Choline: Often overlooked vital element
Posted in Vitamins on November 28th, 2008 by biometicsladyCHOLINE: “ADEQUATE INTAKE” LEVELS NOT FOR ALL
Choline: “Adequate Intake” Levels May Not Be Adequate for All
Choline (pronounced co-lean) is often an overlooked nutrient. Most people do not know what it does, and do not know how important it is for the body. News of a recent study may change choline’s status, as the results of the study challenge the amount of choline that experts thought was necessary for everyday health.
Choline was determined to have an “Adequate Intake” level of 550 mg per day for men, and 425 mg per day for women. This is the amount that is considered adequate for the body to perform its basic processes, including maintaining organs like the liver. However, the results from a recent study suggest that for some people, this “Adequate Intake” level is still not enough for the body to perform the basic processes.
This study had 57 people participating in it. There were 26 men, and 31 women. Of the women, 16 were premenopausal and 15 were postmenopausal. All the participants followed a diet for 10 days designed to contain the 550 mg choline per day recommended in the “Adequate Intake” level. After this period, their diets consisted of less than 50 mg of choline per day for various time periods of up to 42 days.
The researchers found that the “Adequate Intake” level of choline was actually not enough for six of the men in the study. These six men had signs of muscle damage or fatty liver while following the higher choline intake diet, the amount that was supposed to be adequate for their daily needs. Other results of the study show that 19 percent of the study participants needed more choline than the diet provided: up to 825 mg of choline per day was needed to prevent fatty liver and muscle damage.
The numbers of people affected while consuming the higher choline diet contrast to the period of time when the participants were eating the diet with less than 50 mg of choline per day. During the period of the low-choline diet, either muscle damage or fatty liver were reported in 77 percent of the men, and in 80 percent of the postmenopausal and 44 percent of the premenopausal women.
These results suggest that a review of the “Adequate Intake” levels of choline may be due, and the amount of choline recommended per day may soon increase. The researchers note that the health issues were not permanent. The people who had the health problems were able to correct them when they slowly added choline back into their regular diet.
What exactly is this nutrient that is so important to liver health? Choline is in the B-vitamin family. One of the most important functions of Choline is to be turned into both Phosphatidylcholine (PS) and Acetylcholine by the body. PS is essential for normal brain function, and proper liver health and function. Acetylcholine is important for normal brain development in infants, and for conduction of nerve signals and brain function in adults. Researchers have concluded that during pregnancy, the Choline intake of the mother can influence memory and brain development in the growing infant. For this reason, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has recommended that pregnant and nursing women increase their intake of Choline.
- Halliday, Jess. “Choline Recommendations May Be Too Low, Study.” NutraIngredients USA.
June 7, 2007. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com
- Supplement Watch. Supplement Library: “Choline.” http://www.supplementwatch.com/
- Physician’s Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements: First Edition. “Choline.” Page 90-93.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
