Choline is a member of the B Vitamin family and is a water-soluble essential nutrient for the human body. It plays several important roles including maintaining the structure of cell membranes and improving cell signaling. It is also one of the few substances that can cross the blood-brain barrier to produce chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters.
The most important of these choline-based neurotransmitters is acetylcholine, the molecule responsible for memory. It is commonly recommended by natural health care practitioners for a variety of different therapeutic applications, including Fatty Liver, Cardiovascular Health, Depression, poor concentration, and neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Tardive Dyskinesia, and Parkinson’s disease.
Key Health Benefits Choline Has On Your Body
Choline's Advantageous Effects On Brain Health
One of the most important roles this vitamin plays in the body is its role in the brain. As mentioned above, it can form acetylcholine which supports memory. Because of this, insufficient amounts can affect memory. It also plays an integral role in the formation of the cell membranes of all the neurons in the body and the protective myelin sheath surrounding the peripheral nerves. These are the nerves that conduct messages from the brain to the muscles and organs of your body. Myelin performs a similar function to the insulation sheathing of electrical wires, preventing misfiring and “short-circuits”. If this protective sheath degenerates (as in Multiple Sclerosis), a “shorting out” of the message that the nerve is carrying occurs. Choline is often supplemented in place of Phosphatidylcholine to avoid gastrointestinal side effects when attempting to support these brain functions.
Choline's Role In Fat Metabolism
Choline is well known for its role as a fat emulsifier, which means that it helps to make fat dissolve in water. When fat can be soluble in water substances like our blood or body tissues, it can more easily be carried to the cells in our bodies. For this emulsifying function, this vitamin works best when combined with inositol. Choline also helps to regulate fat metabolism both for storage and for its use. It also helps to regulate cholesterol metabolism in the liver and gallbladder, breaking them down into smaller particles, which makes it easier for your body to reduce the accumulation. For more information on these functions, please see our High Cholesterol article.
Choline's Advantages For Heart Health
It helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the body and also helps to reduce homocysteine. Homocysteine is a pro-inflammatory marker molecule that is associated with many different diseases in humans, including cardiovascular disease and Arteriosclerosis. Preventing high levels of homocysteine in the body can help to prevent the development of disease. Once a disease is established, altering homocysteine has little effect. Because of this, choline will be most beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.
Choline's Role in Hormone Production
Since healthy fats play a large role in hormone formation, choline can also help to optimize hormone levels in both men and women. Pregnancy is a time when choline demands in the body are greatest. It is important that pregnant women ingest sufficient amounts of this vitamin to meet their newfound requirements. This is especially true during the 3rd trimester when the fetal brain is developing and requires sufficient choline for cell membranes and acetylcholine production. This need continues after birth, and new mothers should continue taking higher levels of this supplement while breastfeeding to help further support brain growth in the infant.
Understanding B Vitamin Co-Supplementation
All of the B vitamins work together in the body and are best taken in a B complex, which is why many B complex supplements include a small dose of choline in them. If additional supplementation of choline is needed, it should be combined with a good B complex to maintain balance in the body. Choline also works quite well with inositol for fat metabolism, and they are commonly paired in combination supplements.
Symptoms of Choline Deficiency
The most common signs of choline deficiency are Fatty Liver Disease and kidney failure. Diets low in natural choline can also cause infertility, stunted growth, bone abnormalities, neurological disorders, and hypertension. Certain groups of people are at risk for deficiency of choline, including but not limited to vegetarians, vegans, endurance athletes, and chronic alcoholics. Oral contraceptives, estrogen, sulfa drugs, food processing and alcohol also all deplete choline levels in the body. If any of these affect you, it is a good idea to increase choline in your diet or with supplementation.
Top Nutritional Sources of Choline
There are several foods rich in choline such as egg yolks, legumes, meat, milk, soybeans and whole grains. In supplemental form, choline can be found in capsules or tablets, and often in complex with other B vitamins. Most B vitamins are water-soluble and any unused excess is flushed out of the body easily. Because of this, it is generally best to take lower dosages of the B complex several times a day, rather than one large dose. Lecithin is 13% choline by weight and may be used as a source for supplementation as an alternative to choline tablets or powder. The recommended supplemental dose of choline is between 500 and 1000mg daily, although it can vary widely depending on dietary intake.
