Choline Deficiency Disease

Choline is an essential nutrient that aids nerve impulse transmission, the process of learning, memory, sleep and helps form membranes between cells. The human body can make it, and then store it in the liver, but it relies on diet to gather more. Choline deficiency can cause a variety of physical and mental symptoms.

Recommended Intake

• The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Nutrition Services reports that adequate intake of choline can help maintain cell structure and nerve function. Recommended daily allowances range from 125 to 375 mg in children from birth to age 13, based on age and gender. Teens and adults require between 400 and 500 mg daily.

Risks for Deficiency

• Choline deficiency is more common in vegetarians and those who do not eat any dairy or animal products, according to UPMC. Athletes who train for many hours may also lose choline and become deficient. Heavy drinkers can also lack this nutrient.

Symptoms and Signs

• The Linus Pauling Institute, a research facility dedicated to studying micronutrients, states that fatty liver and liver damage present common signs that a person does not have enough choline. According to the American Liver Foundation, symptoms in advanced stages of fatty liver disease include fatigue and confusion.

Treatment

• Treatment for choline deficiency disease includes increasing choline intake through diet. Foods that contain choline include beef, eggs, milk, cauliflower and soy products. Dietary supplements can also treat low levels of choline.

Links Between Choline Deficiency and Other Diseases

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) study the link between choline in diet and estrogen levels, to determine if certain people need more choline than others. UPMC reports that possible connections between cognition and choline, specifically in people who have Alzheimer's disease.