The speed of your metabolism is the key to burning body fat. A faster metabolism enables the body to burn fat faster, which is why active children don't usually face weight issues. However, as we age our metabolism slows down and it becomes more difficult to keep the extra pounds off. The question is: what can be done to bring life back into a sluggish metabolism?

The liver is the key organ for fat metabolism. Surprised? The liver has many functions. It is the main organ for detoxifying the pollutants and chemicals in the body. It also serves as glycogen storage, plasma protein synthesis and bile production, which is important in digestion. Bile, by the way, is also key to metabolizing the fats that are stored in the liver; it converts these fats into energy for the body to use.

While the connections between the liver, fat metabolism and eventual weight loss may seem remote at first, you can see that the implementation of lecithin brings all of these elements together.

Liver's Role in Weight Loss

If you constantly struggle with weight gain, it can seem like an ongoing battle that spans a lifetime. You may endure yo-yo dieting, with your weight constantly going up and down. At the same time, you contend with a sluggish metabolism and unbridled cravings and in the end, nothing seems to work.

To be successful in weight loss, you need to address the root of the problem, rather than constantly trying to tackle the symptoms. A sluggish liver and congestion throughout the body will certainly lead to fatigue and malaise, but this is only part of the problem.

Your weight may be attributed to poor liver function. If your liver is in such poor health as to make it unable to perform its basic functions, it is quite likely that the condition will result in weight gain. Cellulite is a sign of excessive weight due to liver malfunction, as are water retention and extra inches around the abdomen.

Bile

Secreting bile is one of the liver's main functions. Known also as gall, bile is a complex, bitter tasting, greenish-yellow alkaline fluid. This fluid contains water, electrolytes, and a host of organic molecules including bile acids, bilirubin, cholesterol and phospholipids (lecithin). Bile is a critical element in digestion and crucial to the metabolism and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Many of the body's waste products are also excreted into the bile.

Lecithin is an important element of bile, acting as an emulsifier and antioxidant. It helps to disperse cholesterol and break it down into essential fatty acids. Lecithin has a phosphate group that makes it hydrophobic, allowing it to move away from water and the fluids surrounding molecules. It also has a lipophilic (fat-loving) head that moves toward the fats.

As a result, lecithin helps to stabilize the fatty acid molecules by forming a semi-permeable, lipophilic/hydrophobic ring around them. This emulsifying action helps to keep the bile stable and enables the liver to perform its many functions, including cholesterol breakdown and fat metabolism.

Losing Weight with Lecithin

Over the years, since scientists first discovered the role that lecithin plays in fat and cholesterol metabolism in the liver, many researchers have studied the connection between lecithin and weight loss. If lecithin really contributes to weight loss, what evidence was there to prove that there is indeed a connection between weight loss and lecithin?

Many of the studies that have been conducted are unreported, but one investigation has shown some bearing on the connection between lecithin and weight loss. In this particular study, choline was found to be a component of phosphatidylcholine, which is one of the many names that scientists use to refer to lecithin. Choline, an essential nutrient in the human body, is able to break cholesterol into small particles, allowing them to be easily handled by the digestive system. When you have a sufficient intake of lecithin, cholesterol is not able to build up within the walls of your veins and arteries.

It seems that the effect of lecithin on the liver can increase metabolism and, as a result, help you to shed extra pounds. You can find lecithin in many soy products, or take it as a supplement. Include lecithin in your healthy diet and exercise regime.

About the Author, Aldrich Cusens:

Contributor Aldrich Cusens contributes articles to numerous Internet magazines, on lifetime fitness and healthy living themes. Wellness business.

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