Not all supplements are created equal, and when it comes to liposomal vs not, the supplements that employ liposomal delivery are far superior. But why?
Let’s start with liposomes, and let’s keep it simple. Liposomes are essentially small cells (the scientific term is ‘vesicle’) made out of fat (cholesterol and natural, non-toxic phospholipids) that carry within them aqueous solutions (watery/containing water). Think of them like packages or parcels.
Then, let’s take a look at our digestive system and the gastrointestinal tract, which starts in our mouths. From the moment we start chewing, from our mouths to our large intestines, the food we consume undergoes various physical and chemical processes to be broken down into smaller and smaller parts so that we can digest it. We use the nutrients from the food we consume for energy, growth, and cellular repair. However, during the digestive process, we actually lose a remarkable amount of nutrients.
For example, a study conducted by the NIH (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Oral) showed that:
“Approximately 70% – 90% of vitamin C is absorbed at moderate intakes of 30–180 mg/day. However, at doses above 1g/day, absorption falls to less than 50% and absorbed, unmetabolized ascorbic acid is excreted in the urine”.
The idea behind liposomal delivery, then, is to increase the bioavailability of these nutrients - the rate at which they are absorbed - without being broken down by the digestive system. Liposomes, being tiny nanoparticles, can partially bypass the digestive system, so that some of its contents can be absorbed as early on as in the mouth. Its lipid structure also protects the nutrients it contains from the overly acidic and harsh stomach acid. Hence, liposomal delivery is a great way of delivering drugs and supplements to the body, and ensuring that our bodies get the most out of them.
Furthermore, since liposomes are embedded with special proteins, they can be biologically engineered to be directed towards specific parts of the body where the nutrients it contains are most needed; the embedded proteins attach to receptor proteins on the cell that is being targeted for delivery (say, a cancer cell), at which point the the liposome then bonds to that target cell and releases its contents into it (a nutrient, such as a vitamin or mineral).
It’s important to note that certain supplements - particularly glutathione, vitamin C, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Magnesium L-Threonate - are delivered far more effectively via liposomal delivery, so be sure to opt for the lipsomal version of these supplements.
Here are some of our suggested Liposomal supplements!
Cymbiotika Liposomal Creatine
Lypo-Spheric® Vitamin C
Cymbiotika Liposomal Glutathione
Cited:
- https://cymbiotika.com/blogs/news/what-is-liposomal-vitamin-c
- https://cymbiotika.com/pages/liposomes
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Oral vitamin C produces tissue,in the urine [4]
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works