Lecithin Weight Loss
Lecithin is a phospholipid, one of the many contained in the cell membranes of all living organisms, whether plants or animals. The term is often synonymous to phosphatidyl choline (PC), which many in the scientific community use to refer to lecithin.
Lecithin, the Emulsifier
One of the many functions of lecithin is emulsifying fats. In the body, lecithin is present in bile, a digestive substance produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder to aid in digestion. It is critical for the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine and serves as a major route for eliminating cholesterol. The presence of lecithin in bile is primarily to keep the fatty acids from mixing with other organic molecules also found in bile, such as bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, and bilirubin. By acting as an emulsifying agent, lecithin ensures that bile does all its functions smoothly.
Lecithin, the Aid to Fat-Burning
Another function of lecithin is to help burn fat. When you eat fatty foods, the fat gets deposited in the liver, which will then break it down so the body can use it as a source of energy. If the fats are not properly broken down, they will accumulate and can become rancid producing free radicals that damage liver cells. Lecithin in liver cells helps facilitate proper functioning of the liver, particularly in fat metabolism.
In addition, lecithin helps keep fats in liquid form. That way, they do not cling to the veins and arteries and clog the passages – a symptom of the condition called atherosclerosis. By dispersing fat in the water instead of letting them stick to the walls of the arteries, lecithin aids the cardiovascular functions of the body.
The Role of Liver in Weight Loss
There are a lot of people who find themselves constantly struggling with weight gain for most of their lives. They go through yo-yo dieting, at the same time contending with sluggish metabolism and unbridled cravings, so that hardly anything ever works.
Weight gain is often due to poor liver function. With a liver that is in such poor health as to make it unable to perform its functions, there is a very likely chance that the condition will result in weight gain, especially around the abdomen, cellulite, and water retention.
The Bile (produced by Gall Bladder)
The liver is responsible for secreting bile. A complex fluid, bile (or gall) is a bitter, greenish-yellow alkaline fluid containing water, electrolytes, and a batter of organic molecules which include bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids (lecithin), and bilirubin. It is critical in digestion, particularly in the metabolism and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Many of the body’s waste products are also excreted into the bile.
The role of lecithin in bile is as an emulsifier and antioxidant. It helps disperse cholesterol in and breaks it down into essential fatty acids. The phosphate group in lecithin makes it hydrophobic so it will always move away from water (which the area surrounding molecules are mostly composed of) while its lipophilic (fat-loving) head will move towards where the fats are. As such,lecithin helps stabilize the fatty acid molecules by forming a semi-permeable, lipophilic/hydrophobic ring around them.
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