Choline: The Key To A Healthy Brain, Pregnancy, And Liver

Choline might not be the sexiest nutrient in the room, but it deserves more time in the spotlight than it gets.

What is Choline?

Choline is an essential nutrient used in many functions in the body, and most people do not get enough of it, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women, which can cause a lot of issues.

While humans can synthesize small amounts of choline in the liver, primarily as phosphatidylcholine, it is not enough to meet daily needs. In diets deficient in folate, choline needs will be even higher because choline takes over as the methyl donor.

How much choline does a person need each day?

AGE	MALE	FEMALE	PREGNANCY	LACTATION
BIRTH TO 6 MONTHS	​125 MG/DAY	125 MG/DAY
7-12 MONTHS	150 MG/DAY	150 MG/DAY
1-3 YEARS	200 MG/DAY	200 MG/DAY
4-8 YEARS	250 MG/DAY	250 MG/DAY
9-13 YEARS	375 MG/DAY	375 MG/DAY
14-18 YEARS	550 MG/DAY	400 MG/DAY	450 MG/DAY	550 MG/DAY
19+ YEARS	​550 MG/DAY	425 MG/DAY	450 MG/DAY	550 MG/DAY

Most people in the United States consume less than the AI for choline. An analysis of data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that the average daily choline intake from foods and beverages among children and teens is 256 mg for ages 2–19 [14]. In adults, the average daily choline intake from foods and beverages is 402 mg in men and 278 mg in women. Intakes from supplements contribute a very small amount to total choline intakes.

According to an analysis of 2007–2008 NHANES data, black males of all ages had lower mean choline intakes than their white and Hispanic counterparts, but choline intakes did not differ substantially among females of different races/ethnicities [10].

What does Choline do?

Choline is a source of methyl groups needed for many steps in metabolism. The body needs choline to synthesize phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, two major phospholipids vital for cell membranes. Therefore, all plant and animal cells need choline to preserve their structural integrity [1,2]. In addition, choline is needed to produce acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for memory, mood, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions [1-3]. Choline also plays important roles in modulating gene expression, cell membrane signaling, lipid transport and metabolism, and early brain development [1,2].

Every cell in your body needs choline. You can imagine that not getting enough of something that every cell needs can cause some problems. Choline plays a massive role in fetal and child brain and nervous system development and far more roles than I could lay out in one blog article. You can read all about them here.

Studies have shown that:

• Low choline intake is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's and dementia.

• Higher choline intake is associated with better cognitive function.

• High alcohol consumption increases choline needs, and lower brain choline levels can increase cravings for alcohol.

• Choline improves the health of babies suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome.

• Adequate dietary choline can help to prevent fatty liver disease.

• Choline deficiency is associated with eye problems such as glaucoma and dry eye.

• Low choline levels are associated with increased anxiety symptoms.

• And so much more!

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get enough choline in your diet. Without sufficient dietary intake of choline, the whole body suffers.

What Foods are rich in choline?

Before I get to that, it’s essential to understand that just because a food contains a particular nutrient, it does not mean it is the best form of that nutrient or that the form it has is well utilized. Choosing foods that contain the most bioavailable and absorbable forms of that nutrient should always be the goal. Here is an example of what I mean by that.

• Heme iron from animal products is better absorbed and utilized than non-heme iron from plant foods. In addition, things like tea and dairy do not reduce heme iron absorption but do reduce the absorption of non-heme iron.

  • Heme iron is absorbed at 25-30 percent, while non-heme iron is absorbed between 1-10 percent.

    • So to get the same amount of iron from animal products from plant foods, a person would need to consume at least three times as much, and usually more than that.

    • Three ounces of beef liver contain about fifteen milligrams of iron. Spinach is often claimed (wrongly) to be a good source of iron, with one cup of cooked spinach containing about six and a half milligrams of non-heme iron. However, iron absorption from spinach is very low, less than two percent.

      • To get the equivalent amount of iron from three ounces of beef liver, someone would have to eat about thirty-five cups of cooked spinach.

Choline is best absorbed with fat and in the phosphatidylcholine form. Here are some good bioavailable and utilizable food sources of choline.

• Egg Yolks

  • People used to eat far more eggs. Reduced consumption of eggs is one of the primary reasons for rampant choline deficiency in society. The cholesterol scare led many people to fear eggs when they are one of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. If you want to learn more about how people came to fear beneficial foods like eggs, check out this book.

    • Raw egg yolks contain even more choline than cooked ones.

      • Do not eat raw egg yolks from supermarket eggs. Only eat those that you get directly from a farm you trust.

• Fish Eggs

• Beef and Lambs Brains

• Liver

• Wild Caught Fatty Fish

• Grass-fed Beef

• While some plant foods contain choline, the choline found in them is poorly utilized; in the same way, the iron in spinach is. In addition, many listings showing amounts of choline (and other nutrients) in plant foods are based on data from the 1950s or earlier. Due to the poor health of the soil on most farms, the actual amounts of nutrients currently found in most plant foods (even organically grown) is far less than what they used to be. Buying food from farms that use regenerative practices is the best way to get more nutrient-rich foods. Regeneratively farmed food has significantly higher levels of nutrients and beneficial compounds. You can use this link to find regenerative farms near you.

Whole Food Choline Supplements

If you cannot get enough choline in your diet, then a whole-food choline supplement may be for you.

Beef Liver is probably the most nutrient-dense food on the planet. A heaping teaspoon of NXGEN Wholefoods Beef Liver powder provides the equivalent of nearly two ounces of regeneratively farmed beef liver, which supplies about 220 milligrams of choline, and a deeply nourishing treasure trove of other nutrients and beneficial compounds in their most absorbable forms. It can be blended in smoothies or mixed into food as an easy way to boost the nutrition of any meal.

Freeze-dried NXGEN Wholefoods Wild Salmon Roe capsules are a great source of choline (regular fish oil and refined fish roe supplements do not contain choline). They are also packed with a ton of other nutrients. Check out our blog to learn about the fantastic benefits of wild fish roe.

NXGEN Wholefoods Whole Brain capsules combine two choline-rich foods, regeneratively farmed lamb brains and beef liver.

Of all the times, it is most important to get enough choline, but pregnancy and postnatal are the most important. Make sure your prenatal has plenty of choline in it. This nutrient is essential to pregnant and nursing mothers. Unfortunately, most prenatal vitamins have little to no choline, despite most pregnant and nursing mothers not getting enough of this crucial nutrient. For example, the most popular prenatal vitamin on the market talks extensively about how vital choline is and then only puts a paltry fifty-five milligrams in, which is not nearly enough. Companies putting out prenatal vitamins with little to no choline should be ashamed of themselves. Check out our blog to learn more about how to choose a good prenatal vitamin.

Choline Support

We know this is a lot of information, so if you have questions about choline email us at info@rooted-nutrition.com, or schedule a free call. We will be happy to answer any questions you have!                    

Baby Parker ate lots of egg yolks to get his choline!