFFECT ARISED FROM TREAMENT OF SUBCUTANEOUS FAT DEPOSITS
Volunteers received phosphatidylcholine (a lecithin-derived phospholipid) injections in several
areas of localized fat deposits. The lecithin derivative was found to be effective in reducing the
fatty pads, with few side effects. [11]

HYBRID LIPOSOMES MADE OF LECITHIN DERIVED PHOSPHOLIPIDS
Prolonged survival was observed in a cancer model of mice after the intraperitoneal treatment
with hybrid liposomes composed of licithin derivatives.
No abnormal findings in blood chemistry, organ weights nor other lecithin side effects were
observed. [12]

STUDY OF AMBULATORY HUMAN VOLUNTEERS
Phospholipid (ie lecithin) feeding is safe, and can be effective as a vehicle for lecithin fatty acyl
chain modulation of bile and lipid membranes in a study of 5 ambulatory volunteers having a
chronic indwelling T-tube. [13]

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[1] Ipatova OM et al, Biological effects of the soybean phospholipids, Biomed Khim. 2004
Sep-Oct;50(5):436-50. [2] On cholesterol-lowering agents. 1. On the cholesterol-lowering
effectiveness of an organic iodine preparation (Jod-lecithin) Iryo. 1963 Apr;17:243-9.
Japanese.][3] Treatment of hypercholesterolaemia with oral lecithin. Aust N Z J Med. 1977
Jun;7(3):262-6.][4] Polichetti E. et al, Cholesterol-lowering effect of soyabean lecithin in
normolipidaemic rats by stimulation of biliary lipid secretion. Br J Nutr. 1996 Mar;75(3):471-8.]
[5] Dietary polyenylphosphatidylcholine decreases cholesterolemia in hypercholesterolemic
rabbits: role of the hepato-biliary axis. Life Sci. 2000 Oct 13;67(21):2563-76. [6] Dietary
soybean phosphatidylcholines lower lipidemia: mechanisms at the levels of intestine,
endothelial cell, and hepato-biliary axis. Dietary soybean phosphatidylcholines lower
lipidemia: mechanisms at the levels of intestine, endothelial cell, and hepato-biliary axis. J
Nutr Biochem. 2000 Sep;11(9):461-6.] [7] Soy lecithin reduces plasma lipoprotein cholesterol
and early atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemic monkeys and hamsters: beyond linoleate.
Atherosclerosis. 1998 Sep;140(1):147-53.][8] Evidence of combined therapy of
dyslipoproteinemia by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and "essential" phospholipids. Clin Ter.
1993 Apr;142(4):329-34.][9] [Hsu HH et al, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto,
California, Gastric bezoar caused by lecithin: an unusual complication of health faddism. Am J
Gastroenterol. 1992 Jun;87(6):794-6.][10] Ablon G et al, Treatment of lower eyelid fat pads
using phosphatidylcholine (a lecithin derived phospholipid): clinical trial and review. Dermatol
Surg. 2004 Mar;30(3):422-7; discussion 428,[11] Hexsel D et al, Phosphatidylcholline in the
treatment of localized fat. J Drugs Dermatol. 2003 Oct;2(5):511-8.[12] Ichihara H et al,
Chemotherapy with hybrid liposomes without any drug in vivo. Yakugaku Zasshi. 2003
Jan;123(1):25-34.[13] Pakula R et al, The effects of dietary phospholipids enriched with
phosphatidylethanolamine on bile and red cell membrane lipids in humans. Lipids 1996
Mar;31(3):295-303.

Good supplements and
exercises are important.