PPC: An Essential Building Block for Life and Wellness
By Karl-Josef Gundermann,Ph.D.

Like bricks of a wall, cellular membranes act as barriers to protect each cell and organ in the human body, maintaining cellular structure, function, and cooperation. Membranes are essential for life as cells, tissues, organs, and ultimately the entire organism cannot be formed without them. Without cellular membranes, life on earth would not be possible.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the predominant component in cellular membranes. It is estimated that the human liver alone consists of 300 billion liver cells, with a total cellular and sub-cellular surface area equal to approximately 355,000 square feet. With so much surface area requiring essential phosphatidylcholine for proper membrane function, it is no surprise that most people never have enough.

What makes Phosphatidylcholine special?
Phosphatidylcholine clearly plays a vital role in human life. Its role is even more important in the case of unhealthy lifestyles such as excess consumption of saturated fats, alcohol, and drugs, among others, which cause membrane damage. When cell membranes become rigid, function decreases, and health and wellbeing are replaced by disease. When membranes are damaged, PC is in high demand to help form, proliferate, restore, and regenerate cell membranes as well as to enhance membrane-dependent metabolism.

Despite phosphatidylcholine being consumed through our diet and synthesized within the body, there are fundamental reasons that one ought to provide his or her body with supplemented phosphatidylcholine. One reason is to conserve the energy typically used for the body's own production of PC; this saved energy can then be used to reduce stress in damaged areas or can be freed up for other tasks necessary to the healing process.

Another reason is that the two richest dietary sources of PC are egg yolks and liver, which are both high in potentially membrane-damaging saturated fats. Supplementation with purified Polyenyl-Phosphatidyl- Choline (PPC) provides the body with a preferred source of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine, responsible for making membranes more flexible and active, and hence more effective.

Over 1,000 experimental and clinical investigations clearly demonstrate that PPC and its primary active ingredient 1,2 dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) significantly improve membrane-dependent cellular and organ functions (i.e. enzyme activities). DLPC is quantitatively and qualitatively responsible for the superior therapeutic effects of purified phosphatidylcholine. Only purified PPC can deliver a bioavailable and therapeutic dose of DLPC, a superior building-block for life and total wellness.

How and Where PPC works

The Liver
The liver is the key biochemical factory in our body, responsible for most of the synthesis, metabolism, excretion and detoxification necessary to live. Chronic damage to the liver induces the formation of fibrous tissue, which can lead to cirrhosis. PPC's cell-protective effects have been corroborated in at least 140 pharmacological studies, with chemical substances, medication, alcohol, and radiation exposure overload being some of the case applications. More than 200 clinical trials have been conducted, showing an accelerated improvement or normalisation of subjective symptoms, clinical findings, biochemical functions, cell health (histology), and a shortened hospital stay.

The Blood Vessels
PPC positively influences various conditions related to the development and progression of atherosclerosis, such as lipoprotein alterations and free radical-induced lipid peroxidation. Other results include improved cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio, and a reduction in atherosclerotic plaque formation. Excessive blood clotting is also reduced, and blood flow properties and microcirculation are improved.

Memory
It is well known that low choline levels, deficiency in unsaturated fatty acids, and increased rigidity of neuronal membranes may influence metabolic processes and nerve function, leading to memory loss and disturbance in one's concentration; research shows long-term PPC use is beneficial to the brain with such problems.

Diabetes
Although PPC does not directly influence sugar levels, it protects pancreatic ß-cells (responsible for insulin secretion) against oxidative stress, acts as an anti-clotting agent, helps to treat the metabolic syndrome by improving lipid levels and delaying and inhibiting diabetes-associated vascular compromise, and improves clinical symptoms such as reduced walking distance and myocardial infarction.

Gastrointestinal Tract
Scientific research has been able to determine that PPC has an affinity for the gastric and intestinal mucosa, with a therapeutic effect on these tissues. There is a positive influence of PPC on local biochemical mediators, lipid peroxidation, and collagen deposition extending to the gastrointestinal tract. Studies show that PPC helps to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa against stress ulcer formation, NSAID-induced inflammation, and colitis.

PhosChol from Nutrasal, Inc. is a 100% purified source of PPC specially manufactured to consistently deliver the highest concentration of DLPC. Supplemented DLPC is a superior membrane therapeutic, an essential building block for life, and a necessary component for wellness.