lecithin

section name header

Pronunciation ⬇

LES-uh-thin

Classifications ⬆ ⬇

Therapeutic Classification: lipid-lowering agents, anti-Alzheimers's agents, performance enhancers

Indications ⬆ ⬇

Complementary/Alternative Medicine: This monograph describes a natural or herbal product that is not subject to FDA guidelines for medicines. Patients and clinicians are advised to read package labels carefully to ensure safe and efficacious use.

REMS

Hepatic steatosis.
Alzheimer's dementia.
Hypercholesterolemia.
Tardive dyskinesia.
Mania.
Improving athletic performance.

Action ⬆ ⬇

Lecithin is a phospholipid found in egg yolks, organ meats, nuts, and spinach. It contains phosphatidylcholine, which contains choline which is a precursor to acetylcholine. Lecithin also increases omega-6 fatty acid levels.

Therapeutic effects:

Decreased cholesterol levels.
As a source of choline, lecithin may improve symptoms of cholinergic diseases.

Pharmacokinetics ⬆ ⬇

Absorption: Unknown

Distribution: Unknown

Metabolism/Excretion: Unknown

Half-Life: Unknown

Time/Action Profile ⬆ ⬇

	ONSET	PEAK	DURATION
PO	unknown	unknown	unknown

Contraind./Precautions ⬆ ⬇

Contraindicated in:

Hypersensitivity.
Egg and soy allergy.

Use Cautiously in:

Pregnancy and lactation (when using amounts greater than found in foods).

Adv. Reactions/Side Effects ⬆ ⬇

Derm: skin reactions (in soy and egg allergic patients)

GI: abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea

Interactions ⬆ ⬇

Natural-Drug Products:

None.

Natural-Natural Products:

None.

Route/Dosage ⬆ ⬇

PO (Adults ): Hypercholesterolemia–20–30 g/day. Athletic performance–3.6 g twice daily. Tardive dyskinesia: 20–50 g/day. Mania: 10 mg three times daily.Dementia: 1.2–45 g/day.

Availability ⬆ ⬇

Capsules: LiquidGranules

Assessment ⬆ ⬇

Assess mental status and memory periodically during therapy.

Lab Test Considerations:

Monitor liver function tests prior to and periodically during therapy.

Implementation ⬆ ⬇

PO: Administer 1 to 3 times daily.

Patient/Family Teaching ⬆ ⬇

Instruct patient to take lecithin as directed.
Advise female patient to notify health care professional if pregnancy is planned or suspected or if breastfeeding.

Evaluation/Desired Outcomes ⬆ ⬇

Decrease in serum cholesterol.
Improvement in signs and symptoms of cholinergic diseases.

US Brand Names ⬆

egg lecithin, soy lecithin