Dr Pangloss--Role of Dietary Phospholipids?

[Frosty]

Do you know of the role of dietary phospholipids? Do the contribute to healthy cell membrane function and how receptive the cells are to hormones and nutrient uptake? Or does the body do fine building healthy cell membranes with whatever phospholipids are found in meats and other foods? Do they affect glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity? What sort of data is out there on this subject?

[Tatyana]

The cell membranes in the body and the composition of the brain (as it is mostly lipids) more or less mirrors the fatty acid composition of the diet.

Phospholipids form the bilayer of every outer cellular membrane (animals) and the internal cellular organelle membrane, so whatever you eat, you are going to be taking in phospholipids.

Phospholipids are more about keeping the membrand hydrophobic on the inside and hydrophilic on the outside.

Yes, the composition of the cell membrane affects insulin sensitivity.

If the membrane is jammed up from trans fatty acids, it loses it's flexibility/fluidity (actually cholesterol keeps the membranes fluid really). The cell surface receptors for insulin (most receptors) rely on a conformational change that moves through the membrane, so there is a diminished response with a dodgy fatty acid profile in the cell membrane.

The papers I have found on this were related to metabolic syndrome.

I may still have a few of them.

The fatty acids in the diet directly corresponding to the fatty acid profile of cellular membranes is pretty much textbook knowledge now.

[Frosty]

So does taking in extra phospholipids have benefits to cellular function and all the other things I mentioned like glucose tolerance?

[Tatyana]

So does taking in extra phospholipids have benefits to cellular function and all the other things I mentioned like glucose tolerance?

How are you taking in extra phospholipids?

[Frosty]

I would think raw omega-3 egg yolks would be the best source. I don't trust the integrity of soy-based lecithin, and I don't like the fat profile of it, either.

[Tatyana]

You seem to think tht raw eggs are going to be the perfect food for you.

Does the idea of eating raw eggs appeal to you? If so go for it.

There is something about developing the awareness of what your body is craving and eating it (ignore this when your body says it needs cakes and biscuits/cookies).

[Frosty]

I love raw yolks...plain or in a protein shake. Just trying to see if there is a beneficial role in them for healthy cell membrane function.

[Tatyana]

I love raw yolks...plain or in a protein shake. Just trying to see if there is a beneficial role in them for healthy cell membrane function.

I would highly recommend you read 'Biochemical Individuality'.

Medicine and diet are moving this way to taylor things to your own individual needs.

It really is one man's meat is another's poison.

Unless you are going to use some of the limited blood tests we have routinely available, there does come a point when you have to be slightly more astute about what works in your body, and I have a theory that cravings often indicate the foods you need.

I have found that time and time again how I had been eating intuitively had the science behind it after the fact.

With the exception of cakes, icecream and cookies of course.

[Dr Pangloss]

phospholipids are part of the lipid bilayer around cells. you can influence the relative content of the fatty acids that are attached. for instance, taking fish oil with omega-3s will give you more phospholipids composed of those fatty (epa and dha) acids.

this influences membrane protein activity (such as sodium potassium atpase as well as a host of other proteins), and yes, omega-3s are associated with increased insulin sensitivity.


there is conclusive and repeated data on insulin sensitivity. As i said it alters membrane protein function; in general increasing activity.

i'll post something in the next day on the latter.

I posted a great review of the effects of omega-3s at MD. its probably still there.

[Tatyana]

phospholipids are part of the lipid bilayer around cells. you can influence the relative content of the fatty acids that are attached. for instance, taking fish oil with omega-3s will give you more phospholipids composed of those fatty (epa and dha) acids.

this influences membrane protein activity (such as sodium potassium atpase as well as a host of other proteins), and yes, omega-3s are associated with increased insulin sensitivity.


there is conclusive and repeated data on insulin sensitivity. As i said it alters membrane protein function; in general increasing activity.

i'll post something in the next day on the latter.

I posted a great review of the effects of omega-3s at MD. its probably still there.

LOL, I love it when we come up with the same answers.

[Dr Pangloss]

LOL, I love it when we come up with the same answers.

I appreciate your help; anytime you want to add something in here, feel free darling...

[Frosty]

So omega-3s will increase omega-3 content of the phospholipid layers, but does adding phosphatidyl choline and other components of lecithin have any beneficial effects on cell membrane health?

[Dr Pangloss]

So omega-3s will increase omega-3 content of the phospholipid layers, but does adding phosphatidyl choline and other components of lecithin have any beneficial effects on cell membrane health?

those components are readily made in the body from other molecules. the fatty acids are added onto them and the fatty acids are more important in determining membrane fluidity.

i understand lecithin is good for depression, but i don t know about anything else...