Powdered lecithin is a food supplement whose use is useful for health purposes but not for sports or physical culture.
Supplementation with powdered lecithin has been designed to reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption (an intervention necessary to combat lipid dysmetabolisms affecting this steroid molecule).
Powdered lecithin is a food supplement
What is lecithin?
Lecithin is a phospholipid, that is, a molecule that has chemical affinity for both lipids and water; thanks to this characteristic, lecithin is a powerful EMULSIFIER that, inside the intestinal lumen, binds cholesterol and hinders its absorption.
In our body, lecithin has two very important functions:
- It is the main cell membrane component
- It is a synthetic substrate for the hepatic enzyme Lecithin Cholesterol Acyl Transferase (LCAT)
NB. LCAT determines the esterification of cholesterol and therefore favors its distribution to tissues; moreover, it facilitates its uptake by HDLs that carry out "reverse cholesterol transport" by promoting their elimination with bile, then with feces.
Because - when - how to take lecithin powder
As shown in the previous paragraph, lecithin powder is a useful supplement to reduce cholesterolemia; this property derives both from its ability to bind alimentary cholesterol (and bile !!!) in the intestinal lumen, reducing its absorption, and from the increased synthesis of hepatic LCAT, an essential enzyme to the "inverse cholesterol metabolism".
The intake of powdered lecithin is useful (therefore recommendable) if the levels of blood cholesterol are too far removed from the norm; we briefly recall that for healthy people the limits of normality are roughly:
- Total cholesterol: 200-220mg / dl (values lower than this threshold are desirable)
- HDL: female 50mg / dl; Male HDL <40mg / dl (values above this threshold are desirable)
- LDL: 130mg / dl (values lower than this threshold are desirable)
It should also be remembered that, especially in the presence of other risk factors for vasculopathies (atherosclerosis with coronary infarction or cerebral stroke), the aforementioned limits can also be significantly corrected. In particular, hypercholesterolemia : cigarette smoking, hypertension, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and Diabetes Mellitus are MODIFIABLE and aggravating risk factors .
Obviously, the powdered lecithin is not the only food source of this phospholipid; it is naturally contained in foods of vegetable origin (soy and legumes, whole grains), but also in those of animal origin (egg yolk [from which it was extracted for the first time in 1850] and meat); however, its dietary intake is higher and more effective if legumes and cereals are preferred over animal food sources. This is due to the fact that, by binding fats and cholesterol, the lecithin contained in foods of animal origin could already be saturated or in any case not sufficient to significantly hinder the absorption of most of the steroid contained in them ... moreover, assume lecithin to fight cholesterol by eating foods that are rich in them ... logically, it does not seem a particularly brilliant strategy! On the other hand, by regularly eating legumes and whole grains, in addition to favoring the intake of fiber which in turn fights fat absorption, it is possible to obtain a source of rich and more "pure" lecithin (without cholesterol). It is true that lecithin has the power to bind to all plant lipids and phytosterols, however, their concentration is absolutely lower than that of food of animal origin while the quantities of lecithin are absolutely greater.
Ultimately, if necessary or useful, how should powdered lecithin be taken?
Powdered lecithin should be taken in conjunction with main meals, especially those with good cholesterol or saturated fatty acids. The recommended daily ESOGENA portion is between 5 and 15g / day, possibly divided into 2 or 3 administrations (lunch-dinner or breakfast-lunch-dinner); powdered lecithin is also water soluble, therefore it is advisable to dilute 1 full teaspoon (5g) or 1 full spoon (10g) per 100-150ml of water.
See also: LECITHIN IN THE KITCHEN - Video Recipes based on lecithin
Bibliography:
- Mode of action of lecithin in suppressing cholesterol absorption - Alfred J. Rampone and Cynthia M. Machida - Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, Portland, OR 9720 1.
