Lecithin

A group of substances belonging to the phosphatides(phospholipids), in which phosphoric acid, fatty acids, an alcohol and a nitrogen-containing component (choline or colamine = 2-aminoethanol) are linked together. The linkages (esterifications) result in a variety of possible substances.

Lecithins are widespread in animals and plants. In animals, they are mainly found in nerve substance, egg yolk, heart, liver and sperm. In plants, lecithins are mainly found in oily seeds (e.g. soy, rapeseed) and tubers.

Lecithin is a food additive under the number E 322

Lecithin forms a wax-like hygroscopic mass. It is soluble in ether, ethanol and fatty oils.

Lecithin albumin is a lecithin bound to egg white
Egg lecithin (Lecitin ex ovo) is obtained by extracting fresh egg yolk with methyl alcohol.
Soy lecithin (Lecithinum ex soja) is obtained from the seed of Glycine max, soy. This lecithin consists of about 40-50% phosphatidylcholine, about 10% colamine kephalin (phosphatidylethanolamine), phosphatidylinositol, unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E.

Phosphatidylglycerol is a lecithin that is found in bacterial membranes as well as in the inner mitochondrial membranes.

HDL increase by 11 to 46 %; lipid-lowering effect with decrease of LDL by 10 to 40 %, of total cholesterol by about 20 %.
There is an improvement in LDL/HDL ratios; lecithinum ex soya inhibits the transport of cholesterol from the liver to the organs. It has an antiatherogenic effect by transporting cholesterol back to the liver to form bile acids

Mild forms of hypercholesterolemia, provided that diets and other non-pharmacological measures have an insufficient effect.

3 x daily 600 mg, maximum 1,800 mg phospholipids

Gastrointestinal problems (rare): stomach problems, soft stools and/or diarrhoea

Known allergy to soy or any of the ingredients

Lipostabil® 300 mg. Lipidavit® SL forte capsules, Lipopharm® herbal cholesterol-lowering capsules.

1. Loew D (2012) in Beer A M et al [Ed.] Leitfaden Naturheilverfahren für die ärztliche Praxis, Urban und Fischer Verlag S 167.