May help reduce risk of heart disease

A study in 89 middle-aged Japanese women found that eight-week supplementation with 1,200 mg of soy lecithin significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure levels (nadir) compared with placebo. 6

Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart is resting between beats. High blood pressure increases your risk of several diseases, including heart disease. 8

Study participants also had a decrease in their cardio-ankle vascular index, a measure used to assess the stiffness of a person's arteries. Arteriosclerosis is considered a risk factor for heart disease. 6

The researchers who conducted the study note that while lecithin appears to have the potential to reduce heart disease, they are not sure how lecithin supplementation improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

One theory about this relationship is that the phospholipids in soy lecithin supplements may help replace damaged cell membranes that become damaged during normal aging and from acute and chronic disease. This may help improve cellular health and reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease. 69

May be helpful for ulcerative colitis what is lecithin

The phospholipid Phosphatidylcholine is concentrated in lecithin, which makes up more than 70% of the phospholipids that make up the intestinal mucus barrier. This barrier protects the lining of the intestine. 10

In people with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, the amount of phosphatidylcholine in the gut's mucus barrier was reduced by about 70 percent compared to people without ulcerative colitis. 10

Some research suggests that lecithin supplements may help replenish the mucus barrier and improve inflammatory activity in people with ulcerative colitis. 4

A 2021 review of three studies found that an extended-release lecithin supplement containing 30% phosphatidylcholine helped improve disease activity and quality of life in people with ulcerative colitis. 4

May be helpful for nursing babies and parents

Lecithin is rich in phosphatidylcholine, the main source of choline in the American diet.

Choline is a nutrient needed for cellular health, immune function, metabolism, lipid transport and more. Choline is especially important during pregnancy and breastfeeding because it is essential for fetal and infant brain development. 11

Premature babies may have supplemental lecithin added to breast milk pumped through a plastic tube. Added lecithin helps prevent fat loss. 12

People who are breastfeeding may experience blocked milk ducts. These painful lumps of milk can form in the breast when the duct to the nipple becomes blocked. Supplemental lecithin has been used to clear blocked ducts.