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Now this often forgotten nutrient may not be a big name in the health and nutrition world, but it sure does play a significant role in the function of your body... Generally grouped together with its best friend B-vitamins, choline is often labelled the ‘brain nutrient.’ Despite this, it is actually found in pretty much every living cell in the body. The clever human temple can actually produce a small amount of choline naturally, but we do need to get some from our diet because the body can’t make enough by itself. What do we need it for? The brain requires choline to function efficiently and our muscles would go into melt-down without it. It is also involved in the metabolism of fat, and transports lipoproteins and cholesterol around the body to their required destination. Choline is vital for memory enhancement too, so don’t you forget it! Additionally, cell membranes need choline to create tiny passages which allow nutrients in and waste products out. How can it help? It is widely regarded as a nutrient for cholesterol management as it helps to prevent accumulation in the liver – a condition labelled ‘fatty liver.’ It has been suggested that choline may help to lower cholesterol levels however there remains no scientific evidence to support this theory. Choline may help to lower damaging homocysteine levels, which is an amino acid strongly linked to the risk of heart disease. Choline supplementation has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms and the need for medication in cases of bronchial asthma. And it certainly deserves its crown as the ‘Brain nutrient.’ Choline is used to make the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. This brain chemical is involved in memory, intelligence and mood. It has even been shown to help patients’ memory with mild to moderate cases of Alzheimer’s. Where can you find it? You can find choline in a variety of foods, including eggs, liver, red meat, soya beans, nuts, fish and wheat germ. It is found in most good multi-vitamin and mineral supplements or taken alone as supplement choline inositol. How much do you need? Currently in the UK there are no recommended daily intake figures, but in the US the daily recommendation is 550mg for men and 425mg for women. The safe upper limit is 3500mg a day and overdose symptoms include an upset stomach and unpleasant body odour. Recent studies reveal that this nutrient is widely deficient in the western world. About author: Rachel Henderson is a qualified nutritionist and founder and director of Food Fairy Nutrition Ltd. If you’re interested in benefiting from a unique and individually tailored online nutritional therapy service, or you’d simply like more information, please go ahead and click one of the links above!
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