Lecithin

The Benefits of Lecithin in Promoting Brain Health and Function

Lipids have two principal functions in the body: as repositories of chemical energy in storage fat, primarily triglycerides and as structural components of cell membranes. In the brain, lipids and lipid intermediates are essential components of the structure and function of the brain, which isn’t surprising, when you consider that the brain is one of the body’s richest tissues in terms of phospholipid content. Eggs, organ meats, lean meats, fish, shellfish, cereal grains, and oilseeds are all good sources of phospholipids while cooking (barbecue-grilling, boiling, microwaving, oven cooking, and frying) and all processing methods in general significantly decrease their fatty acid profile and potential health benefits. This is where phospholipid supplements come in for brain health like lecithin.

Lecithin For Brain Health

Lecithin supports brain health because it is a fatty substance that occurs in animal and plant tissues and is composed of choline, fatty acids (including omegas 3 and 6), glycerol, glycolipids, phospholipids, phosphoric acid, triglycerides, as well as vitamins E, and K. While lecithin was originally isolated from egg yolk, today, the bulk of lecithin used in supplements comes from soybeans and sunflower.

Supplementing your diet with lecithin may be recommended to help promote healthy cholesterol levels, boost immunity, help the body deal with mental and physical stress, relieve some of the most common menopausal symptoms, protect against fatty liver, as well as help prevent osteoporosis. Lecithin supplementation; however, is most often recommended to protect brain health and improve cognitive function. In fact, according to one study, long-term lecithin supplementation in Alzheimer's patients resulted in a 3.8 % deterioration in memory and 90.6 % stability in daily functioning compared to 17.9 % and 79.5 % respectively in the placebo group. 

From lecithin (soy or sunflower), phosphatidylserine (or PS) can be extracted. So, what is PS?

Phosphatidylserine (PS) 

PS is a key human brain phospholipid that is essential for normal neuron structure and function, along with other essential fatty acids and like lecithin, it supports brain health. It is also a structural component of cell membranes throughout the body, but is especially concentrated in the brain and accounts for 13–15 % of the phospholipids in the human cerebral cortex. PS plays an essential role in intercellular communication and cell cycle signalling, specifically with apoptosis (programmed cell death), plus facilitates the activity of neurotransmitters involved in learning, memory, and mood. 

Research has shown that supplementing with PS helps bolster cognitive function, including focus, concentration, learning, and the ability to retain information. Just as interestingly, PS has been shown to help protect against and/or slow down the progression of various cognitive dysfunctions including age-related memory loss and different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. PS is so beneficial to brain health and cognition in fact, that the FDA allows the following claim to appear on supplement labels: "consumption of phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive dysfunction in the elderly". In addition, research has shown that PS supplementation helps promote a healthy endocrine response to stress and downregulates the production of cortisol (our main stress hormone).

Phosphatidylcholine (or PC) is another major component of lecithin. Let’s look at the benefits it offers.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) 

Although “lecithin” and “phosphatidylcholine” are often used interchangeably, they are, in fact, two very distinct things. PC is a phospholipid (or a class of phospholipids) and a major component of biological membranes. The body uses PC to make acetylcholine, the chief neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for contracting smooth muscles, dilating blood vessels, increasing bodily secretions, and slowing heart rate. 

In the brain, acetylcholine functions as a key neurotransmitter and neuromodulator and is involved in long-term planning, concentration and focus. Acetylcholine also controls the rate of stimuli entering the brain, motor activity, learning and memory, and stimuli input during sleep, sex, and other functions. This explains why it has been used extensively in treatments for cognitive issues, including Alzheimer's disease, manic depressive disorder and anxiety, as well as to support memory and thought processes in general. In fact, studies have shown that increasing acetylcholine levels in the body helps improve performance in humans in a variety of intelligence and memory tests.

Concluding Insights on the Role of Lecithin Supplements in Enhancing Brain Wellness

Phospholipids can be purchased as lecithin, PS, or PC and can go a long way to protecting your brain’s health and integrity across the lifespan. Lecithin can be purchased in capsules and softgels, as well as in powder and liquid form, and food-forms granules. PS and PC are widely available in supplement form, in capsules, and softgels in a range of potencies, though it’s important to follow the dosing instructions on the label carefully, as these may differ greatly from product to product. As with all fat-soluble supplements, you’ll get more bang for your buck if you take the above with a fat-containing meal or snack.

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