Choline (/ˈkoʊlin/) is a water-soluble nutrient. It is usually grouped within the B-complex vitamins.
Contents
Uses
- Choline is used for liver disease, including chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. It is also used for depression, memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Huntington’s chorea, Tourette’s disease, a brain disorder called cerebellar ataxia, certain types ofseizures, and a mental condition called schizophrenia.
- Athletes use it for bodybuilding and delaying fatigue in endurance sports.
- Choline is taken by pregnant women to prevent neural tube defects in their babies and it is used as a supplement in infant formulas.
- Other uses include preventing cancer, lowering cholesterol, and controlling asthma.
Benefits
- Choline is a macronutrient that’s important for liver function, normal brain development, nerve function, muscle movement, supporting energy levels and maintaining a healthymetabolism. Choline is present in the form of phosphatidycholine, a compound that makes up the structural component of fat, and thus can be found in different types of foods that naturally contain certain fats. Choline plays a part in several important processes within the body that are carried out hundreds of times, every single day.
- Choline is a water soluble nutrient that is related to other vitamins, such as folate and those in the B vitamin complex family. Just like B vitamins, choline plays a similar role in terms of supporting energy and brain function, as well as keeping the metabolism active.
- What is choline most beneficial for? Choline helps in the process of methylation, which is used to create DNA, for nerve signaling, and for detoxification. It’s also important for the functioning of a key neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which similarly helps nerves to communicate and muscles to move, acts as an anti-aging neurotransmitter, and performs other basic processes.
- Choline is not actually considered a mineral or a vitamin, but is known to be an essential micronutrient needed for many functions of the body, especially for brain function. So while at this time there isn’t an official Daily Value Recommendation for Choline established by the USDA, it’s important to avoid a choline deficiency to help support various systems throughout the body, including the nervous, endocrine, digestive and reproductive systems.
Cautions
- Choline is LIKELY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth or given intravenously (by IV) in appropriate amounts.
- Taking high doses of choline by mouth is POSSIBLY UNSAFE for adults. Doses over the Daily Upper Intake Levels (see dosage section below) are more likely to cause side effects such as sweating, a fishy body odor, gastrointestinal distress, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- There is some concern that increasing dietary choline intake might increase the risk of cancer of the colon and rectum. One study found that women eating a diet that contains a lot of choline have an increased the risk of colon cancer. However, more research is still needed to determine the effects of diet on colon cancer.
Interactions
None are recorded.
Other names
Bitartre de Choline, Chlorure de Choline, Choline Bitartrate, Choline Chloride, Choline Citrate, Citrate de Choline, Colina, Facteur Lipotropique, Hydroxyde de Triméthylammonium (bêta-hydroxyéthyl), Intrachol, L-Choline, Lipotropic Factor, Methylated Phosphatidylethanolamine, Trimethylethanolamine, Triméthyléthanolamine, (beta-hydroxyethyl) Trimethylammonium hydroxide
References
WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-436-choline.aspx?activeingredientid=436&
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choline
Draxe.com, https://draxe.com/what-is-choline/