Why I Love Cell Membranes (and Why You Should Too)!

Let me start off by saying, I am a nerd and I know it.  There, I got that out.  Now, onto the cell membranes.  

You may recall from 8^th grade biology that the nucleus is the “brain” of the cell.  The reason this is taught is mainly because the DNA is stored in the nucleus.  It’s a fair point as it is your DNA that makes you, you.

I would posit; however, that it is the cell membrane the real hero and brains of the operation.  Why?…

What does the cell membrane do?

The cell membrane is a thin wall that lines the outside of the cell.  You can think of it as the “skin” of the cell.  Like a well-trained bodyguard, it decides what gets into and out of the cell.¹  All the work of the cell is dependent on certain nutrients being allowed in and certain trash/toxins being taken out.  

You may also recall learning about the mitochondria, the organelle who creates energy.  If it doesn’t get CoQ10, vitamin C, zinc and B vitamins, to name a few, it can’t create energy for you.²  Again, it is the cell membrane who dictates if these nutrients are allowed in or not.³  

Bottom line- You need healthy cell membranes to be able to have proper cell communication with the brain…so basically, these membranes play a role in every function of the body!

But of course, the decisions of the cell membrane in terms of what does or does not get inside the cell isn’t random or arbitrary.  It is dependent on the health of the membrane…

What do your cell membranes need to be healthy?

You may have heard that the cell membrane is made of a “phospholipid bilayer”.  That means that it’s made of a mineral (phosphorus), fat (lipids) and it’s 2 layers (bi).  Eating a healthy whole food plant diet is an excellent way to support good membrane health.  

For optimal function, cell membranes need:

• Vitamin E- protects cell membranes from oxidative stress⁴
• Choline- helps with structural integrity as well as signaling for neurotransmitters⁵
• Essential fatty acids- these fats make up the lipid portion of the cell membranes⁶…they help to control communication between cells and also keeps membrane flexible⁷
• CoQ10- similar to vitamin E, CoQ10 is a vitamin that helps to protect cells from oxidative damage⁸

What damages cell membranes?

The other side of that coin is equally important to understand so you can prevent damage to the cell membranes in the first place.  Although there are nutrients that can help protect from the damage, the ideal way to live is to reduce the damage in the first place.  

Here are some of the main enemies of healthy cell membranes:

• EMF (electromagnetic fields)- Harmful EMFs from cell phones and other electronics increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) which cause a breakdown of the membranes⁹
• Poor diet/Nutritional deficiencies- several key nutrients are needed in proper doses for healthy cell membranes¹⁰
• Toxins- mechanical, chemicals (pesticides), etc.- a high toxin load can over burden the protective mechanisms built into a cell membrane causing damage¹¹
• Infections (virus, bacteria, parasites, etc.)- various pathogens, such as a virus for example can attach itself to cell walls and eventually damage the cells completely¹¹

How can know if your cell membranes are damaged?  

There are two main ways to gather this information.  

First, if you have spent years doing the things that damage them (from the list above), you can deduce with a good degree of certainty, that your cell membranes are compromised.  EMF exposure, poor diet (high in sugar and processed foods, lacking in minerals and essential fats), toxic exposure (non-organic food, synthetic personal care products, unnatural household cleaners, etc.), it’s safe to say your cell membranes are crying out for help.  

The other way is through micronutrient testing.  This can show you what nutrients you are deficient in and give you a better understanding of how to specifically supplement to support them.  Please keep in mind though, even if you know exactly what supplements to take and how much, no supplement will take the place of lifestyle changes that are needed to be healthy.  

How can you restore the integrity of your cell membranes?

1. Stop doing things that harm your cells (see above).  
2. For specific help, get a micronutrient test so you know exactly what you need
3. Supplement with cell resonate supplementation such as:
   1. Membrane Mend
   2. Pure PC (choline)
   3. Omega 3’s (DHA+D, DHA+E, EFA oil, EPA/DHA Marine Liquid and Softgels, DHA caps)
   4. Deltanol (vitamin E)
   5. CoQ10 

Don’t wait for a major problem.  Get proactive about your health.  If you don’t feel incredible, make some changes.  If you don’t want to do it alone, we’d love to help you!

References:

1. Yang NJ, Hinner MJ. Getting across the cell membrane: an overview for small molecules, peptides, and proteins. Methods Mol Biol. Published online 2015. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2272-7_3

2. Rodríguez-Cano AM, Calzada-Mendoza CC, Estrada-Gutierrez G, Mendoza-Ortega JA, Perichart-Perera O. Nutrients, mitochondrial function and perinatal health. Nutrients. Published online 2020. doi:10.3390/nu12072166

3. Gatenby RA. The role of cell membrane information reception, processing, and communication in the structure and function of multicellular tissue. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(15). doi:10.3390/ijms20153609

4. Böhm V. Vitamin E. Antioxidants. 2018;7(3). doi:10.3390/ANTIOX7030044

5. Sanders LM, Zeisel SH. Choline: Dietary requirements and role in brain development. Nutr Today. 2007;42(4). doi:10.1097/01.NT.0000286155.55343.fa

6. De Carvalho CCCR, Caramujo MJ. The various roles of fatty acids. Molecules. 2018;23(10). doi:10.3390/molecules23102583

7. Surette ME. The science behind dietary omega-3 fatty acids. CMAJ Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2008;178(2). doi:10.1503/cmaj.071356

8. Santoro MM. The Antioxidant Role of Non-mitochondrial CoQ10: Mystery Solved! Cell Metab. 2020;31(1). doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.12.007

9. Kivrak E, Yurt K, Kaplan A, Alkan I, Altun G. Effects of electromagnetic fields exposure on the antioxidant defense system. J Microsc Ultrastruct. 2017;5(4). doi:10.1016/j.jmau.2017.07.003

10. Gimenez MS, Oliveros LB, Gomez NN. Nutritional deficiencies and phospholipid metabolism. Int J Mol Sci. 2011;12(4). doi:10.3390/ijms12042408

11. Ammendolia DA, Bement WM, Brumell JH. Plasma membrane integrity: implications for health and disease. BMC Biol. 2021;19(1). doi:10.1186/s12915-021-00972-y

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.