LECITHIN RESEARCH
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Arterioscler Thromb Vasc
Biol. 2004 Jun;24(6):1087-91. Epub
2004 Apr 8. |
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Physical fitness and
reverse cholesterol transport.
Olchawa B, Kingwell BA, Hoang A, Schneider L,
Baker Heart Research Institute, (Wynn Domain),
BACKGROUND: Physical exercise is associated with a decreased risk of
cardiovascular disease, which may be partly caused by the effect of exercise on
the lipoprotein profile. The most consistent effect of exercise on lipoprotein
metabolism is an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL). METHODS AND
RESULTS: Parameters of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in 25
endurance-trained male athletes were compared with 33 age-matched males
enjoying an active lifestyle. VO2max was higher in athletes than in controls
(53.4+/-1.2 versus 38.8+/-1.0 mL/min per kg;
P<0.01). The following differences in parameters of RCT were found: (1)
plasma HDL cholesterol and apoA-I levels were higher
in athletes compared with controls (1.7+/-0.1 versus 1.4+/-0.1 mmol/L; P<0.001; and 145+/-2 versus 128+/-3 mg/dL; P<0.001, respectively). Both correlated with VO2max
up to the value of 51 mL/min per kg; (2) prebeta1-HDL
was higher in athletes than in controls (54+/-4 versus 37+/-3 microg/mL; P<0.001) and correlated positively with
VO2max; (3) lecithin cholesterol: acyltransferase
activity was higher in athletes (29.8+/-1.2 versus 24.2+/-1.4 nmol/microL per hour; P<0.005); and (4) the capacity of
plasma to promote cholesterol efflux from macrophages was higher in athletes
(18.8%+/-0.8% versus 16.2%+/-0.3%; P<0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The likely reason
for higher HDL concentration in physically fit people
is increased formation of HDL from apoA-I and
cellular lipids.
REFERENCES
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B., et al. "Homocystinuria: The effects of betaine in the treatment of patients not responsive to
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availability in the neonate," In Dowdall, M.J.
& Hawthorne, J.N., eds. Cellular and Molecular Basis of Cholinergic
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V., et al. "Inhibition of hepatocarcinogenesis
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17. Lieber, C.S., DeCarli,
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18. Lieber, C.S., Robins, S.J., et al. "Phosphatidylcholine protects against fibrosis and cirrhosis
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________________________________________________________________________
FROM: bradventures.com
Note: This material was excerpted from an article written by Stephen A. Levine, Ph.D.
PS
Studies on Stress Response
Phosphatidylserine appears to protect against the
stress response and to reduce anxiety, as demonstrated in previous studies. In
a 1990 study (Monteleone, P., et al.), the response
of BC-PS to physical stress was tested in eight healthy men who underwent three
experiments with a bicycle ergometer in a
double-blind format.
The physical stress from exercise induced
a clear cut increase in plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine,
ACTH, cortisol, growth hormone, and prolactin, whereas pretreatment with 50-75 mg of BC-PS
significantly blunted the ACTH and cortisol response
to the exercise. Plasma growth hormone and prolactin
responses to physical stress were not affected by BC-PS.
In 1995, a 2-month treatment study
(Gindin, J. et al.) using plant-derived phosphatidylserine (S-PS) showed positive effects on daily
functioning, emotional state and self-reported general condition of Alzheimer's
disease patients. (See figure 2) In a post-trial consumption survey, nearly
half of the participants of the treatment group decided to continue treatment
at their own expense, in contrast to none in the placebo group. These results
of a short-term treatment which had no negative side effects encourages
the use of S-PS with AD patients in order to evaluate on an individual basis
possible improvement in patient condition. These results also encourage further
investigation into long-term treatment and on larger groups with regard to the
patient's AD status, i.e. early, mild and severe AD.
Memory Test Score
Wechsler >68, P<0.03
Gindin J. et al., 1995
In September of 1999, a report
summarized results of a study on the kinetics of soy lecithin phosphatidylserine (S-PS) absorption by the body. (See
figure 3 chart on bottom right.) The study was carried out in July 1996 with
standard soft gelatin capsules containing S-PS supplied by Lipogen
Ltd. in
- The capsules disintegrated after 30 minutes.
- The PS was well tolerated by the body.
- The basal serum level was reached after 180 minutes from intake.
- No side effects were reported.
- The overall average profile of the PS/PL values attained in the test are shown in the chart below.
- No adverse effects or any discomfort was reported by the participants
PS Levels in Blood Serum
Time (min)
Shinitsky, M, Ph.D., 1196
Soy lecithin phosphatidylserine
complex (S-PS) is considered a dietary supplement (lecithin and other
phospholipids) and is freely sold as a supplement product (
References
Gindin, J., et al. 1990, Effect of Soy Lecithin Phosphatidylserine (PS) Treatment on Daily Functioning and Self-Reportcd General Condition in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease, The Geriatric Institute of Education and Research Kaplan Medical Centre, Rehovot, and Hadassah Medical School, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Monteleone, P., et al., Effects of phosphatidylserine on the neuroendocrine response to physical stress in humans. Neuroendocrinol, 52:243-249, 1990.
The statements made herein have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
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Lecithin & Choline – bodyandfitness.com
Imagine a supplement
that could actually restore memory. Could we use it to
reverse some of the memory loss that comes with aging? What if it could also
enhance our ability to think?
The very thought is enough to make
your head spin.
Unfortunately, we’re not quite
there yet, but research into the possibilities for lecithin has touched off
some alluring expectations.
The supplement that’s getting all
this heady attention would seem, at first glance, to be a very unlikely
candidate. Many of its effects have a lot more to do with digestion than with
brain function. Yet there are components of lecithin that seem to play a
critical role in nerve function—and our brains, of course, are nothing more or
less than elaborate agglomerations of busy nerves making interesting
connections with each other.
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The Great Emulsifier |
To see lecithin’s
action up close, put a chocolate bar in the freezer. When you take it out some
time later, you’ll notice that the whole bar is tinged with white.
You can chalk up
that transformation to lecithin. Derived from
soybeans and egg yolks, lecithin is often added to
foods such as chocolate, cheese, margarine, and salad dressings. In these
foods, it acts as an emulsifier, which simply means that it helps mix fats with
water and keeps them from separating. When the chocolate bar is frozen, the
lecithin-fat interaction falls apart. The fat rises to the surface, giving the
candy that whitish tinge.
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Lecithin forms
naturally in all living cells of the body, and just as it does in food, it
acts as an emulsifier. It helps keep fatty substances in bile, which is
essentially a kind of juice produced by your liver. When lecithin is doing all it should, it also eases digestion and helps
your body absorb valuable nutrients. Lecithin also helps to
maintain the structural integrity of cells, says Steven Zeisel,
M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the department of nutrition at the It also serves as a source of messengers used to help control blood pressure and regulate insulin, the all-important hormone that helps unlock cells so that blood sugar can be absorbed for energy. Without lecithin- derived messengers helping to coordinate these activities, many cells would be at a loss about what to do. "You wouldn’t have the ability to send proper signals," notes Dr. Zeisel. "Everything would grind to a halt." None of those admirable
activities suggests a link between lecithin and brain power,
however. For that, we have to look at one component of lecithin—a substance
called choline. |
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The Choline Connection |
Choline
is a nutrient that’s essential for helping to turn fat into energy within the
liver. Although it’s a component of lecithin, it’s also sold separately as a
supplement.
In addition to the way it helps the
liver deal with fat, choline
has another function: It helps transmit nerve impulses in the brain.
That transmission process isn’t
quite as straightforward as carrying cellular e-mail from one address to
another. Instead, choline
is a building block of another chemical, acetylcholine, that
actually carries messages between nerve cells. The brain uses acetylcholine for
many purposes, including controlling memory, heart rate, and sweating,
according to Dr. Zeisel.
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Profile |
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Lecithin and Choline May help: Liver disorders, gallstones, heart
disease, memory loss, depression, stress, and high cholesterol. Good food
sources: Soybeans,
peanuts, and wheat germ; also available as an additive in chocolate,
margarine, salad dressing, and cheese. Cautions and possible side effects: Large doses of lecithin may cause upset stomach, sweating, salivation, and loss of appetite. Do not take doses of choline above 3.5 grams (equivalent to 23 grams of PC) without medical supervision. Regular supplementation with choline can cause a fishy body odor. |
Tantalized by the possibility that choline could help memory, researchers have been
investigating the link. To date, they’ve found that acetylcholine is in short
supply among some people who have neurological disorders, but that doesn’t
prove that more acetylcholine produces better brain function.
Related research has led to a more
promising path. Researchers have run across another chemical in lecithin called phosphatidylserine
(PS). The scientists have found that PS, a building block for brain cells,
seems to have a particularly beneficial effect on the production and release of
the chemicals that transmit messages, according to Parris Kidd, Ph.D., a
biomedical consultant in
In fact, PS is the single best
means for conserving memory and other higher brain functions as we age, says
Dr. Kidd. In studies, PS has been shown to improve the quality of life for
people with declining brain function. It improves function in people with mild
to moderate Alzheimer’s and counteracts some of the age-related memory loss
among people who don’t have Alzheimer’s. According to Dr. Kidd, it also has
some benefits that go beyond memory function: helping people cope with stress
and, in some individuals, helping to alleviate depression.
"PS seems to have a global
effect on brain functions," he says. "It helps memory, learning and
concentration, mood, and daily rhythms. It seems to have a general revitalizing
effect on the brain."
The type of PS that’s been shown to
work on memory is derived from bovine brain, says Alan Gaby, M.D., professor of
nutrition at
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Lecithin in the Liver |
Meanwhile, back in
the digestive area, researchers can pinpoint many of lecithin’s benefits when
it comes to transporting valuable resources from place to place in our bodies.
We are constantly secreting lecithin into our bile, says Dr. Zeisel,
and that helps enzymes mix with fat so that the fat is digested.
The liver exports fat. To do that,
it must wrap the fat in an envelope containing lecithin and certain
proteins. When lecithin is unavailable, no
envelope can be made, and fat accumulates in the liver. Liver cells low in lecithin fill up with fat
and then die.
"Humans who are fed
intravenously with solutions that lack lecithin and choline
start to have liver cell death," says Dr. Zeisel.
"This can be reversed when you give them a lecithin or choline
supplement."
One form of choline,
choline,
phosphatidylcholine
(PC), seems to be particularly beneficial to the liver. In clinical studies, PC
helped with alcoholic liver damage, cirrhosis, viral liver damage, and
drug-induced liver damage. Animal research showed that PC supplementation was superior
to any other treatment for alcohol-induced liver damage and cirrhosis.
PC is found in small amounts in
most lecithin supplements. Greater concentrations are
available in supplements labeled PC or Leci-PC.
Closely related to the way lecithin benefits the liver
is the way it helps to prevent gallstones. The lecithin has a blending
effect on bile salts and bile components. Without lecithin, the proteins in
bile would separate out and form gallstones, says Dr. Zeisel.
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The average adult
diet in the
According
to Dr. Kidd, lecithin offers safe
nutritional support for energy and overall well-being. Supplements with
additional PS benefit memory, and those with added PC benefit liver function
and digestion, he says.