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Lecithin or Omega 3 ? Difference ?

daniariete2000

Senior Member
Messages
118
Hi,

I know Lecithin and Omega 3 are either good for cell membrane, but there are any particular difference on us or we can choose during a methilation protocol ?

Thanks

Daniele
 

caledonia

Senior Member
I only remember seeing lecithin (phosphatidyl serine/choline etc.) recommended on methylation protocols. However, I'm also taking fairly high dose fish oil. I started lecithin, which was ok, then after a few weeks, I only tolerated a smaller and smaller amount until I didn't tolerate it at all - it made me feel revved up.

I wonder if this is because I was also taking fish oil, and they both have the same function?
 

Star-Anise

Senior Member
Messages
218
caledonia

I only tolerated a smaller and smaller amount until I didn't tolerate it at all - it made me feel revved up.

I wonder if this was from the choline (one main components of lecithin) & as per wikipedia choline can act as: a methyl donor (via betaine), acetylcholine precursor (via choline), or phospholipid precursor (via phosphocholine and phosphatidylcholine)
I could see either the methyl pathway or especially the acetylcholine pathway leading to agitation if overstimulated...

All I know is that my body loves honey, and I have seemed drawn to bee pollen. Methylation is proceeding quite rapidly for me, and I've been having those potassium drops that everyone seems to experience. I'm supplementing with elemental and dietary potassium of course, but seem to be drawn to some kind of lipid support, but like the original poster, am confused as to what product to use.

caledonia what is your favourite brand of fish oil support? Are you concerned about any heavy metals or mercury contamination in the fish oil?

Thanks so much for your response in advance :)
 

caledonia

Senior Member
caledonia what is your favourite brand of fish oil support? Are you concerned about any heavy metals or mercury contamination in the fish oil?

Sears Omega Rx - pharmaceutical grade, so no chance of metals, twice the EPA and DHA of other brands. Kind of pricy, but it works so well - I get the liquid instead of capsules and have signed up for Autoship for a further discount. My BF really likes it too for his arthritis/trigger fingers - no symptoms if he keeps up with his fish oil.
 

sregan

Senior Member
Messages
703
Location
Southeast
Hey, was wondering if there is a danger in starting SMP and not taking something like Lecithin??? There must be a good reason it's on Rich's short list? Was wondering if one could cause oneself damage by cranking up methylation and NOT taking it?
 

Star-Anise

Senior Member
Messages
218
sregan
Hey there, all I know is that I recently added it in, and I think that it would have been too much if I had added it in earlier. I find it quite stimulating. And I find if I take too much of something stimulating it burns me out and net result is increased fatigue. I have been trying Sunflower lecithin from NOW foods, & I have to open up the capsule & squeeze just a bit out at at time. But I have found just the small amount to be really, really beneficial. I found it has helped to gently stabilize my mood, and seems to be helping with gut healing.
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
I'm going to give both lecithin and pantethine a try, as I've been having difficulties eating anything that might have a 'normal' level of fat, especially saturated fat. Lecithin is supposed to help with arterial plaque, and pantethine is shown to help raise good cholesterol and lower bad, and also lower triglycerides.

And I'm wondering if pantethine or pantothenic acid is one of the missing links re my lousy krebs' cycle issues. It wasn't noted on the NutrEval report, but then again a lot of things seemed to be missing on that.

Also am going to try 'Swedish Bitters', to help stimulate my lousy digestion. Hoping it will help my (possibly) stagnant liver and gallbladder function, not to mention it's affects on stomach acid production.
 

Star-Anise

Senior Member
Messages
218
@dannybex Hi there! for what it's worth, I seemed to be having similar stuff going on. Lousy digestion, stagnant liver/gallbladder function, fatigue after eating, stomach acid problems.... so on:) I haven't had NutrEval report, but I am quiet sure that Kreb's is where I was breaking too.
What I have found helped:
a) sunflower lecithin - i still can't take a whole tablet (1200 mg, sunflower lecithin). I just open it up & squeeze some out & take it orally 1-3 times per day depending on how I'm feeling. If it take too much it's over stimulating, and I have noticed a pattern with me that too much of over-stimulation leads to fatigue. It's such a delicate balance with my brain. I'm sure it's related to global neurotransmiter dysfunction, perhaps glutamate sensitivity, but I won't go on...
b) I have started B5 (pantothenic acid) lately, and it has really helped. Not in the way of "wow this is a miracle cure", but more subtle & gradual energy sustainability.

C) Food Combining. I was thinking of trying Swedish Bitters too, but I was worry about potential sulfur problems with some of the ingredients. I am one of those that really benefited from following the CBS recommendations made by Yasko. I was having such huge fatigue after meals until I started following food combining principles. I eat meat/fat by itself, separate by at least a few hours from fruit (only eaten alone), & my starches/fat. I basically am following the diet outlined in:
Get Well with the Hay Diet: Food Combining & Good Health by Habgood, Jackie

D) I also found that IV vitamin C treatments through my naturopath helped immensely with liver function. She has also been putting some B1, and we are going to try B5 and B2 through IV as well. She said that IV vitamin C is a classic treatment for hepatitis (liver inflammation) and WOW I was so uber impressed with the improved hormone metabolism, increased energy and clarity of thought following treatment.

I've been having difficulties eating anything that might have a 'normal' level of fat, especially saturated fat.
What happens for you? I was diagnosed with a 2.5 cm gallstone a few years back, and have been focused on improving digestion since then... In addition to above, I have found that digestive enzymes are really helpful, but only certain ones. I don't seem to tolerate any HCl. My favorite is from AOR & has pancreatin which seems to be really beneficial due to my reduced pancreas function (I have severe hypoglycemia). I used to as well use Bile Salts, which helped @ time (but they are too stimulating now). Lastly, I seem to benefit from fresh lemon juice squeezed on just about everything I eat, but this is only after I can now tolerate citrus. At beginning of my recovery any small amount of citrus caused so much fatigue! :)

For the Kreb's specific stuff, Dr. Y recommends Vitamin K, and Lactoferrin, both of which I have found helped (more subtle). When I first started taking citrate formed minerals I found that they also helped too, especially magnesium citrate.
All the best,
 

ahmo

Senior Member
Messages
4,805
Location
Northcoast NSW, Australia
dannybex, I've had excellent results with chanca piedra, South American herb also known as 'breakstone'. I originally started it for severe gall bladder pains...worked a charm. Now use it for liver. When I'm having a hard time, detoxxing, I self-test for more, and it helps. Generally just on 1 cap/day now. Available at iherb. cheers, ahmo
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Hi Star-Anise and Ahmo,

Thanks for your replies. I haven't tried chaca piedra, in fact, I've had to avoid most herbs as I have a salicylate intolerance/sensitivity issue that I'm finally just starting to really take seriously. (Salicylates and phenols can screw up the krebs cycle, adrenal function, etc., big time if one has eaten too-high sals for many years.) But I figured a small amount of 'Swedish bitters' tincture is worth a shot…after the doc recommended it, and after reading up on it.

I don't have gallstones, don't have any pain in that area, in fact any pain or tightness is on my left side, but it's always been over the gallbladder (and some liver) meridian acupuncture points. I used to go to a low-cost acupuncture clinic for years, and they would always end up needling those points and I'd walk out feeling almost normal. The clinic closed just after I was getting worse (due to high sals and too high methylation supps), and here we are…

Star-Anise, I haven't tried the food combining thing yet…have read things both pro and con…but I do take (for years now) hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes and will try to 'up' those if I can afford it. I guess since my digestion is so slow (stomach takes hours to empty, even with the HCL, etc) that eating proteins at one meal, then waiting and eating carbs, etc., at another, would be impossible…but perhaps not. Will see if the 'bitters' help. :)

Also, am going to try and really address all the co-factors that go into making the krebs' cycle work better, as "Catseye" did 4-5 years ago now which gave her a substantial improvement, even before she dealt with mercury. I know I'm missing quite a few krebs factors…seems like each time I read about it I find new things. !!!

(I'd kill for some IV sessions…maybe if I win the lotto…or WHEN I win the lotto…haha. That's great that you are able to do that Star-Anise.)
 

Star-Anise

Senior Member
Messages
218
@dannybex

I don't have gallstones, don't have any pain in that area, in fact any pain or tightness is on my left side, but it's always been over the gallbladder (and some liver) meridian acupuncture points. I used to go to a low-cost acupuncture clinic for years, and they would always end up needling those points and I'd walk out feeling almost normal.
I'm not an expert by no means in Chinese medicine, but I know for me those gallbladder points are always the sensitive ones too. My acupunturist I think explained that it can be the spillover from the liver meridians. It's so good that you don't have identified gallstones or any pain in that area. Your sals sensitivity speaks to me re: weak liver too. I know the IV tx and increased vitamin Bs really helped my liver. I am due for another IV though, cuz I can feel it getting sluggish. Things just don't process it enough. Another thing that I forgot to mention that I did when my liver/gallbladder was really really sluggish is the Dr. Hulda epsom salt cleanse. It's highly purgative, and it can deplete energy as well as invigorate energy, so I would imagine that one would have to be strong enough to do it. But I think it really helped me. I did it like 4 times over the course of 1.5 years.
re: food combing - I found that before I started food combining that things would just sit in my stomach for hours as well, but once I just started eating the starches separate from the proteins things seem to go through me faster too. The big one for me is fruit. It is a no go. I used to crave sweet after meals (spleen weakness in Chinese medicine) & so I would eat a meal & then eat fruit to ease sweet craving afterwards, and energy would CRASH. Don't get me wrong, food combining is a huge pain in the a**, but it has really helped me. Major game changer. As well, if you have someone that could teach you to do moxa - there are some simple points that you could do on your own that I found helpful to stimulate my digestion when it was really bad. I also found a huge increase in my energy when I would eat smaller meals. If I eat too much at once, whether it be good food combining or not, my energy will dip. And, I try to time my meals, so I am not having a big noon meal, and even a smaller breakfast if my energy is low (i.e. fruit only). I couldn't do this when my hypoglycemia was rampant, but I find that my digestion is best for supper, and will eat my larger meal in the evening... but I'm sure everyone has their peak digestion times, this is just what works for me....

Good suggestion about cofactors. Maybe I'll revisit that too. I was looking into it as well, but then got sidetracked with focusing on methylation specific supps, and de-mercury-ing myself.
 

daniariete2000

Senior Member
Messages
118
But does Lecithin (expecially sunflower) contein Omega 3 or only Omega 6 ? And how much omega 3 can I have in a 1200 mg cap of sunflower Lecithin ?

Thanks