Choline benefit - Choline
supplement study results
Choline, found in foods as varied as liver, beef,
eggs, ice cream and chocolate, plays an important role in the formation of cell
membranes -- the outer sheath that keeps cells intact. In addition, the nutrient
is a building block for the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine and other chemical
messengers in the brain.
You can find choline in an excellent doctor-formulated
multivitamin product.
Choline Bitartrate,
Physician Formulas by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
FREE Diet Rx Bottle
High Quality products formulated by a
medical doctor
Mind Power Rx
with choline for better
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Rx for better sleep; Eyesight
Rx for better vision, often within days; MultiVit
Rx, a daily comprehensive multivitamin for more energy and
vitality; Joint Power Rx
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for sexual enhancement, better libido, and improved performance and stamina in men and women.
Choline benefit
Choline
is an essential nutrient required by the body to make several important compounds necessary for
healthy cell membranes.
Choline helps form phosphatidylcholine, the
primary phospholipid of cell membranes. Choline is also the precursor to acetylcholine,
one of the important brain chemicals involved in memory. This nutrient, usually as part of
phosphatidylcholine, is widely available in a number of foods, particularly eggs, fish,
legumes, nuts, and meats and vegetables, as well as in human breast milk. Dietary intake
of choline ranges from 300 to 900 mg a day. Most individuals who have a normal diet are
not deficient in choline. The importance of choline was emphasized in 1998 when the
National Academy of Sciences classified it as an essential nutrient. In the past, it was
thought that the human body made adequate amounts when needed. However, a study by Dr.
Steven Zeisel, from the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, demonstrated that volunteers on a choline deficient diet were not able to
produce enough of this nutrient. A major use of choline in the body is the formation of betaine, an
important methyl donor.
Although humans require dietary choline for methyl donation,
membrane function, and neurotransmission, choline can also be derived from the
de novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine.
Choline studies
Several studies have been done administering choline to humans in order to
evaluate memory function. The results have been mixed with some showing positive
results (Sitaran 1978) while others indicating no improvement (Mohs 1980).
Choline has also been tested in bipolar disorder, also known as
manic-depression. When six patients already on lithium were given choline
bitartrate, five of them had a substantial reduction in manic symptoms (see
study at bottom of page). We are not aware of specific human
studies regarding the role of choline in
erectile
dysfunction as of September 2007.
Choline Side effects
A common side effect of choline ingestion is increased body temperature and
sweating. Nausea
and loss of appetite can result from very high doses. Most people notice having more focus and being
more alert. A positive side effect is that choline helps with erections.
Choline and Pregnancy
Choline deficiency
Some men and women who consume the recommended daily amount of choline may still
develop an insufficiency and experience liver dysfunction as a result. Dr.
Kerry-Ann da Costa, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, believes
some people may need more than the recommended amount of choline for optimal
health. The study included 57 healthy adults -- 26 men, 16 premenopausal women
and 15 postmenopausal women - who consumed a daily diet consisting of 550
milligrams of choline for the first 10 days. The subjects were then put on a
diet for up to 42 days that contained less than 50 milligrams of choline, and
were also randomly assigned to received folic acid supplements or no folic acid
supplements. By the end of the study, 39 participants, including more than three
quarters of the men and postmenopausal women, showed signs of liver dysfunction.
Pre-menopausal women appeared to be less affected by the choline deprivation,
however, with only 44 percent exhibiting liver dysfunction. Folic acid did not
appear to influence the subjects' susceptibility to choline deficiency. Dr.
Steven H. Zeisel, also of UNC at Chapel Hill, explained that "evolution designed
women" so choline levels wouldn't get too low. Pre-menopausal women's "ability
to make it from scratch is turned on by estrogen," he continued. However, men
and post-menopausal women don't have enough estrogen to do this. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2007.
Choline and phospholipids
Like omega-3 fatty acids, phospholipids are also important for optimal brain
health. As the name implies, phospholipids are made of the combination of lipids
(fats) and the mineral phosphorus. Phospholipids are found in high
concentrations in the lining of practically every cell of the body, including
brain cells. They help brain cells communicate and influence how well receptors
function. Although present in many foods, phospholipids are found in higher
concentrations in soy, eggs and the brain tissue of animals. There may actually
be a biochemical rational for the folk wisdom that says eating brain makes one
smarter. The two most common phospholipid supplements sold over the counter are
phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine. Phosphatidylcholine is also known as
lecithin. This chapter explains the role and function of phospholipids, their
clinical effects, and practical recommendations for or against supplementation.
What Benefits Do Choline and Phospholipids Provide?
Individuals who don’t have a good dietary intake of phospholipids may find
that taking these nutrients leads to an improvement in learning and memory. Most
young and healthy people who take phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine are
not likely to notice any significant changes, although supplements could help
some seniors. The effects from choline, and its cousin CDP-choline, are more
noticeable.
Which Conditions Can Choline and Phospholipids Benefit?
The clinical application of these nutrients has not yet been fully
evaluated, but scientists have studied their role in age related cognitive
decline (ARCD), Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. No firm
conclusions are yet available as to whether phosphatidylserine and
phosphatidylcholine help these conditions. Choline and CDP-choline could
potentially be beneficial in ARCD and Alzheimer’s disease.
Choline for infants
Giving choline to babies whose mothers drank too much alcohol while
pregnant might help overcome some of their resulting deficits. A team at San
Diego State University tested 170 rats, giving their pregnant mothers alcohol
before they were born and then giving some of the pups choline after birth. As
expected, the newborn rats were overactive and had learning problems. But they
improved when given choline. Choline helps brain cells develop, and the body
uses it to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter or message-carrying chemical
involved in learning and cognition.
Choline questions
Q. What is the difference between gpc choline and cdp choline? why would one be
more beneficial or preferred over the other?
A. We have come across GPC-choline but have not really looked into
it in any detail since we can't find any revealing human trials with it. Since
there is no human research thus far comparing the benefits of gpc choline versus
cdp choline, it is anyone's guess as to which product is better. Sometimes trial
and error is the best option to determine which choline supplement works best
for a particular person.
Q. Hi, I just ordered more choline and a couple of
bottles of Mind Power Rx. These are to help a lady friend. After a couple of
weeks on choline, she says that working crosswords puzzles are a lot easier as
the words are recalled more easily. My question is it benifitual to take both at
the same time? Right now I'll have her try the mind power
to see how it goes.
A. We prefer not taking choline and Mind Power Rx the same day, she
could alternate their use.
Q. The choline bitartrate capsules.. Can these be
broken open and mixed with food? As my son will not swallow pills.
A. Yes, the choline capsules can be opened and a portion or full
amount be mixed with juice or food. Most children will need less than the full
dose.
Q. Since Choline is tetramethylglycine, would it have
some of the same effects as DMG and TMG?
A. There is an overlap between the effects of choline, DMG, and TMG,
but interestingly, when these are taken as supplements, the effects are quite
varied in terms of what people notice.
Q. What's the difference in choline bitartrate and
choline citriate?
A. We don't have much experience with choline citrate so we don't
know if it has the same effect when taken as a supplement as choline bitartrate.
As of January 2008, we are not aware of human studies using choline citrate.
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