Getting enough choline is critical to your brain, heart, and liver health. Are you getting enough? Studies say you should find out.
Choline is a B vitamin found in eggs, meat, poultry, and many vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It is a conditionally essential nutrient, meaning the liver can produce small amounts but not enough to maintain health.
More than 90% of Americans are not meeting the recommended daily intake of 550 mg and 425 mg per day of choline. For pregnant women, nearly 50% of women lack a gene variant that diminishes their capacity to make their own choline in the liver, which is an important aspect of fetal brain development. And, according to new research at Arizona State University, for people who eat enough of the RDI for choline, it still may not be enough to prevent harmful effects on the heart, liver, brain, and other organs.
One important aspect of choline in the diet is that it reduces levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the body. Choline’s connection to moderating homocysteine levels is significant because elevated levels of the amino acid can be a neurotoxin, which may contribute to neurodegeneration. This new ASU research is significant, particularly as more is learned about low levels of choline and links to Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Inadequate Choline Intake May Contribute to Brain Disorders
“What I found particularly compelling about this project was that multiple organs, whose malfunction can have implications for brain health, were negatively impacted by a choline-deficient diet,” said Jessica Judd, study co-lead author and researcher at ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center. Judd and her research team warn that the established RDI of dietary choline for adult women (425mg/day) and adult men (550mg/day) may not be optimal for proper brain health and cognition.
Here is what we know about inadequate choline intake:
- It is linked with profound changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, including increased levels of plaque-forming amyloid-beta protein and disease-linked alterations in tau protein.
- Deficiencies may cause liver damage and enlargement of the heart.
- Choline deficiencies may lead to weight gain and changes in glucose metabolism.
“It’s a twofold problem,” according to Ramon Velazquez, senior author of the study and Assistant professor with the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center. “First, people don’t reach the adequate daily choline intake established by the Institute of Medicine in 1998. And secondly, there is vast literature showing that the recommended daily intake amounts are not optimal for brain-related functions.”
Are Plant-Based Diets Contributing to Choline Deficiencies?
While eggs, meats, and chicken are touted as the primary sources of choline, plant-based, choline-rich foods include Brussels sprouts, soybeans, and tofu. Other sources include broccoli, kale, chickpeas, kidney beans, quinoa, mushrooms, red potatoes, and peanuts. Given that the RDI for choline may be too low, as the ASU research suggests, persons eating mostly plant-based foods may not be consuming enough choline. Also, women may not be consuming enough if they have the genetic variant that inhibits the production of choline in the liver.
The authors of this study suggest that people speak to their physicians about inexpensive, over-the-counter choline supplements to guard against liver and heart damage and neurodegeneration.
Most people do not know about the importance of choline. Speak with your doctor or find an ND in our directory, Find an ND.
Sources:
Dave N, Judd JM, Decker A, et al. Dietary choline intake is necessary to prevent systems-wide organ pathology and reduce Alzheimer’s disease hallmarks. Aging Cell. 2023;22(2):e13775. doi:10.1111/acel.13775
Wallace TC, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Assessment of Total Choline Intakes in the United States. J Am Coll Nutr. 2016;35(2):108-112. doi:10.1080/07315724.2015.1080127
Zeisel, S. H. (2017). Choline, other methyl-donors, and epigenetics. Nutrients, 9, 1–10. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9050445
Mochizuki K, Hariya N, Honma K, Goda T. Relationship between epigenetic regulation, dietary habits, and the developmental origins of health and disease theory. Congenit Anom (Kyoto). 2017;57(6):184-190. doi:10.1111/cga.12213
