Phospholipid
Fatty Acids
PC (Phosphatidylcholine) –
Fountain of Health (Longevity & Sex)
Cholesterol
By Ed Kane
Phosphatidylcholine is a wunderbar nutrient – yet, it remains an
enigma. At 6 syllables it’s a bit of a tongue twister, easier to say
PC. In Europe, it’s even longer, Polyenylphosphatidylcholine,
10 syllables, which abbreviates to PPC. Both mean exactly the
same. Both refer to the same wonder nutrient. While most all
supplements such as anti-oxidants, B- vitamins, minerals, probiotics, CoQ-10, electrolytes, digestive enzymes, etc., have excellent
nutritional value and contribute to better health, few rank on a
level with PC – in fact – none do.
So – why is it that PC is still a relatively modest player in the world
of nutrients and natural medicine, while the research literature
on PC is awash with positive studies? Why, in the normal
evolutionary process of recognition, has PC failed to obtain its
rightful role? There’s a story underlying it that needs to be told.
Somehow, a glitch on this side of the Atlantic essentially sabotaged
its climb up the ladder. About the mid 90’s, our illustrious North
American edible oil producers made a decision which muddied
the waters and threw a wrench into our wonder nutrient, however,
that decision was a profitable one, for them. The history begins
with the pressing of the oil from the seeds, such as sunflower,
canola, corn, flax, etc., but mainly soybeans, the largest seed oil
produced in the world. After pressing, hydrating and harvesting
the oil and the seed protein, one of the products left over is a
gummy substance called lecithin, found in all cells.
That sticky substance became an important ingredient in
foods such as spreads, margarines, chocolates, cosmetics, etc.
Nutritionally, it contained PC, so there was also an effort
to introduce it as a supplement. The concentrated lecithin
was combined with oil, encapsulated in bulk and sold to the
vitamin companies who repacked it under their own label.
Somehow, in the ensuing effort, someone in charge had the
bright idea to call it – Phosphatidylcholine, instead of Lecithin,
which is what it really was. The ruling established was this: if
the PC content in the lecithin was at least 30% – it could be
called Phosphatidylcholine. That turned out to be the ultimate
monkey wrench for our wonder nutrient. Soybean lecithin is a
complex mix containing ~65-75% phospholipids together with
triglycerides and smaller amounts of sterols and carbohydrates.
The major phospholipid is phosphatidylcholine, including
phosphatidylethanolamine and inositol-containing phosphatides.
That singular decision, to name lecithin PC, was clearly a gross
biochemical error. It’s
just not done in the realms
of science because it’s not
scientifically accurate. The
confusion that followed has been
with us to this day with products being
marketed and sold as PC regardless of the
fact that they are not PC.
Even though it is a component in the lecithin mix, PC and its
membrane partner phospholipids, P-ethanolamine, P-inositoI,
and Phosphatidic Acid, because of digestion, cannot make it
through the gut intact. The lipase enzymes in the gut disassemble
all oils which include phospholipids and triglycerides. Gut
enzymes, such as proteases and amylases digest proteins and
carbohydrates in the same manner as lipases do to the oils, they
cut them apart. Only the basic components are allowed through,
not the whole PC molecule.
To obtain PC along with the other PLs, which every cell
membrane needs, those parts must be created from scratch or
reconstituted from the digested components, which young and
healthy cells can easily do. For aging or diseased cells, it’s another
story. For PC, and the other PLs in lecithin to become valuable
nutrients, they must first be separated from
the raw lecithin, an expensive complex
process, which only a small group of
nutrition companies have succeeded
in doing. Once separated, PC and its
associate phospholipids become miscible
in water – repeat – they dissolve in water,
enabling them to make the trip through the
gut – intact. Only then can PC perform its
membrane enhancing wonders as we will see
in the following Israeli studies.
Presently, as far as we know, the only
companies that have succeeded
to separate the phosphatides
from lecithin are BodyBio,
American Lecithin, and
Essentiale Forte®, sold
in pharmacies in Europe.
All other vitamin companies continue to market
After a day or two, by themselves, the myocytes would congregate
together and begin to beat in unison. They did what heart cells
are designed to do. They beat – and they did it at ~160 beats/
minute. The scientists measured the beats as well as the PC
and SM content in the cells and watched the decline of the
PC/ SM ratio in the first three days from 20% SM to ~33%
SM -- then, over the next 14 days, from 33% to about 50% SM.
What occurred in the culture was a steady loss of PC, replaced
by Sphingomyelin, from 20% to 50% in 14 days, accompanied
by a steady decrease in heart beats. Between days 7 and 12 in
culture, the beats/minute fell from a vibrant 160, down to a
near lifeless 20 beats/minute. On day 16, they added PC into
their Petri dishes, and in one day, the myocytes reverted back to
their healthy rate of 160 beats per/minute. In just 24 hours, they
went from near death back to vibrant heart cells. This was also
accompanied by a normalization of seven vital enzymes (Yechiel
1985a, 1985b). Simply changing their diet by adding PC into
their cultures, reversed the rise in SM and brought life back to
the near dead myocytes, a dramatic example of the wonders of
PC.
the misnamed capsules under their own label, which, will not
succeed in providing any PC, and which recently, has been
shown to be a possible cause of atherosclerosis (Wang 2011).
Imagine – how many people have heard about the wonder
nutrient PC, searched on Google, and bought the misnamed
lecithin capsules in shops, or on line? How many of those funny
capsules with zero value have been consumed worldwide in over
a half a century as a result of that labeling loophole? And it’s still
going on, unfortunately, to the detriment of all those who, as yet,
don’t know the difference. Talk about selling snake oil…
So, why is PC such a wonder nutrient and why is it important in
maintaining health and longevity? Are we destined to succumb
to illness as we age and lose PC? Our cell membranes naturally
However, Professor Barenholz delved even deeper. In 1989,
he was awarded a US patent #4,812,314, on the use of PC
for increasing male longevity and fertility. Dr. Barenholz, a
recognized world leader in lipid technology, together with
colleagues, focused on the changes that occur with cell aging,
principally on the loss of PC as with the myocyte example,
which showed a rise in the levels of SM, and a concomitant rise
in cholesterol (CH) (Barenholz 1982, 1984). The scenario of
lowered PC and raised SM is especially pronounced in senescent
or diseased tissues. For example, plasma membranes associated
with the aorta and arterial wall show a 6-fold decrease in PC/
SM ratio with aging. SM is also increased in several diseases, such
as the hereditary Niemann-Pick Disease, and in toxic exposures.
In atherosclerosis, the leading cause of death and morbidity
worldwide, the SM content can be as high as 70-80% of the
total phospholipids in advanced aortic lesion (Barenholz 1982,
1984). To put this in context, Kummerow et al, University of
Illinois, Urbana, analyzed the SM content in umbilical cord, and
discovered that it was ~10% (Kummerow 2001). In essence,
we start life with ~10% SM and 90% PC, and thereafter SM
increases, and as recorded, with disturbing cellular outcomes.
Kummerow further has shown that arteriole obstructions are
directly related to the change of PC and SM reaching above
45-48% SM, resulting in a rise of arteriole sclerosis and death,
similar to the findings of Barenholz fifteen years prior. Type in
‘sphingomyelin atherosclerosis’ on Medline, and you will get
Examples of products labeled as Phosphatidylcholine
All are Lecithin
contain PC and SM (sphingomyelin), both are phospholipids
and both have a choline head group. However, there is a shift
that occurs in the composition of the membrane with the
growth of SM and a fall in PC levels. SM is a combination of
ceramide and PC, wherein ceramide combines with PC and
absconds with PC’s choline head, enabling the formation of
SM. The relationship between those two choline phospholipids
in mammalian plasma membranes is critical and directly affects
cell function. This was demonstrated most clearly by Professor
Yechezkel Barenholz and his colleagues in 1985.
In a dramatic study, Dr.
Barenholz, head of biochemistry
at Hebrew University in
Jerusalem, reported on the
changes of PC and SM in
the lipid composition of rat
myocytes (heart cells). They
were able to extract rat hearts
and separate the myocytes, the
heart cells, and keep the cells
alive in Petri dishes in their
lab with a nourishing culture.
2
week, and then every two months thereafter. A second control
group of same-age male rats was similarly injected with saline
water on the same dose schedule, 2 doses a week apart, then one
dose every 2 months, until the animal died of natural causes. The
6 animals in the control group had an average age at death of
~34 months. Of the PC treated animals, 2 were sacrificed at 44
months, 1 at 45 months, and 3 at 48 months, giving an average
age at death of about 46 months, however all of the treated
animals were sacrificed (killed), so, the actual length of survival
remains unknown. Even so, this equates to a substantial life
extension, approximately 33% in the animals treated.
228 studies from around the world, corroborating Barenholz and
Kummerow on SM and cardiac disease. Clearly, a loss of PC is
an unhealthy event. Thus, maintaining the level of PC in the cell
membrane as we age is vital to cellular health and longevity. It
may even be the sought after fountain of youth we are looking for.
The 1989 invention involves administering PC liposomes as an
intravenous injection (parenterally, not orally as used earlier), to
an individual (animal or human) to reverse age-related changes
in the lipid composition of organs and tissues, such as heart
muscle cells and red blood cells, by an infusion of egg PC as a
lipid exchange (egg PC is molecularly similar to soy PC, the fatty
acids may alter, but not the molecule). Since the aging process
in heart muscle is characterized by a decrease in PC, with a
coinciding increase in SM and cholesterol, the PC liposomes have
the ability to promote an exchange of PC for SM and CH within
the membrane. Adding PC liposomes into the blood induces an
exchange of PC within the heart cell membranes and reverses the
membrane concentration of SM and CH. This would also occur
in membranes throughout the body, including the brain.
Effect of PC-SUV Treatment on Sexual
Competence/ Virility
It is known that sexual function in male rats declines with age.
If males 30 months of age or older are housed with younger,
fertile females, many have fewer litters, and the actual litter
count is lower than would be born if the same females had been
with young males. To test the effect of PC liposome treatment
on sexual function, a group of 10 rats, each 34-36 months old
(close to or near death), were treated with
egg PC-SUVs every three days for six
days (a total of three doses) with
0.5 to 1 gm lipid per animal
through the tail vein with the
untreated animals received
just sterile saline over the
same period. Nine days
after the first injection,
the animals were each
placed in a cage with 3
female Sprague-Dawley
rats 5 to 6 months
old. The single male
and 3 females stayed
together for l to 3 weeks,
or even more, ~7 weeks,
after which the males were removed. Only 1 of the 3 females
in contact with untreated males for the single week produced
litters, and this increased to about 2 of the 3 females that were
able to stay together for 7 weeks. In all cases, litter sizes were less
than 10. With treated males, about 2 of the 3 females produced
litters with 1 week of contact, and virtually all of the females
littered with 3 weeks of contact. Litter sizes were the normal 10-14
animals. Thus, sexual performance and virility was substantially
greater in the animals who received PC. Something to consider if
conception has been difficult – PC.
An important therapeutic application of the invention
is increasing an individual’s ability to withstand cardiac
stress. The utility of the treatment was shown in
laboratory animals following congestive heart failure
or serious damage to the heart, the red
cells
showed about a two-fold
decline in PC/SM between ages
3 and 18 months. This was reversed
by three PC liposome treatments within
nine days with PC SUVs administered to 18 month aged
rats, whereby there was an increase in the ratio nearly sevenfold.
The treated 18 month old male rats were able to maintain
blood pressure under stress about 50% longer than untreated
rats. There were several additional studies, however, the most
impressive were the next two on longevity and sex.
Effect of Treatment on Longevity with PC SUVs
(SUVs are small spherical membrane enclosures,
cellular look-a-likes)
This study examines the effect of PC treatment on animal
longevity. The rats tested were 30 month old male SpragueDawley rats. Since Sprague-Dawley rats normally die between the
ages of about 24-30 months, the rats tested showed a dramatic
increase in longevity. A test group of six rats were each given
PC-SUVs, prepared as an IV, at a dose of between 0.5 and 1 g PC
liposome lipid through the tail vein, and similarly dosed after one
Earlier, I indicated the three oral PC products with acceptable
quality, which requires additional explanation. PC from BodyBio,
American Lecithin and Essentiale are all miscible (water dissolving)
and efficacious. However, there is recent research on mitochondria
energy that is noteworthy. In 2012-13 there were a number of
studies on mitochondria and ETC (electron transport chain).
3
Production of ATP, which initiates on the inner membrane
of mitochondria, is newly recognized to be dependent on PE
(phosphatidylethanolamine) – not on PC (Böttinger, Joshi, 2012,
Tasseva 2013). PE is generally ~half the concentration of PC
in cell membranes; however, the dynamics responsible for the
separation of protons that drive the production of ATP, sit on the
inner membrane of the mitochondria, and are enshrouded with a
predominance of PE for the ETC chemistry to play out. BodyBio
PC contains both PC and PE, whereas Phos Chol® (and/or
Nutrasal®) from American Lecithin, and Forte® contain
only PC.
recovery, which was admirable, even shocking. If PC is produced
correctly, which BodyBio PC is, there is every reason to expect it
to be the Super Star nutritional supplement. Maintaining sexual
activity and disease-free life as we age has been a universal dream.
Having experienced the life-saving, life-promoting qualities of PC
with thousands of doctors and their patients has been a fascinating
healing journey for all of us at BodyBio. We invite you to join us
at www.bodybio.com and begin your BodyBio PC journey towards
better health. Also, take a look at the video on PC and cancer –
“An Amazing Story”.
http://www.bodybio.com/content.aspx?page=PhosphatidylcholineVideo
The results of Professor Barenholz and his colleagues
in demonstrating the overwhelming, and mostly
hidden results of PC, were performed over
a quarter of a century ago, and are
nothing short of ‘remarkable’. Dr.
Barenholz used IV egg PC, which,
to our knowledge, has not been
commercially duplicated. However,
he used oral PC liposomes as a
food in the myocyte petri dishes
and witnessed the myocytes
References
1. United States Patent 04812314. 1989, Barenholz, Yechezkel,
Lipid replacement therapy.
2. Barenholz, Y., et al, Biochemistry, 1522441 (1976a).
3. Barenholz, Y., et al, in Enzymes in Lipid Metabolism (Gatt, S.,
et al, eds.), pp 45-56, Plenum Press, N.Y. (1976b).
4. Barenholz, Y., et al, Biochemistry, 1622806 (1977).
5. Barenholz, Y., et al, Biochem Biophys Acta, 604:129 (1980).
6. Barenholz, Y., et al, in Phospholipids (Hawthorne, J. N., et
al eds.)
7. Barenholz, Y., in Physiology of Membrane Fluidity (Shinitsky,
M., ed.) Vol:l3l-173, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla. (1984).
7. Bartlett, G. R., J Biol Chem, 234:466 (1959)
9. Borchov, H., et al, Biochem, 18:251 (1979).
10. Böttinger L, Horvath SE, Kleinschroth T et al.,
Phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin differentially
affect the stability of mitochondrial respiratory chain
supercomplexes. J Mol Biol. 2012 Nov 9;423(5):677-86.
11. Cooper, R. A., et al, New England J Med, 297:371 (1977).
12. Cooper, R. A., et al, Biochem, 17:327 (1978).
13. Fan Y, Shi F, Liu J, Dong J, Bui HH, Peake DA et al. Selective
reduction in the sphingomyelin content of atherogenic
lipoproteins. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010
Nov;30(11):2114-20.
14. Folch, J., et al, J Biol Chem, 226:497 (1957).
15. Frank, A., et al, Biochem, 22:5647 (1983).
16. Haray, 1., et al, Exper Cell Res, 29:451 (1963).
17. Hasin, Y., J Mol Cell Cardiol, 12:675 (1980).
18. Hertz, R., et al, Chem Phys Lipid, 15:138 (1975).
19. Joshi AS, Thompson MN, Fei N, Hüttemann M et al.
Cardiolipin and mitochondrial phosphatidylethanolamine
have overlapping functions in mitochondrial. J Biol Chem.
2012 May 18;287(21):17589-97.
20. Jourdon, P., et al, J Mol Cell Cardiol, 12.1441 (1980).
21. Kader, J.-C., et al, in New Comprehensive Bio chemistry
(Neuberger, A., et al, eds.). Vol 4: 279-311, Elsevier
Biomedical Press (1982).
22. Kummerow FA, Cook LS, Wasowicz E, Jelen H. Changes in
the phospholipid composition of the arterial cell can result
in severe atherosclerotic lesions. J Nutr Biochem. 2001
Oct;12(10):602-607.
23. Levida, M., Handbook of Nutrition in the Aged (R. R.
Watson, ed.), CRC Press, pp. 89-109 (1985).
24. Li Z, Basterr MJ, Hailemariam TK, Hojjati MR et al. The
effect of dietary sphingolipids on plasma sphingomyelin
metabolism and atherosclerosis. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2005
Jul 15;1735(2):130-4.
25. Martin, F. J., et al, Biochem, 15:321 (1976).
26. Pagano, R. E., et al, in Research Monographs in Cell and
Tissue Physiology (Dingle, J. T., et al, eds.), Vol 7, pp 24-348,
Elsevier/North Holland (1982).
27. Pal, R., et al, J Biol Chem, 255(l2):5802 (1980).
28. Richards, G. M., Anal Biochem, 57:369 (1974).
29. Shinitsky, M., et al, J Biol Chem, 249:2652 (1974).
30. Szoka, F., et al, Ann Rev Biophys Bioeng, 9:467 (1980).
31. Tasseva G, Bai HD, Davidescu M, Haromy A et al.
Phosphatidylethanolamine deficiency in Mammalian
mitochondria impairs oxidative phosphorylation J Biol
Chem. 2013 Feb 8;288(6):4158-73.
32. Wallach, D. F. N., in Membrane Biology of Neo plastic Cells,
Elsevier, Amsterdam (1975).
33. Wang Z, Klipfell E, Bennett BJ, Koeth R, et al. Gut flora
metabolism of phosphatidylcholine promotes cardiovascular
disease. Nature. 2011 Apr 7;472(7341):57-63.
34 Wirtz, K. W. A., et al, J Biol Chem, 243:3596 (1968).
35. Yavin, E., et al, Anal Biochem, 80:530 (1977).
36. Yechiel, E., et al, J Biol Chem, 260(l6):9l23 (1985a).
37. Yechiel, E., et al, J Biol Chem, 260(l6):9l3l (1985b).
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
45 Reese Road • Millville, NJ • 08332 888.320.8338 • www.BodyBio.com
© Copyright 2013 – 2015 BodyBio, Inc. All rights reserved.
RG 01-006