People everywhere claim that they have successfully used lecithin for weight loss, and for this reason, lecithin supplements have become one of the most popular weight loss aids.
But what exactly is lecithin? Is it a magic pill that will help you lose weight effortlessly?
What makes lecithin such an effective supplement for weight loss, and do most people notice these benefits?
This article aims to answer these questions. But first, we need to understand how lecithin works.
Lecithin is naturally produced in the liver and is a preservative commonly used to emulsify processed foods.
Lecithin supplements are most often made up of soy lecithin, and Soy is the most common source because it makes up 90% of all lecithin products. Lecithin helps break down fats in the body, most commonly cholesterol.
This allows easier transportation to be broken down into energy or used as an excretion method through your sweat glands.
How lecithin supports weight loss
Lecithin supplements for weight loss can be taken in pill form or gel capsules.
Lecithin works as a fat emulsifier in food, breaking down and evenly dispersing oils and fats. For this reason, many theorize that lecithin also supports rapid fat metabolism and fat breakdown when consumed. Lecithin may also support healthy weight loss over time due to its ability to break down fats into small molecules for the body to burn off as energy.
Lecithin supplementation may help with weight loss by:
- Reducing your appetite, preventing you from overeating.
- Increasing your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and helping you burn more calories.
- Increasing the activity of HSL or hormone-sensitive lipase.
- Decreasing your levels of LDL or bad cholesterol.
- Reducing suppression is typically achieved with high carbohydrate diets; weight loss is most often seen with low fat/high protein diets.
- Supporting more rapid weight loss through its component, choline.
What are the most common ways to take lecithin?
The most effective way to take lecithin for weight loss is most commonly through a supplement. Most people who have had success using lecithin supplements commonly take 2-3 grams of lecithin most days. The most visible benefits most commonly begin to take place in the first few weeks of supplementation.
Many people report that they most easily lose weight during this initial phase, which most likely includes losing excess water weight. This is most commonly because the amount of choline (which most influences how efficiently lecithin breaks down fat) dramatically increases within the first few weeks of supplementation.
Lecithin is considered a safe supplement with no major health risks or side effects associated with it. The most common side effects most people experience include nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, and headaches.
There have been cases where people have experienced elevated cholesterol levels due to lecithin supplementation. Still, most researchers agree that this is most likely due to the person's current cholesterol levels and not directly related to the lecithin itself.
What kind of diet should I follow when taking lecithin supplements?
When taking lecithin supplements, it is important to also follow a healthy diet and exercise regimen in place, as this will dramatically increase the success rate of using lecithin.
The most significant improvements with lecithin supplementation are experienced by those who follow a high-protein diet. This is typically combined with a low refined sugar intake, which is never a bad thing, regardless of your supplement regimen for weight loss!