Press Release
LECICO GmbH, Hamburg
September 2008
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Please contact Andrea Wolters
• Phone + 49-40- 890 610 21
• Fax + 49-40-890 61090
• Email: Andrea.Wolters@Lecico.de
Lecithin Granules with Phytosterols
Phospholipids are the primary structural elements of all cell membranes, both of plants and animals. The phospholipid packed cell membranes control the passage of nutrients into the cell and the removal of waste. They play a vital role in cell to cell communication and lots of other biochemical processes. Cell membranes and their functions are the master switch of life.
The optimal way to provide the human body with phospholipids is in the form of lecithin in which phospholipids are the major components. Lecithin with its amphiphilic (emulsifying) phospholipids help solubilizing non-water soluble nutrients, thus improving their bioavailability.Under specific conditions of pressure, time, temperature and shear, powdered or granulated lecithin changes state and becomes a translucent and flexible solid liquid crystalline matrix.
In the process other active ingredients can be incorporated into the lecithin.
In this case, the actives are co-solubilized within the lecithin phospholipids, without any need for solvents. The advantage of this process is that the lecithin (with the actives) passes the stomach unaffected by the digestive enzymes. Once in the water environment of the small intestine, the lecithin forms micelles or vesicles trapping the actives, solubilizes them and make them more absorbable.
A known fact in the literature is that phytosterols and phytostanols are able to reduce elevated cholesterol levels. An average dose of 2 g is required to reduce LDL- cholesterol by about 10 to 12 %. As phytosterols are insoluble in oil and also in water sterols need to be esterified to make them oil soluble - however on the account that they can be incorporated in fatty foods only, and that the active principle, the sterol backbone makes only appr. 60 % of the ingredient. With other words, in this form appr. 3 g sterol esters are needed to achieve a significant cholesterol lowering effect.
In vitro and in vivo studies have now been shown that the combination of lecithin (with its intrinsic cholesterol lowering effect) and unesterified phytosterols act synergistically at a much lower dose as compared to the sterols (and lecithin) themselves.
An innovative compound of non-GM soya lecithin and non-GM- phytosterols like LeciPLUS+ made by innovative, solvent free technology can promise significant LDL-cholesterol and even triglyceride reduction at a combined dose of just 2.5 g (1.25 g phytosterols, 1.25 g lecithin)
For further reading:
T.B. McPherson, et al., J. Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 57, 889-896 (2005)
Ostlund, R.E. et al., Am.J. Clin. Nutr., 70, 826-831 (1999) |
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