3 replies to this topic

[pone11]

This might be too technical of a question for even this web site, but I want to try.  

 

1) Phospholipid supplements typically come as phosphatidylcholine from lecithin.   Bodybio makes the marketing claim that these are not absorbed as phospholipids but break down in digestion:

https://www.youtube....Fe_O9ps88#t=795

 

Upon research, I see some evidence of their claim.  Here is evidence that a popular phosphatidylcholine is breaking down to choline in digestion.   See the graph in middle of this page:

https://www.drugs.co...oncentrate.html

 

As background, the water-loving side of any phospholipid is made of choline, phosphate, and glycerol.   So that is where the choline is coming from on the chart above.   

 

2) I do NOT find any study showing that the BodyBio form of phosphatidylcholine - which they are claiming they have removed triglycerides from, but left the fatty acid tails of the phospholipid intact - absorbs any differently.    That's very strange given the lengths they go to in differentiating their formulation.  Does anyone know of evidence in favor of - or against - their claim?

 

3) To make this even more interesting, I now find that some manufacturers strip off the fatty acid tails of the phosphatidylcholine, leaving just the choline / phosphate / glycerol head.   This is called glycerophosphocholine.   See the illustration on the left column in middle of this page:

http://catalog.desig...Flyer-Final.pdf

 

And what is interesting is that this form of phospholipid is shown in research to better move choline into the brain, where neurons can use it to form phospholipids.   That seems like a critical advantage.

 

4) Finally, just to make it all REALLY complicated, most phospholipid products include three types of phospholipids: phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol.

Are all three of those forms used in the brain?   Would it make sense for some manufacturer to strip off the fatty acid tails on all three types and supplement those?

 

Aside from wanting to validate my understanding and facts, I am trying to understand which version should I be supplementing?    My current thinking is that the phosphatidylcholine form probably has omega-6 fatty acids that I do not want.   I would be better offer taking glycerophosphocholine and letting my body fill in the fatty acids from my diet.    But maybe I am missing something here.   Maybe I should take both forms:  BodyBio phosphatidylcholine as well as glycerophosphocholine?     

 

In addition, I am wondering if anyone knows of a glycerophosphocholine made from sunflower instead of soy.    Maybe it doesn't matter as the soy proteins are all removed in glycerophosphocholine?

 

It took me a MONTH to just wrap my head around these issues after first hearing the BodyBio Youtube presentation.   Manufacturers are very clever about hiding the facts and making simple things sound complicated.   Hopefully someone can improve my understanding.

 

Edited by pone11, 12 January 2015 - 11:35 PM.

[genereader]

Pone11, have you had any new thoughts on this topic since you posted?

[pone11]

Pone11, have you had any new thoughts on this topic since you posted?

 

I have not been able to find a single study that backs the BodyBio claim about their product or their competitors' products.   I think this is an area that is heavy on marketing and short on facts.

 

My assumption based on what I have seen so far is that all of these substances break down in digestion and re-assemble in the body, maybe in ways much different than what the manufacturers selling them suggest.

[pone11]

Pone11, have you had any new thoughts on this topic since you posted?

 

A few other things I have observed:

 

* The research on glycerophosphocholine looks pretty good, particularly in reference to passing the blood brain barrier.  I found a few negative studies too.

 

* I am pretty frustrated that I cannot find the other phospholipid head structures like glycerophosphorylethanolamine (GPEA) available as commercial products.   There is fairly good research on these as well, like this liver study showing glycerophosphorylethanolamine acts as a liver cell growth stimulator:

http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/8940245

 

I think there is a market here for more than just the glycerophosphocholine (GPC) product.    And I'm not seeing any manufacturer that has really done a good job of delivering products that match to the science.