How do liposomes work and why do we need them?
Liposomes are tiny nanometer-sized fat globules (lipids) that can not even be seen under a microscope. They are so small (about 0,000,200 mm) that you need an electron microscope. In order to produce a liposome, a great deal of energy is required, along with the complex equipment required.
It has been found that liposomes are extremely effective carriers that can carry medicines and vitamins in the smallest amounts to their destination in our body. In contrast to the conventional oral administration of these vitamins or medicines, these, enclosed by the lipid mentioned, reach where our body needs them safely and without losses.
Liposomes and bioavailability
Our intestines, which are responsible for more than 80 percent of our immune system, can now absorb these liposomes with the enclosed (encapsulated) cargo and pass them on to our bloodstream. To be more precise, it is our intestinal villi, which can absorb such liposomes very well and which then go directly into our bloodstream. The liposomes therefore play a very important and effective carrier function, with which almost 100 percent usability can be achieved. This is also referred to as bioavailability. However, this bioavailability depends very much on the size of these liposomes. As mentioned above, these particles must not be too large and must be around 200 nanometers to ensure optimal bioavailability. More precisely between 150 nanometers and 250 nanometers or in other words 0,000,150 millimeters and 0,000,250 millimeters. This is the size that our intestinal villi can absorb best. Here is an infographic on how a liposome enters our body
Why are liposomes needed?
When taking vitamins, our organism can use them in very different ways, resp. the bioavailability is very different for the different vitamins. The bioavailability of vitamin C is very low. This means that our body can only use this vitamin very poorly if it is taken normally and orally. The usability (bioavailability) is only about 18%. This means that 82% of the vitamin C ingested is excreted by our body. In order to prevent this and to achieve better usability (bioavailability), we need the liposome. It acts as a carrier substance and can also withstand stomach acid without damage. As soon as it has passed from the intestinal villi into the bloodstream, the journey continues to our cells. Here another advantage comes into play. Our cell walls are made of the same material as our liposomes. The liposome then docks and then delivers its cargo (vitamin C) to these cells. The vitamin then reaches its destination undamaged and in full effectiveness, where it can then build up our immune system.
Certificate and measurement results – bioavailability
Interested parties can call up the technical data and measurement results for bioavailability here. These test results give an impression and explanation of why the particle size plays a decisive factor in the effectiveness.