Lecithin/Phosphatidyl Choline

What Are "Star" Ratings?

a7_3star Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit.

a7_2star Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit.

a7_1star For an herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support.

Our proprietary “Star-Rating” system was developed to help you easily understand the amount of scientific support behind each supplement in relation to a specific health condition. While there is no way to predict whether a vitamin, mineral, or herb will successfully treat or prevent associated health conditions, our unique ratings tell you how well these supplements are understood by the medical community, and whether studies have found them to be effective for other people.

For over a decade, our team has combed through thousands of research articles published in reputable journals. To help you make educated decisions, and to better understand controversial or confusing supplements, our medical experts have digested the science into these three easy-to-follow ratings. We hope this provides you with a helpful resource to make informed decisions towards your health and well-being.

This supplement has been used in connection with the following health conditions:

Used for	Amount	Why
Birth Defects	500 mg choline per day	Choline appears to protect against neural tube defects when taken prior to and early in pregnancy, as it has similar biochemical effects as folic acid.
Birth Defects 500 mg choline per day In a preliminary study of California mothers, those who had higher intakes of choline during the three months prior to conception were significantly less likely to give birth to a child with an NTD, compared with women with lower choline intakes.¹ The possibility that choline may protect against NTDs is plausible, as choline has similar biochemical effects as folic acid, which is known to reduce NTD risk. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
High Homocysteine	2 grams daily choline or 34 grams daily lecithin	Choline has been shown to lower homocysteine levels.
High Homocysteine 2 grams daily choline or 34 grams daily lecithin Betaine (trimethylglycine) (6 grams per day) and choline (2 grams per day) have each been shown to lower homocysteine levels.²^{, 3} Choline in the amount of 2.6 grams per day (provided as 34 grams per day of soy lecithin) has also been shown to lower homocysteine levels in a double-blind trial.⁴ More recently, 1.5 grams of betaine per day, an amount similar to that in a typical diet, also has been found to lower homocysteine levels.⁵ Doctors usually consider supplementation with these nutrients only when supplementation with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 do not reduce homocysteine levels sufficiently. The results of this study, however, point to the potential benefit of increasing one’s intake of foods rich in betaine (such as whole wheat, spinach, beets, and other plant foods). Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Tardive Dyskinesia	25 grams lecithin twice a day, providing 35 grams of phosphatidyl choline per day	Lecithin and phosphatidyl choline may help improve symptoms.
Tardive Dyskinesia 25 grams lecithin twice a day, providing 35 grams of phosphatidyl choline per day Choline and lecithin have both been used for people with TD. While some studies have shown a beneficial effect,⁶^{, 7}^{, 8} others have reported variable improvement⁹ or no improvement.¹⁰ In a small, two-week, double-blind trial, people with TD were given 25 grams of lecithin twice a day (providing 35 grams of phosphatidyl choline per day), or a matching placebo. All participants experienced significant improvement of symptoms.¹¹ Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Alzheimer’s Disease	Refer to label instructions	Weak evidence suggests that moderate amounts of lecithin, a fat used by the body to build membranes that may be obtained through food sources, may slightly improve symptoms.
Alzheimer’s Disease A double-blind trial of 20 to 25 grams per day of lecithin failed to produce improvements in mental function in people with Alzheimer’s disease.¹² However, there were improvements in a subgroup of people who did not fully comply with the program, suggesting that lower amounts of lecithin may possibly be helpful. Lecithin supplementation has also been studied in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor drug called tacrine, with predominantly negative results.¹³ ^{, 14} ^{, 15} ^{, 16} Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Gallstones	Refer to label instructions	Phosphatidylcholine (PC)—a purified extract from lecithin—is a component of bile that helps protect against gallstones. Supplementing with it may help dissolve gallstones
Gallstones Phosphatidylcholine (PC)—a purified extract from lecithin—is one of the components of bile that helps protect against gallstone formation. Some preliminary studies suggest that 300–2,000 mg per day of PC may help dissolve gallstones.¹⁷^{, 18} Some doctors suggest PC supplements as part of gallstone treatment, though the supporting research is weak.¹⁹ Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Hepatitis	Refer to label instructions	Taking phosphatidylcholine (found in lecithin) was found to be beneficial in one study of people with chronic hepatitis B.
Hepatitis Taking 3 grams per day of phosphatidylcholine (found in lecithin) was found to be beneficial in one investigation of people with chronic hepatitis B.²⁰ Signs of liver damage on biopsy were significantly reduced in this trial. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
High Cholesterol	Refer to label instructions	Taking lecithin supplements may be a useful way to lower cholesterol.
High Cholesterol Although lecithin has been reported to increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol,²¹ a review of the research found that the positive effect of lecithin was likely due to the polyunsaturated fat content of the lecithin.²² If this is so, it would make more sense to use inexpensive vegetable oil, rather than take lecithin supplements. However, an animal study found a cholesterol-lowering effect of lecithin independent of its polyunsaturate content.²³ A double-blind trial found that 20 grams of soy lecithin per day for four weeks had no significant effect on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides.²⁴ Whether taking lecithin supplements is a useful way to lower cholesterol in people with elevated cholesterol levels remains unclear. Learn More

Also indexed as:

lecithin,
phosphatidyl choline,
phosphatidylcholine

About this treatment

How to Use It

Small amounts of choline are present in many B-complex and multivitamin supplements.

Where to Find It

Choline, the major constituent of PC, is found in soybeans, liver, oatmeal, cabbage, and cauliflower. Soybeans, egg yolks, meat, and some vegetables contain PC. Lecithin (containing 10–20% PC) is added to many processed foods in small amounts for the purpose of maintaining texture consistency.

Possible Deficiencies

Although choline deficiencies have been artificially induced in people, little is known about human deficiency in the real world.

Interactions

Last Review: 05-11-2011

Learn more about Aisle7, the company.

The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

Care Circle

It Seems That You Are Not Logged In...

Join Now

Log In
Help

Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:

Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.

The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.

Adding Someone
Saving Content
Adding Additional Topics & Conditions
Deleting Topics & Conditions

How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?

Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.

How do I save content to my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.

How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.

How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.