As a functional nutritionist, I am all about restoring balance in the body. Addressing imbalances and resolving chronic issues begins with a deep exploration of your health history, personalized testing, and education.

Although the many functions and chemical processes that occur in the body can be hard to understand, it is important to know some of the ways its inner workings support our overall health. When we become more aware of what happens behind the scenes, we become better advocates for our health, are able to communicate when things are off, and get to the root cause of symptoms.

One of the foundational elements of our well-being revolves around the health of our cells. Diving into this week’s blog, I’m discussing the fundamental structure of cells: phospholipids.

What are Phospholipids?

Phospholipids are responsible for a cell’s structure, transportation, and signaling between one another, and with 30 to 40 billion estimated cells in the human body, it’s safe to say that phospholipids are essential for life. Our bodies naturally produce phospholipids, but we can also obtain them from our diets.

Phospholipid Chemistry and Biology Crash Course

It’s hard to accurately explain phospholipids and their role in the body without doing a brief science lesson. Phospholipids are a sub-category within lipids (fatty compounds that support a variety of functions in the body) due to their similar structure. Phospholipids are composed of a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid chains, and a phosphate head group. The phosphate head is hydrophilic, meaning it loves water, while the two fatty acid chains are water-repelling. While attached to a glycerol backbone, the head and the tail of a phospholipid form a bilayer (double-layered) that creates the foundation of a cell membrane, a thin barrier that separates the inside of a cell from its outside environment.

Think of the head and the tail as protection for your cells! They attach to the membrane to ensure the “good” stuff within the cell stays in and the “bad” stuff stays out.

**Different Types of Phospholipids**

Some of the major phospholipids include **phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylinositol (PI)**. Although their names may sound intimidating, it’s only important to know that each one is situated differently in the cell and therefore supports different functions, organs, and tissues in our bodies.
**Phosphatidylcholine (PC)**
PC is the main phospholipid on the cell membrane, and it accounts for approximately 50% of the phospholipid concentration in a cell. It supports liver function and brain health. PC is located on the outer portion of the membrane.
**Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)**
Located on the inner portion of the cell membrane, PE can amount to 20% of liver phospholipids and as much as 45% in the brain.

Phosphatidylinositol (PI)

Located on the inner membrane, PI supports neurotransmission, the transfer of signals from one neuron to another, and the brain.

Neurons (nerve cells) are located all over the body, with the highest concentrations in the brain and spinal cord. With different types of neurons (motor, sensory, and interneurons), they allow information to be transmitted to our muscles, enable our senses, and act as helpers for more chemical signals to occur. Neurons are constantly firing in order to support our daily lives.

There are other phospholipid types, but these are the most commonly found on the cell membrane!

How Phospholipids are Affected By Aging

As we age, phospholipid levels decline. This is especially prominent in brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. In a 2021 study, researchers found that in healthy individuals aged 80 to 90, phospholipid levels declined 10-20%. In the same study, scientists reported that cellular membrane structures and functions become disturbed when phospholipid composition changes, resulting in less cell-cell communication.

Foods High in Phospholipids

Like I mentioned above, our bodies naturally produce phospholipids, but there are foods that are rich in these types of lipids. Dietary phospholipids also play a role in cell membrane support as well as enhanced cognitive function, nutrition absorption, and can even have anti-inflammatory effects.

Eggs
Milk
Animal liver and kidneys
Seafood such as salmon, tuna, sardines
Soy products such as soy milk, tofu, edamame
Peanuts and peanut butter
Almonds, therefore, almond milk

One of the phospholipid supplements I recommend is BodyBio’s Phospholipid Complex.

A study review published in 2012 reported that dietary phospholipids (sources being soy, egg yolk, milk, and marine) have a positive impact on many diseases, without any side effects. Researchers discovered that these foods alone interacted with the cellular membranes and changed their compositions, influencing many signaling processes and other activities in a beneficial way. Scientists even recommended glycerophospholipids (a type of phospholipid) as a prevention strategy among healthy people.