You don't need to include lecithin -- or cholesterol -- in your diet. Your body makes all it needs of both substances. Scant evidence suggests that adding lecithin to your diet will improve your cholesterol levels, and it may pose potentially dangerous side effects. Talk to your doctor before adding lecithin to your diet for any reason.
Lecithin and Cholesterol
Donal O'Mathuna, a bio-ethicist and herbal researcher, examined lecithin studies for "The Irish Times." According to his analysis, a few animal studies showed a connection between a lecithin-rich diet and reduced low-density lipoprotein -- LDL or "bad" cholesterol. But human studies remain scarce and inconclusive, O'Mathuna wrote in a March 2009 article. He also found no evidence to support claims that lecithin supplements could help protect against Alzheimer's disease or other age-related memory problems. Reliable medical information sources such as the University of Maryland Medical Center, MayoClinic.com and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine do not discuss lecithin as a treatment for high cholesterol.
Side Effects
Lecithin, a fatty acid and antioxidant, is essential to normal function of your cell membranes. But if you take lecithin in supplement form, dangers include difficulty breathing, swollen mouth or throat, tightness in your chest, hives and itching. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your medical provider immediately, as some side effects could prove life threatening. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, tell your doctor about these conditions before taking lecithin. If you take any kind of vitamins or herbs, lecithin may interact with them.
Allergies
Egg yolks and soy provide dietary sources of lecithin. Lecithin supplements may contain extracts of one or both substances. If you're allergic to either eggs or soy, read the product label before purchasing. Symptoms of egg allergy include inflammation of the skin or nasal passages, asthma, stomach cramps and vomiting. Egg allergy can also cause anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition that might make you go into shock and lose consciousness. Soy allergies produce similar symptoms as well as facial swelling and eczema.
Diet and Lifestyle
If you take lecithin believing it will improve your cholesterol levels, you may fail to follow dietary and lifestyle changes with proven success. You can lower your triglycerides -- one of three types of lipids that make up your total cholesterol -- by 50 percent through diet and exercise, according to the American Heart Association. The same regimen, which includes reducing saturated fat, trans fat, dietary cholesterol and sugar and exercising moderately at least 150 minutes a week, should also improve LDL cholesterol -- although this type of cholesterol may prove more resistant. Your doctor may prescribe drugs to lower your LDL cholesterol.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- "The Irish Times"; Forget About Taking Lecithin For Your Memory; Donal O'Mathuna; March 17, 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lecithin
- American Heart Association; Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglyceride; April 18, 2011
- "Circulation"; Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -- 2011 Update; Véronique L. Roger, M.D., et al.; December 2010
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol: Lifestyle and Home Remedies; June 1, 2011
