Does eating more choline reduce the risk of neurological disorders?

What is choline?

Choline (from the Greek khole, bile) is a nutrient that was long considered to be a B vitamin, before it was discovered that the human liver could produce small quantities of it.

However, the amount produced endogenously is still insufficient to meet the body's needs, making dietary intake essential.

Choline is known for several of its benefits:

• It contributes to the normal metabolism of homocysteine by helping to regulate this amino acid, high levels of which are often associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular or bone disorders.
• It contributes to normal lipid metabolism: as a precursor of phospholipids, choline also acts with the bile acids present in bile to facilitate the absorption of lipids.
• It helps maintain normal liver function: an adequate intake helps limit the accumulation of fat in the liver and supports healthy liver function.

Choline is also used by the body to produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory, learning and muscle control.

So can we deduce that consuming more choline could support the synthesis of acetylcholine and, indirectly, cognitive performance?

Choline and brain health: what does the latest scientific research suggest?

Recent scientific publications suggest that a good level of choline in the body could help preserve certain cognitive functions over the years.

Researchers have studied the effects of dietary choline intake on the deterioration of cognitive functions during the ageing process (1-2).

Another study showed that a high intake of choline was associated with lower levels of anxiety (3).

Research has also looked at the effects of citicoline, a natural compound that acts as a precursor to essential cellular nutrients, including choline. Some studies have shown potential benefits in improving memory function in older adults with memory problems (4-5).

These studies suggest that there may be a link between adequate choline consumption and memory maintenance, a reduction in age-related cognitive decline and a reduction in the risk of neurological disorders.

One explanation for this link is choline's key role as a precursor of acetylcholine.

With age, acetylcholine synthesis tends to decline, which could contribute to the cognitive problems observed in some people.

Maintaining a sufficient intake of choline could therefore help, in a preventive way, to support this synthesis and preserve certain cognitive functions over time.

How can we optimise our daily intake of choline?

As well as eating choline-rich foods, targeted supplementation can help to ensure adequate daily intakes.

Eat foods rich in choline

Choline is found in varying quantities in foods of animal and plant origin, in the form of phosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin (two phospholipids that are part of the main constituents of the membranes surrounding cells).

The best sources of choline include the following foods (average choline values per 100 g):

Animal products (rich in phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin):

• beef liver: 333 mg
• whole eggs: 301 mg (the yolk is the richest part)
• salmon: 94 mg
• beef steak: 92 mg
• chicken breast: 82 mg
• pork chops: 60 mg
• cooked cod: 71 mg

Plant sources (choline mainly in the form of phosphatidylcholine):

• soya beans: 107 mg
• white beans: 66 mg
• almonds: 52 mg
• walnuts: 39 mg
• quinoa: 43 mg
• broccoli: 19 mg
• cauliflower: 24 mg

Including these foods in your diet on a regular basis will bring you closer to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended intake of 400 mg/day for adults (6).

Adjust your intake according to your needs

Choline requirements vary according to age, sex and lifestyle.

For adults, an adequate intake is estimated at 400 mg/day, but this increases to 480 mg/day for pregnant women and 520 mg/day for breastfeeding women. Several studies have reported the role of choline in the development of cognitive functions in children (7).

Certain situations can also increase the risk of deficiency, such as vegetarianism, the menopause or intensive endurance sports (8-9).

Choose the most bioavailable forms of choline

Choline comes in several forms, differing in chemical structure and bioavailability.

As we have seen, in the diet it is found mainly in the form of phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin.

In supplements, other forms are used:

• choline bitartrate: a form commonly used in food supplements for its good absorption
• alpha-glycerophosphocholine (Alpha-GPC): a highly bioavailable form of choline
• CDP-Choline or citicoline: a patented form with exceptional bioavailability

Discover Choline Complex, which combines these three forms of choline in a synergistic formula.

Discover our CDP-Choline supplement, a patented form of choline with exceptional bioavailability.

Choline can also be combined with other active ingredients in targeted supplements.

Some, for example, combine choline and group B vitamins to regulate homocysteine, an amino acid that, when accumulated, can be a factor in cognitive disorders.

Discover Homocysteine Control, a complete formula combining the 5 best nutrients for reducing homocysteine levels.

Another nutrient linked to choline is also attracting scientific attention: DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol).

DMAE is a precursor of choline, itself necessary for the production of acetylcholine, the main neurotransmitter linked to memory and learning.

It could also help to maintain or increase acetylcholine levels, thereby supporting cognitive health.

Discover DMAE, a supplement in the form of DMAE bitartrate, easily assimilated by the body.