Liposomes: Fad or Fantastic?

by Carly Neubert, BA, NC on April 14, 2017

This post is Part 2 of a 3-Part Series called The Future of Vitamin C. I will cover the technology behind liposomal supplements, particularly liposomal Vitamin C, and help you decipher whether liposomes are a fad or if they are truly changing the future of Vitamin C supplements. (Video included)

If you're looking for Part 1: The Super Powered Vitamin

If you're looking for Part 3: Liposomal Vitamin C

We are always in a quest to find the most absorbed and highest quality supplements. If you or I am going to take the time and effort to take a therapeutic nutrient, we want the best. That is why liposomal nutrients are on the cutting edge of optimal personal health.

The Science Behind Phospholipids

Each cell in your body has a membrane surrounding the outside. This membrane is selectively permeable. It will let some things permeate and come inside the cell, but it will also keep other things out. This is only possible because the membrane is composed of phospholipids.

Phospholipids are composed of 2 fatty acid chains, 1 glycerol, and 1 phosphate. Because of their structure, a phospholipid is semi-permeable. It will allow some substances in, but not others. Phospholipids are a critical part of each cell membrane in your body. A phospholipid is two layers deep. One layer allows water and gas through and the other layer only allows fats to permeate.

Liposomal Technology

"Lipo" is the Greek root for fat and "soma," means body. A liposome is a fatty body that delivers nutrients to cells. They are tiny packages constructed from phospholipids. Inside of each liposomal package is a therapeutic nutrient.

Liposomal encapsulation is cutting edge technology in the natural health industry. Because liposomes are phospholipids, they easily pass through your body's own phospholipid cell membranes. Once the liposomes pass through the cell membrane, they deliver their nutrient directly into the cell.

This process ensures that key nutrients make it through digestion and directly into cells. Without liposomal delivery, many nutrients go straight through the intestines and into the toilet. This is especially problematic with high doses of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C & Liposomes

Vitamin C has a host of benefits at high doses. Everything from diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, can be improved with Vitamin C supplementation. However, it can be very difficult to ingest high doses of Vitamin C on a regular basis. Diarrhea or loose bowels are an inconvenient side effect of too much Vitamin C at one time. Dr. Jockers estimates that only 20% of oral Vitamin C makes it into the bloodstream and cells. The remaining 80% is flushed out unused. What a waste of money!

Currently, liposomes are being studied for use in cancer therapy. Researchers are inserting cancer fighting drugs and nutrients into liposomes. Liposomal technology is also offering better absorption for important supplements like Vitamin C, glutathione, and curcumin.

Are liposomal nutrients worth the cost?

Some companies call their liposomal vitamins "lypo-spheric" nutrients. The process for creating liposomal and lypo-speric nutrients is exactly the same. Both liposomal and lypo-spheric nutrients are delivered in a phospholipid membrane.

There is a little sticker shock when shopping for liposomal nutrients. Most preparations will be at least twice as expensive as their non-liposomal counterpart. For example, a Vitamin C powder may cost anywhere from .30 cents to .55 cents per dose. While a liposomal Vitamin C will cost anywhere from .75 cents to $1.00 per dose.

As an informed consumer, you must keep in mind that liposomes allow the nutrient to be readily absorbed. Some suggest that a single dose of liposomal Vitamin C may be 8 times more absorbed than regular powdered Vitamin C.

Fad or Fantastic?

Liposomal nutrients are definitely not a fad. While it may seem more expensive at first glance, the absorption rate makes it a practical and economical choice for optimal health.

In preparation for my last installment of my 3-Part series, here's a short video explaining liposomal technology and how it really is cutting edge. Plus, the video includes a reminder that we've got a big announcement coming along with Part 3, which will be published next week!

For additional recipes, biohacking tips and lifestyle hacks -- check out my other blog on my coaching site www.cleancoachcarly.com! I post weekly about nutrition and lifestyle topics, all backed by science. Happy Reading!

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