Lecithin & Choline

Lecithin & Choline are closely related nutrients are essential to the functioning of every cell in your body.

They’re particularly important for the liver and nerves. No wonder so many nutritionists urge us to get more of them.

What They Are

Lecithin is a fatty substance found in many animal- and plant-based foods, including liver, eggs, soybeans, peanuts and wheat germ. It is also often added to processed foods – including ice cream, chocolate, margarine and salad dressings – to help blend, or emulsify, the fats with water. In addition, the body manufactures it.

Lecithin is considered an excellent source of the B vitamin Choline, primarily in the form called phosphatidylcholine.

Once in the body, the phosphatidylcholine breaks down into choline, so that when you take lecithin, or absorb lecithin from foods, your body obtains choline. However, only 10-20% of the lecithin found in plants and other natural sources consists of phosphatidylcholine.

You can buy lecithin supplemets that contain higher concentrations of phosphatidylcholine, but they can be expensive. In most situations, just taking plain lecithin, rahter than the more costly phosphatidylcholine, is more than adequate.

Though dietary lecithin is a primary source of choline, choline is also found in liver, soybeans, egg yolks, grape juice, peanuts, cabbage, cauliflower and other foods. You can buy choline supplements, and it is often included in B-complex vitamins or other combination formulas.

What They Do

Lecithin and choline are needed for a range of body functions. They help to build cell membranes and facilitate the movement of fats and nutrients in and out of cells.

They play a role in reproduction and in fetal and infant development; they are essential to the health of the liver and gall bladder; and they may help the heart.

Choline is also a key component of the brain chemical acetylcholine, which plays a major part in memory and muscle control. As a result of all these far-flung effects, all sorts of claims have been make for lecithin and choline – from curing cancer and AIDS to lowering cholesterol. Even though the evidence for some of these claims is weak, these nutrients should certainly not be dismissed out of hand.

Major Benefits

Lecithin and choline may be especially helpful in the treatment of gall-bladder and liver diseases. Lecithin is a key component of bile, the fat-digesting substance, and low levels of this nutrient are known to precipitate gallstones.

Taking supplements with lecithin or its purified extract, phosphatidylcholine, may treat or prevent this disorder. Lecithin may also be beneficial for the liver: The results ofa 10-year study on baboons showed that it prevented severe liver scarring and cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse. Other studies have indicated that it’s helpful for liver problems associated with hepatitis.

Choline is often included in liver complex formulas along with other liver-strengthening supplements, such as the amino acid methionine, the B-vitamin inositol, and the herbs milk thistle and dandelion.

These preparations, often called lipotropic combinations or factors, can help to prevent the build-up of fats within the liver, improve the flow of fats and cholesterol through the liver and gall bladder, and help the liver to rid the body of dangerous toxins.

They may be especially helpful for liver or gall-bladder diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or gallstones, as well as for conditions that are alleviated by good liver function, such as endometriosis (the leading cause of female infertility) or side effects from chemotherapy. Choline, along with the B-vitamins pantothenic acid and thiamine, may also help to treat heartburn.

Additional Benefits

These two nerve-building nutrients may be useful for improving memory in those with Alzheimer’s disease, preventing neural tube birth defects (spina bifida), boosting performance in endurance sports, and treating twitches and tics (tardive dyskinaesia) caused by antipsychotic drugs.

They have also been proposed as possible remedies for high cholesterol, and even cancer. However, more studies are needed to define their role in these and other diseases.

Common Uses:

• Helps to prevent gallstones.
• Aid liver function, making them useful in the treatment of hepatitis and cirrhosis.
• Help the liver to rid the body of toxins in patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.
• Relieve heartburn symptoms.
• May boost memory and enhance brain function.

Forms

• Capsule.
• Tablet.
• Softgel.
• Powder/Granules.
• Liquid.

How to take them

Dosage

The usual dosage of lecithin is two 1200 mg capsules twice a day. It can also be taken in graular form: 1 teaspoon contains about 1200 mg. Choline can be obtained from lecithin, although phosphatidylcholine (500 mg three times a day) or plain choline (500 mg three times a day) may be a better source.

Choline can also be taken as part of a lipotropic combination product. There is no RDI for lecithin or choline, although some experts recommend 550 mg for men and 425 mg for women.

Guidelines for use

Lecithin and choline should be taken with meals to enhance absorption. Granular lecithin has a nutty taste and can be sprinkled over foods or mixed into drinks.

Possible side effects

In high doses, lecithin and choline may cause sweating, nausea, vomiting, bloating and diarrhoea. Taking very high doses of choline (10 g a day) may product a fishy body odour or a heart rhythm disorder.

Caution

Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.