Plasmalogens: The Hidden Lipids Your Cells Cannot Live Without
Every cell in your body relies on a class of lipids that most people—and even many physicians—have never heard of. Plasmalogens sit quietly in your membranes, protecting neurons, fueling cardiac tissue, and acting as sacrificial shields against oxidative attack. Yet their levels fall steadily with age, and that decline tracks disturbingly close to the onset of neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic dysfunction. Here is what science tells us about these remarkable molecules, why they matter, and what happens when they disappear.