Choline Nutrition

Choline supplements are becoming increasing popular with people who want to improve their memory, fight fatigue and insomnia, or boost the liver. Choline is a key ingredient for good nerve, cell and liver function.

Definition

• Although it is often grouped with the B vitamins as B4, it is not strictly a vitamin but a nutrient. Most people take choline supplements in the form of lecithin, which is the phospholipid in which it most often appears in the body. Although your body can create some choline on its own, you must consume it as part of your diet to maintain a healthy amount.

Function

• Choline has four important functions in your body. It is key to healthy nerve functioning. Choline is as a precursor to acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that carries messages from nerve to nerve and from nerve to muscle. It keeps cell membranes healthy. Choline is one of the the building blocks for cell walls. It is the one that allows fat-based nutrients and cellular waste to pass in and out. It helps remove excess fats from the liver. It helps cells communicate with each other. Many chemical events in the body, such as the switching on and off of genes, use choline's available methyl groups to transfer information from molecule to molecule. Choline is also used in the body to form betaine, another methyl donor that helps your cells fight stress and dehydration.

Guidelines

• In 1998, the Institute of Medicine established recommendations for choline intake at 550 mg. daily for men and 425 mg. for women. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not released guidelines for choline intake.

Diet

• You are probably already getting enough choline in your diet. Egg yolks, in particular, are rich in choline, but other foods are too, particularly meats. Vegetarians need not fret. Choline is also readily available in soy, nuts, beans, broccoli and cauliflower.

Deficiencies

• Although pregnant women should pay particular attention to their choline intake, deficiencies are rare. Symptoms that you might be deficient in choline include fatigue, insomnia, nerve to muscle problems, inability of the kidneys to concentrate urine and the accumulation of fats in the blood.

Pregnancy

• It is common knowledge that pregnant women need to increase their folic acid intake. Well, choline too is especially important during pregnancy, and the two are related. If there is not enough folate available, the body demands more choline. If there is not enough choline, the body demands more folate. Supplements taken during pregnancy need to supply adequate amounts of both nutrients. Choline deficiency in pregnancy has been tied to brain and spinal cord defects.

Research

• Choline research is in its infancy, but early results indicate that choline may prove helpful in some mental health diseases, such as bi-polar disorder. It may also provide some increased nerve muscle function in Alzheimer patients.