Lecithin is a substance found in the cell membranes of plants and animals. There are two main types of lecithin: egg lecithin and soy lecithin.
Soy lecithin is extracted from soybean oil. It is used as a food and drug additive (often as an emulsifier), but has become popular as a
dietary supplement. Soy lecithin supplementation is claimed to be beneficial for many conditions, such as:
As with most soy products, people tend to have extreme opinions of soy lecithin, believing either that it is a wonderful "cure-all" with many health benefits or that it is a toxic byproduct that should be banned.
Soy lecithin contains a mixture of numerous different compounds, such as:
Because soy lecithin is a complex mixture of different compounds, it is not entirely clear how it might work.
Soy lecithin contains choline, a compound that the body can use to make acetylcholine, an important brain chemical that is low in people with
Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, soy lecithin contains more omega-6 fatty acids than
omega-3 fatty acids, which could potentially cause negative effects on heart health.
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