Lecithin in Liquid Form (cardio kickboxing)
No commentsBy Damien Fowler
Liquid lecithin is a naturally occurring compound found in every cell of every living organism, whether of plant or animal origin. While the liquid lecithin sold in the commercial industry is a actually a mixture of neutral and polar lipids (glycolipids, triglyderides, sterols, and small quantities of fatty acids, carbohydrates, and sphingolipids), lecithin in biochemistry is often used as a synonym for phosphatidylcholine (PC), which is itself a mixture of differently substituted sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine backbones.
Phosphatidylcholine is the major component of a phosphatide fraction. When isolated from either egg yolk or soya beans, this form of liquid lecithin is commercially available in high purity and used for a variety of purposes in the food industry as well as other industries. However, for the most part, liquid lecithin is utilized as an emulsifier, and is in fact one of the limited number of emulsifiers commonly regarded as safe to use.
Benefits
While lecithin is a natural part of the body, it is, however, not an essential nutrient, unlike fatty acids or amino acid. Our bodies already have lecithin and can manufacture more if needed. What is essential however is the synthesized form of liquid lecithin, which is choline.
Our bodies derive choline from phosphatidylcholine component in liquid lecithin. To maintain cell membrane integrity and facilitate the movement of fats in and out of cells, as well as ions, wastes, and nutrients, we need a constant supply of choline. In addition, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine needs choline for its normal functions. Due to liquid lecithin’s choline make up, the compound has been touted as a memory enhancer by improving cognitive function.
Another benefit of liquid lecithin is to increase the rate at which fat is burned to produce energy for the body. Lecithin is contained in the bile, which is a kind of substance produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder necessary for digestion. As an 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 that there are only very rare cases of lecithin deficiency, including lecithin-foods in your diet is one good way of protecting yourself from cholesterol-related problems. What’s more, when the body synthesis lecithin, it becomes choline, which is very vital to your body’s health. Without it, symptoms of cirrhosis or liver cancer could develop and many bodily functions may suffer due to the absence of choline.
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Using Lecithin Supplements
By Damien Fowler
In recent years, lecithin has received much attention on its being a possible treatment for a variety of illnesses, including high cholesterol, heart problems, Alzheimer’s disease, and memory loss. Not only that, but manufacturers of lecithin supplements are also marketing the compound as an aid to weight loss. But is there some basis to all this?
First, we examine what the compound lecithin is. Generally speaking, lecithin refers to a complex mixture of phosphate acids naturally found 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 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, because you wouldn’t be able to separate the various compartments within cells, nor would you be able to separate cells from each other.”
When phosphatidyl choline enters the body, it turns into choline, an essential nutrient. The claims revolving around lecithin supplement can all be traced back to this element - choline. As an essential nutrient, choline cannot be manufactured inside the body. In order to get our supply of it, we must turn to our daily diet and supplements such as lecithin supplement.
Choline is very important because it is one of only two nutrients needed by the liver to promote the breakdown of fats. The other nutrient is methionine, an essential amino acid.
Fat-Emulsifier
Choline is a lipotropic agent. As such, it promotes or encourages the export of fat from the liver. If you want to keep your liver healthy and capable of burning the exported fat for additional energy, then taking in lecithin supplements may help to keep up your daily supply of choline.
Lecithin supplements prevent fats and bile to become trapped in the liver, which could happen if you do not have enough supply of lipotropics, such as choline in your body. This in turn could cause severe problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and blocking of fat metabolism, which could lead to atherosclerosis and high blood cholesterol.
Choline in lecithin supplements functions as a methyl donor. It is required for proper liver function as it assists in detoxification reactions that normally occur in the liver.
The Best Source of Choline
The best source of choline is still a healthy and well-balanced diet that includes lecithin-rich foods. However, one cannot expect everyone to get enough supply of choline. To answer for whatever is lacking in your choline levels, lecithin supplements are there for that purpose.
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