Ask your doctor how much lecithin to take daily when you discuss adding it to your diet. If she says to follow the manufacturer's suggested dose, read the instructions on the product label. The general recommendation is one to two tablespoons of the supplement daily. You can take lecithin granules in several different ways. The most practical one is to put them in your mouth and chew until they dissolve. Or, you can add the little pellets to the blender as you prepare a smoothie.
Try sprinkling lecithin on cereals and soups. Cooking the supplement in dishes is another alternative. You can mix lecithin with hot or cold foods. This condition is painful and makes breast-feeding more difficult. It can also lead to the development of mastitis, an infection of the breast tissue that affects approximately 10 percent of American women who are breast-feeding.
To help prevent mastitis and difficulty nursing, the Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation recommend that people who experience recurrent blocked milk ducts take 1, mg of lecithin four times a day as a preventative measure. When taken in reasonable amounts, it is unlikely to cause adverse reactions. It is best to get lecithin through food.
Supplements are not monitored by the FDA for safety or purity. People should research the supplements and the brand names before taking them.
If someone has high cholesterol or a history of heart disease , they should discuss the supplement with their doctor. While the Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation recommend lecithin for women who are breast-feeding, there needs to be more research on lecithin supplementation, during pregnancy and lactation. There is no recommended dosage for lecithin. As a general rule, dosage should not exceed 5, mg daily. It is advisable to choose lecithin from food sources before considering supplement form.
Lecithin is found in many whole foods, including:. Fats get a bad reputation but are necessary for good health. Different sources of food provide different types and amounts of fat. This article looks…. High cholesterol levels can result in severe health conditions such as heart disease. As a supplement, lecithin is thought to lower cholesterol and treat certain neurological and inflammatory conditions.
However, it is not approved by the U. When ingested, lecithin is broken down into a substance called choline , which the body uses to transport fat, regulate metabolism, maintain the structural integrity of cells, and facilitate nerve transmissions by synthesizing a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Choline is not readily produced by the body; most of it is obtained from the foods we eat. Lecithin has been touted for its potential benefits in treating many health conditions and is said to:.
To date, there is insubstantial evidence that the supplemental use of lecithin can treat any medical condition. This suggests that lecithin may be an effective supplemental treatment of hypercholesterolemia high cholesterol. With that said, lecithin also plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis "hardening of the arteries" , with some studies suggesting that the excessive intake may increase cardiovascular risk. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that has been linked to low levels of a chemical found in lecithin called phosphatidylcholine.
Phosphatidylcholine, a component of mucus in the digestive tract, helps protect the colon from inflammation and the infiltration of bacteria in stools. The findings, however, were limited by the small size of the study 18 adults.
Mastitis , the inflammation of breast tissues, is a common ailment in breastfeeding mothers. Some studies have reported that lecithin can help to prevent clogged milk ducts that lead to mastitis. Lecithin appears to decrease the viscosity of breastmilk and is generally regards as safe for human consumption.
With that said, lecithin remains understudied in women with mastitis and should not be used without first consulting an obstetrician or other qualified health professional. As a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, lecithin may help increase nerve transmissions in the brain and ease the symptoms of these progressive and often devastating neurologic disorders.
To date, the findings to support these benefits are lacking. There is currently no evidence that supplemental lecithin can slow or reverse the progression of dementia in people with Alzheimer's or any other neurologic disorder. However, some animal studies have suggested that lecithin may have a neuroprotective effect, reducing the risk of dementia by slowing the degeneration of glial cells that protect and stabilize brain tissues.
Although lecithin supplements are generally regarded as safe, they are not regulated in the same way as prescription drugs. Therefore, it is important to consult with a doctor before taking lecithin or any other supplement, particularly if you are managing a health condition, have allergies, or are taking medications of any sort. Common side effects of lecithin may include:. Allergic reactions have been known to occur, although they are relatively uncommon, even among people with soy allergies.
As a precaution, lecithin should not be used in women who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying to get pregnant unless under the direction an obstetrician-gynecologist. Children should avoid lecithin due to the lack of safety research. Lecithin is available as a pill, tablet, capsule, softgel, granules, powder, liquid, or paste.
There are no guidelines for the appropriate use of lecithin, although many manufacturers endorse a daily dose of 2, mg for adults.
As a general rule never exceed the recommended dosage on the product label. There are no regulatory agencies in the United States, including the FDA, that govern the purity or safety of supplements. To better ensure safety and quality, choose supplements that have been independently tested by a third-party certifying body like the U. A fitting name for this essential nutrient, for the egg is considered a symbol of life, strength and fertility. The insulating myelin sheaths that protect the brain, spine and thousands of miles of nerves in your body are almost two-thirds lecithin.
Even the heart has a high concentration of lecithin. Lecithin is composed of many naturally occurring components, including choline, inositol, linoleic acid, phosphatidyl serine, fatty acids and triglycerides. This guarantees that the soybeans are from seedstock that has been certified as non-GMO.
Mix in juice or shakes, or sprinkle on food.
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