Lecithin is the name given to a group of lipids found in plant, animal and human cell membranes. Lecithin can be isolated from food and sold in the form of a supplement. In this regard lecithin is often isolated from soybeans. Lecithin lipids are interesting because they are aliphatic, and this means they can interact with both water and fat. This makes them very useful in the food industry to add certain qualities to certain foods, and for example can be used to emulsify foods and remove unwanted textural problems in foods where the fat and the water components might not normally mix together. As a supplement, lecithin is interesting because it is a source of glycophospholipids including phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine. These phospholipids may have a number of interesting and helpful health effects in humans including the ability to improve impid absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion. The phospholipids in lecithin may also interact with the central nervous system and provide significant health benefits.
For example, in one study, researchers investigated the effects of a soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex on the stress response of healthy individuals. In particular the researchers were interested in the changes to the anxiety levels of the subjects. For 3 weeks subjects received either 400 mg, 600 mg or 800 mg of soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex, or a placebo. The subjects were then exposed to a laboratory stress test. The results of the study showed that the 400 mg doses of soy lecithin complex was significantly able to reduce the stress response of the subjects as measured by falling levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. However the changes were not seen at higher doses of the supplement. In addition, the subjects who took the 400 mg dose of soy lecithin complex experienced significant reduction in perceived stress and anxiety, suggesting that the supplement had provided an anti-stress response.
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