Choline

Why choline is good for you

Choline is one of the B vitamin co-factors. It helps the B vitamins function more effectively.

Choline is called the “brain food”. It is necessary to make neurotransmitters which are crucial for healthy brain function (acetylcholine). It helps to make the fatty membranes of the brain cells (phospholipid). Choline works closely with vitamin H (biotin) and inositol as well as all the B vitamins to turn foods eaten into energy for the body.

Choline moves fats from the liver by metabolising them. Choline keeps fats from building up in the liver, thus preventing a “fatty liver”.

Important choline facts

• Choline isn’t a B vitamin, but it is a vital nutrient and B vitamin co-factor
• Choline must be obtained in the diet as the body cannot create enough of its own as it is needed for good health
• Choline works in complicated ways with folic acid and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) to make them work more effectively
• Some choline is found in all animal and plant foods, but the best sources are from foods that contain lecithin
• Choline is involved in a broad range of critical bodily functions across all stages in all age groups
• Adequate choline intake, to at least the recommended daily intake is required for a healthy liver function

Choline works best with

• Dimethyl glycine
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B12
• Folic acid
• Inositol
• Methionine

Choline and health

• Help for Alzheimer’s disease – people with Alzheimer’s Disease usually have low levels of acetylcholine, so there has been a great deal of research about choline and phosphatidylcholine, to determine how useful choline may be in in curing or preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cardiovascular disease – research indicates that even moderately elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood increases the risk of heart disease. Choline assists in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, a harmless (actually a very beneficial) amino acid, that is not a threat to heart health
• Cancer – in a study of rats, choline deficiency appeared to be associated with a higher degree of spontaneous liver cancer and increased sensitivity to carcinogenic chemicals. This could be most likely due to choline deficiency causing liver damage and increasing the likelihood of DNA damage through high homocysteine levels
• Cognitive functioning – studies show that eating foods rich in choline very early in life, diminished the severity of memory problems in aged rats
• Fatty liver disease – some studies show that there is a deficiency of choline in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Talk to a medical professional about choline supplements before taking them.

Groups at risk of choline deficiency

There are none reported.

Symptoms of choline deficiency

Deficiency of choline creates a condition called “fatty liver”, where fat stores on the liver are increased and the liver does not work efficiently as it gets damaged from the fat stores.

Deficiency of choline, while it can occur, is very rare, as most people get enough choline in their diet.

Choline in food

Choline recommended daily intake (RDI)

The tolerable upper limits should only be taken for short periods and only under medical supervision.

* The tolerable upper limit for choline for infants aged 0-12 months has not yet been determined due to a lack of data about the adverse effects in this age group. The only source of choline intake should be from food (breast milk and/or baby formula).

Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for choline

Choline is a relative non-toxic vitamin, except at exceedingly high doses.

Side effects at very high doses (above 10g) are:

• depression
• diarrhoea
• dizziness
• nausea
• salivation and
• a fishy smell

Precautions

• People with bipolar disorder and depression – should not use lecithin as it may worse then depressive stage of the illnesses
• People with any psychiatric condition – should get medical advice before taking lecithin

References

• Davies RA, et al. Hepatic oval cell response to the choline-deficient, methionine supplemented model of murine liver injury is attenuated by the administration of a cyclo-oxygenase 2 inhibitor. Carcinogenesis 2006,
• Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Pantothenic acid. Dietary Reference Intakes: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 1998:357-373
• Mellot TJ, et al. Prenatal choline availability modulates hippocampal and cerebral cortical gene expression. FASEB J. 2007 Jan 30;
• Office of Dietary Supplements USA – has the official USA RDI for all vitamins (these are also adopted by Australia), accessed 9 August 2005
• Osiecki, Henry, The Nutrient Bible 2002, BioConcepts Publishing
• Tedeschi D, et al. Increased choline signal coinciding with malignant degeneration of cerebral gliomas: a serial proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging study. Neurosurg Focsus 3 (5):Article 1, 1997
• Zeisel S – University of North Carolina. UNC research team identifies gene variant indicating women who need more choline in diet. News Release 499, October 2005. Accessed 9 October 2005

Last reviewed and updated: 9 May 2024