True or False: Liposomal Supplements Are Way Better For You

Liposomal supplements are often marketed as a more bioavailable and effective form and therefore as a better option to get the most out of a supplement. However, this idea is based on misconceptions and inaccuracies often spun as a marketing strategy.

Liposomal supplements are often promoted as more bioavailable and therefore superior, but this claim is based on misconceptions and inaccuracies, spun as a marketing strategy.

Liposomes are nano-sized vesicles that can retain and carry compounds within their structure. The rationale for using liposomes is that they protect their content from degradation by stomach acid, bile acids, and enzymes, enhance compound stability, and facilitate the intestinal absorption and tissue delivery of the compounds they carry.

However, this is not necessarily true. Liposomes can vary widely in their composition and, consequently, their properties, such as size and stability. All of these can influence how well they resist degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, how well they’re absorbed, how long they remain intact in circulation, and ultimately how effective they are at delivering compounds to tissues.

Liposomes used in clinical research and the pharmaceutical industry for drug delivery are elaborate structures specifically designed to resist degradation in the GI tract and for prolonged circulation, targeted delivery, and controlled release; they are regulated and their efficacy must be validated by research. The extensive research and development process makes them quite expensive. 

Conventional liposomes used for supplements, on the other hand, are usually the simplest version and therefore less stable and more prone to degradation. This means they may not even resist degradation in the GI tract or make it through the intestinal epithelium into the blood. And even if they make it to circulation, conventional liposomes are quickly eliminated from the bloodstream, which limits their ability to reach target tissues.

There’s no criteria for what the term liposome means when used for dietary supplements. While it almost always means something is being done to coat or enclose ingredients (or entire formulas) in phospholipids, the delivery technology involved in doing this can vary. In other words, all liposomes are not created equal.

Another misconception is that enhanced bioavailability equals enhanced efficacy, which is also not true. Bioavailability refers to the fraction of a compound that reaches the systemic circulation following ingestion. This is not a measure of efficacy. Reaching systemic circulation does not mean that the supplement reaches target tissues as it may be quickly eliminated or metabolized and never get to exert a biological action. Efficacy manifests in effects and outcomes.

Furthermore, low bioavailability may actually contribute to the efficacy of certain compounds. For example, a systemic effect may be an indirect consequence of an interaction with the gut microbiome, so it may be desirable for a compound to linger in the gut unabsorbed.* 

So even when a liposome is able to enhance bioavailability, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will make the compound more effective. If the main claim for a liposomal supplement is better bioavailability, the fact is that it may not make any difference. You need evidence of efficacy.

This is not to say that it is impossible for a liposomal supplement to be a good option for the outcome you’re looking for. But the only way to know for sure is if there is robust research showing it is. It has been our experience that, more often than not, there is no clear evidence that a liposomal supplement is effective. Using liposomal forms of an ingredient or making an entire product as liposomal is often just a marketing device. 

Another thing to be aware of about liposomes used for supplements is that they are not subjected to strict regulatory control in the US. This often means that the amount of a compound they claim to carry cannot be properly measured and validated. And most importantly, the safety of nanoparticles such as liposomes has not been fully established. In fact, there is evidence that liposomes may be recognized as foreign bodies by the immune system and trigger immune responses.* 

So our answer is: false, liposomal supplements are not way better for you. 

At Qualia Life, when we evaluate ingredients, we do so on a case-by-case basis. There are times when a specific ingredient, using a bioavailability-enhancing technology such as liposomes, will outperform non-liposomal forms for an actual outcome we care about like cognitive performance. This gets our attention. There are other times—and this is very common—where a liposomal form of an ingredient may have a bioavailability study, but lacks evidence it works as well or better than a non-liposomal form for any outcomes. Remember, increased bioavailability does not always equal better outcomes; better outcomes = better outcomes. Lastly, there are times—and this is by far the most common thing we encounter—when the term liposome is used for ingredients or entire formulations and there’s no evidence for either efficacy or bioavailability.  

Here are some questions you should always ask when you’re considering buying a liposomal supplement:

Is it validated? Do you know for sure what it contains?

Is there research showing efficacy? 

Is it effective for the outcome you’re looking for? 

Is it more effective than other forms? Is it worth the higher price?

The Science of Magnesium, Magnified

It’s not just the amount of magnesium that goes in your mouth that matters: it’s what gets to your cells. Some forms of magnesium do better than others when it comes to optimizing magnesium in different tissues. We selected the nine forms of magnesium and 70+ minerals found in QUALIA MAGNESIUM+ with this idea in mind*. Experience the science of magnesium, magnified. Shop QUALIA MAGNESIUM+ now.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.