Choline
Choline is an essential nutrient found in eggs, meat and fish. The body makes some of it and uses it for cell membranes and the messenger acetylcholine.
Also listed as Trimethylethanolamine, Choline Bitartrate
Will extra choline sharpen memory?
The biological rationale is reasonable: choline contributes to nerve signaling and cell structure. A systematic review found suggestive observational findings but too few high-quality intervention studies to confirm a cognitive benefit. Better outcomes among people who eat more choline do not establish that capsules improve memory. 1 2
Why the interest during pregnancy?
A controlled feeding trial assigned 26 women in the third trimester to 480 or 930 mg choline daily. Testing 24 infants through 13 months found faster visual reaction times in the higher-intake group. The result is encouraging, but the small sample and narrow task do not establish broad developmental benefits or a dose for everyone. 3
A small trial supports further study of infant processing speed; reference intakes remain a separate question. 3
Does it treat fatty liver?
An observational study of 56,195 Chinese adults found a lower likelihood of fatty liver with higher dietary choline only in normal-weight women after accounting for metabolic factors. The finding did not extend to overweight women or men and cannot establish treatment efficacy. 4
The dietary association in one subgroup does not demonstrate that supplements treat fatty liver. 4
Effects by health goal
Open an effect to see the studies behind its rating. Bars show the size of the effect; the letter grades the evidence.
Organ Function1 effect
Women's Hormones1 effect
No study is linked to this rating.
Cognition4 effects
No study is linked to this rating.
No study is linked to this rating.
All studies
3 publications are linked to Choline, newest first.
Sources
- Choline: Health Professional Fact Sheet NIH Office of Dietary Supplements