Phosphatidylcholine: A Superior Protectant Against Liver Damage

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is one of the most important support nutrients for the liver. PC is a phospholipid, a large biological molecule that is a universal building block for cell membranes. A cell’s membranes are its essence: they regulate the vast majority of the activities that make up life. Most liver metabolism occurs on cell membranes, which occupy about 33,000 square meters in the human. More than 2 decades of clinical trials indicate that PC protects the liver against damage from alcoholism, pharmaceuticals, pollutant substances, viruses, and other toxic influences, most of which operate by damaging cell membranes. The human liver is confronted with tens of thousands of exogenous substances. The metabolism of these xenobiotics can result in the liver’s detoxicative enzymes producing reactive metabolites that attack the liver tissue. Dietary supplementation with PC (a minimum 800 mg daily, with meals) significantly speeds recovery of the liver. PC has also been shown to be effective against alcohol’s liver toxicity in wellcontrolled studies on baboons. PC has other qualities that enhance its usefulness as a dietary supplement. PC is safe, and is a safer means for dietary choline repletion than choline itself. PC is fully compatible with pharmaceuticals, and with other nutrients. PC is also highly bioavailable (about 90% of the administered amount is absorbed over 24 hours), and PC is an excellent emulsifier that enhances the bioavailability of nutrients with which it is coadministered. PC’s diverse benefits and proven safety indicate that it is a premier liver nutrient. (Alt Med Rev 1996;1(4):258-274)