As a nutrient, choline supports a variety of functions, including metabolism and cellular growth. Although your body can produce some choline, most of it needs to come from your diet. Depending on your sex and age, your adequate intake for choline can vary. For adult men, your ideal intake is about 550 mg per day.
Types of choline
There are two types of choline: water-soluble and fat-soluble molecules. These are transported differently throughout your body. Fat-soluble choline—which typically comes from what you eat—is absorbed through your gastrointestinal tract. Water-soluble choline goes to the liver to be converted into lecithin, a type of fat.
Why you need choline
Our bodies use choline to metabolize fats, synthesize DNA, produce fats that make up our cell membranes and keep our nerve regulating important automatic functions, such as heart rate and breathing. It’s also essential for brain development.
If you don’t get enough choline, a deficiency can contribute to a variety of health problems, including muscle damage, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s and neural tube irregularities.
One 2019 study found that a deficiency in choline, zinc and vitamin C were linked to decreased working memory in men.
On the flip side, too much choline can lead to liver toxicity, sweating, vomiting, hypotension, excessive salivation and a fishy body odor.
Foods with high choline content
Unlike foods like iron, choline is easy to get from a vegan and vegetarian diet. Mushrooms, potatoes and soybeans all have plenty of the nutrient.
Other good sources of choline include:
- proteins, such as fish, poultry, beef and eggs
- nuts and seeds
- whole grades (e.g., rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread)
- broccoli
You can also buy choline supplements or dietary supplements that contain choline combined with other multivitamins and minerals.
Measuring choline
Although a blood sample may be able to tell you if you have a choline deficiency, some procedures can affect the concentration of choline in your blood, making them unreliable.
