Lecithin is a substance that belongs to a category of fat-soluble substances called phospholipids, which are essential parts of cellular membranes. Lecithin is produced by the liver, and is needed by the body to not only create cell membranes, but to transport nutrients into out of cells and keep the membranes permeable; without lecithin, the membranes would harden and eventually stop functioning.
Lecithin is composed mostly of phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid, inositol, and several B vitamins. The choline in lecithin is used to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is necessary for the brain to function normally, especially in infants. In addition to its natural uses, lecithin is used commercially for items that require emulsifiers (substances that blend fats with water). It acts as a protective covering for many substances, and helps keep items in certain processed foods from separating.
Studies have shown that lecithin may be useful in treating a range of neurological disorders, ranging from multiple sclerosis to memory loss. Animal studies have shown that female rats given lecithin have produced offspring with superior memory and learning skills. (These studies have not been duplicated in humans.) Other research suggests that lecithin can prevent the buildup of fats in the liver and stop gallstones from forming.
While there are no recommended daily allowances for lecithin, some researchers have suggested a daily supplement of 550 mg for men and 425 mg for women. Most people receive an adequate amount of lecithin through their diet.
Many animal- and plant-based foods contain good quantities of lecithin, including egg yolks, soybeans, liver, peanuts, and oatmeal. Lecithin is also available as a supplement. To enhance its absorption, researchers recommend that it be taken with meals.
High doses of lecithin can produce side-effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, because lecithin can increase levels of acetylcholine, it should not be taken by people who suffer from bipolar disorder. High levels of acetylcholine can worsen the condition of people in the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. As of this writing, there are no known drug interactions with lecithin. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking lecithin or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
References
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
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One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
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