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“Phospholipids” is another term we hear often in advertisements for dietary supplements and similar medical devices. However, few people know what these chemical compounds are, what role they play in the human body and whether and when they should be supplemented. Today, we present in an accessible way the most important information on phospholipids and their importance for our health.
What exactly are phospholipids?
Scientifically speaking, phospholipids are chemicals that belong to the group of lipids. They have an extremely complex structure: they consist of an alcohol molecule, a phosphoric acid molecule and fatty acid molecules. We classify them mainly according to what alcohol is the backbone of the molecule: glycerophospholipids are derivatives of glycerol, while sphingophospholipids are built on the basis of sphingosine.
Phospholipids in human biology
Phospholipids are an important building block of the human body, especially cell membranes. In this way, they ensure proper metabolism inside the cell and protect its internal parts. The greatest amount of phospholipids is found in blood, nervous tissue and blood.
Some of the phospholipids in the human body are produced by the body itself. Others should be provided with food. The natural sources of phospholipids include:
- soybeans
- eggs, especially yolks,
- Italian nuts,
- peanuts,
- wheat germ,
- beef liver,
- asparagus,
- fish, seafood.
Phospholipids are also found in Antarctic Krill Oil – a YANGO dietary supplement available on Medonet Market.
When should you take phospholipid supplements?
A healthy person does not need additional phospholipid supplementation, because a balanced diet and the body’s natural ability to produce these substances fully satisfy the normal needs. However, it is a different matter when an additional dose of phospholipids can support the regeneration of cells of damaged internal organs, especially the liver. Hepatocytes, or liver cells, largely consist of phospholipids. Doctors often prescribe dietary supplements containing phospholipids as an aid in the following situations:
- any liver diseases of acute and chronic course,
- liver damage caused by toxins, drugs or alcohol abuse
- viral liver disease,
- diseases of the bile ducts and the presence of gallstone disease.
Phospholipids, apart from their regenerative function, regulate many aspects of liver function. They support the digestion of fats and increase the absorption of vitamins contained in them. They inhibit the production of collagen in the liver, the excessive amounts of which cause this organ to become fibrotic. What is also very important, they help in the dissolution of cholesterol by bile, thanks to which the effect of its deposition in the blood vessels is reduced. For this reason, phospholipid supplementation is used in some cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis or after a heart attack.
Phospholipids in dietary supplements may be of synthetic or natural origin, most often from salmon or soybean eggs. In the case of supplements with soybean phospholipids, it is worth making sure that we are not allergic to this plant.
Phospholipids in cosmetics
Many people hear about phospholipids in advertisements for creams and other cosmetics. Their importance for the condition of the skin comes from the fact that phospholipids are hydrophobic on one side of the molecule and hydrophilic on the other. As a result, the molecules connect at their hydrophobic ends to form a kind of protective layer that helps the skin to absorb moisture and nutrients, but does not let them pass the other way.