Why Empty Liposomes Matter
Why empty phosphatidylcholine liposomes may have biological activity of their own, and why that matters here
Empty liposomes are usually treated as neutral carriers that will greatly increase bioavailability of drugs and compounds.
e.g When researching Fiestin we learnt that from a 150 mg liposomal capsule, you can realistically expect somewhere between 90-140 mg actually absorbed (60-95% bioavailability), compared to maybe 3-10 mg from the same amount of regular non-liposomal fisetin in the same conditions
A 2021 paper by A.I. Soloviev argues that some empty phosphatidylcholine liposomes may also have biological activity of their own.
This section is educational only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The biological relevance discussed here is still emerging and should not be treated as settled clinical fact.
Simple summary
Liposomes are tiny bubble-like structures made from lipids similar to cell membranes.
They are usually discussed as vehicles that improve delivery.
The Soloviev paper argues that some empty liposomes are not fully inert.
In that paper, phosphatidylcholine liposomes appeared able to:
influence cell-membrane behaviour
help restore stressed blood-vessel function
affect specific membrane channels
change the local membrane environment after merging into cell membranes
The proposed mechanism is not that the empty liposome carries a classic drug payload.
It is that the liposome itself may alter membrane behaviour once it integrates into the membrane surface.
In this section
Why LIPOSENCE® stands out here
LIPOSENCE® is unusually relevant here because it is an empty liposomal base, not a pre-loaded formula.
That matters for a few reasons.
It is built from soy-derived phospholipids, with phosphatidylcholine as the main fraction.
It uses small liposomes, reported at under 200 nanometres.
It contains no active payload by default, so the membrane question can be considered separately from the ingredient question.
It also offers more flexibility than most finished liposomal supplements.
You can use it with either water-soluble or fat-soluble ingredients.
That makes it practical for small-batch personalised mixing.
It also fits the main theme of this page.
If empty phosphatidylcholine liposomes are biologically relevant in their own right, a phosphatidylcholine-rich empty liposome product is the clearest real-world example to examine.
LIPOSENCE® Sourcing note
MCS Formulas LIPOSENCE® is a one-of-a-kind product in this category.
Use the study support group's discount code abbey5 for 5% off MCS Formulas products.
Key studies and resources
Why do "empty" liposomes have their own biological activity? — A.I. Soloviev, 2021
New Developments in Liposomal Drug Delivery — Pattni, Chupin, Torchilin (2015)
Liposomes in Drug Delivery: How It All Happened — Gregoriadis (2016)
How Lipids Contribute to Ion Channel Function — Cordero-Morales and Vásquez (2018)
A thank-you note in the source document credits study group member Lesley for pointing Abbey toward the early empty-liposome and BKCa literature.
→ Back to How to Use Empty Liposomes
→ Next: Safety, Timing, and Stacking Cautions
This information is for education only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please speak with a qualified clinician before making changes to care, medication, or supplement use.
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