Phosphatidylcholine – Food for the Brain Skip to content
Phosphatidylcholine – Food for the Brain

Phosphatidylcholine – Food for the Brain

With over 44 million adults suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, supporting the brain with the right nutrients is becoming crucial. At a cost of $226 billion dollars spent on Alzheimer’s patient care, researchers are frantically searching for therapies that can help to support these patients. Although Phosphatidylcholine is not a cure for the disease, studies show that supplementation with Phosphatidylcholine may offer some support for Alzheimer’s patients and may offer other health benefits, too.

Phosphatidylcholine

Healthy fats are vital for survival, and phospholipids are fats the body needs. Phosphatidylcholine is a type of phospholipid that has choline as part of its natural structure. Phosphatidylcholine is one of the most abundant phospholipids in the body, and they therefore affect every organ and structure in your body. Your body needs an abundance of these healthy fats to be able to produce new cells, since every cell uses Phosphatidylcholine in the structures that form the cell membranes. These compounds are also important for supporting the ability of the nerve cells to transmit nerve signals around the body. The brain is particularly reliant on choline for both structure and function, and this could be one of the reasons why supplementation with Phosphatidylcholine may be beneficial for supporting brain health and for promoting improvements in memory, which in turn can help certain patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, Phosphatidylcholine is found in the highest concentrations in the brain and the liver, where it is essential for supporting these organs.

Sources of Phosphatidylcholine

Choline is an essential nutrient that is found in various natural food sources. Beef and fish are an excellent source of Phosphatidylcholine, and a 3 oz. serving of beef can provide you with approximately 355 mg of the choline you need to support health. Since the daily recommended amount of choline is about 550 mg for adult men and 425 mg for women, a serving of beef could provide you with more than half of your daily requirements of Phosphatidylcholine. Milk and eggs are also a great source of natural Phosphatidylcholine. One large egg can provide you with as much as 126 mg of choline, and an eight ounce glass of milk provides 38 mg of Phosphatidylcholine, on average.

Health Benefits of Phosphatidylcholine

As mentioned, the brain and liver contain the highest concentrations of Phosphatidylcholine, and they are dependent on Phosphatidylcholine for supporting their functions. Studies involving the supplementation with Phosphatidylcholine have found that Phosphatidylcholine offers numerous health benefits.

Phosphatidylcholine for Liver Health

The liver is exposed to a variety of toxins and pathogens, and it is one of the organs of the body which has the ability to regenerate cells that may be damaged due to toxin exposure. Phosphatidylcholine plays a vital role in supporting the production of new cells and new cell membranes, and is therefore important for supporting the liver. Phosphatidylcholine supplements have been found to help protect the liver and have been found to offer benefits in terms of hepatitis and other liver diseases.

Phosphatidylcholine for Brain Health

Due to the fact that Phosphatidylcholine plays such an important role in supporting cellular membrane formation and in producing healthy nerve cells, there have been numerous studies that have focused on Phosphatidylcholine supplementation and its effects on brain health. It is important to realize that studies on Phosphatidylcholine are beneficial where patients have a choline deficiency and not necessarily as a therapy for the disease where this deficiency does not exist. Phosphatidylcholine has been found beneficial for patients with bipolar disorder, Huntington’s chorea, and Tourette’s syndrome. Some studies have also shown benefits for Alzheimer’s patients.

Phosphatidylcholine for Intestinal Health

The digestive system is responsible for digesting the food you eat, and, in order to digest the food efficiently, the digestive system contains various environments that break down your food. The acidic environment of the stomach helps the digestive system to break down the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in your diet, and the alkaline environment of the intestines allow food to be absorbed. To protect the structures of the digestive system from these environments, the digestive system is protected by a layer of mucus. Phosphatidylcholine is one of the most important compounds for supporting this protective layer. Phosphatidylcholine, therefore, plays an important role in supporting gastrointestinal health and function.

Phosphatidylcholine Supplements

It is vital to ensure your daily diet includes sufficient Phosphatidylcholine. An essential phospholipid supplement can be an excellent way to ensure you get sufficient phospholipids like Phosphatidylcholine on a daily basis. The NT Factor Energy Lipids Chewable tablets by Allergy Research Group provide you with a comprehensive blend of phospholipids to support and promote health.
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