0407 742 111
BOOK A CONSULTATION
Choline for Brain Health: Why this Essential Nutrient Matters

Have you heard of or paid much attention to choline? Referred to as a brain boosting nutrient, choline is essential to our health, nervous system and cognitive function.

After receiving an email from Dr Lara Biden, a naturopathic doctor, highlighting a new study on the subject, I was intrigued and decided to do more research. This relatively new study by the Arizona State University (2023) found that ‘choline deficiency impacts brain and body health, contributing to Alzheimer’s markers like amyloid plaques and tau tangles.’ It can also impact the heart or liver.

Let’s take a closer look.

What is Choline?

Choline is classified as an organic compound, rather than a mineral or vitamin. It is often grouped with the B Vitamins – historically classified as Vitamin B4 – as it shares similar characteristics, food sources and functions including its role in metabolic processes.

The human body can synthesise choline in the liver from the amino acid methionine in a 3-part methylation process, resulting in phosphatidylcholine which is then converted into choline. However, this is not sufficient to meet the body’s needs, thus it is necessary for us to consume it through our diet. For that reason, choline is seen as a conditionally essential nutrient, and this is why Adequate Intake (AI) guidelines have been established.

Why Choline Matters for Brain and Body Health

This nutrient carries many vital functions and is used to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine as well as the phospholipid lecithin. The latter is a fundamental part of the cell membranes, maintaining structural integrity and flexibility. Adequate dietary choline reduces levels of the amino acid homocysteine, a neurotoxin contributing to neurodegeneration.

Key functions of Choline

Choline plays several essential roles in the body, including:

  • Constitutes a precursor to acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter involved in mood, memory, muscle control and other vital functions of the brain and nervous system
    • Note: acetylcholine signals satiety by increasing at the end of a meal, suppressing further eating and reducing motivation to eat
  • Plays important roles in lipid transport and metabolism, serving as a source of methyl groups required for a variety of metabolic processes
    • This includes supporting the liver’s ability to package and transport fats via VLDL (very low-density lipoproteins), helping prevent fat accumulation in the liver
  • Helps to build cell membranes and is involved in cell membrane signalling
    • Specifically, the body uses choline to make phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, which are two key phospholipids essential for healthy (brain) cell membranes
  • Supports the regulation of gene expression and gene activity, especially in liver function and brain development
  • Critical for foetal brain development during pregnancy and may enhance cognitive abilities in children.

Food Sources of Choline

According to the research by Arizona State University (2023), ‘new lines of evidence imply that the established recommended daily intake of dietary choline’ for adult women or men ‘may not be optimal for proper brain health and cognition’.

Note – a plant-based diet may be low in naturally occurring choline sources.

Animal Sources

  • Egg yolk – one of the most concentrated sources
  • Beef, chicken, fish
  • Dairy products.

Plant-Based Sources

  • Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or brussels sprouts
  • Potatoes and some type of beans including soybeans
  • Whole grains and wheat germ
  • Seeds and nuts, in particular peanuts.

Choline Intake Guidelines and Daily Requirements

Current established intake recommendations for choline, as determined by the Institute of Medicine, were based on evidence preventing fatty liver disease in men.

Adequate Intakes (AI) for choline for adults:

  • Adult women – 425mg/day (different during pregnancy and lactation)
  • Adult men – 550mg/day

To give you an idea:

  • 1 large hardboiled egg contains 147 mg/serving
  • 1 large red potato, baked including skin, contains 57mg/serving
  • ½ cup of broccoli, chopped, boiled and drained contains 31 mg/serving

Note the Upper Level of intake (UL) for choline according to eatforhealth.gov.au for adults (both women and men) is 3.5000mg/day. The UL of a nutrient intake is the highest amount that appears to be safe, beyond this point it can become toxic. 

Other Factors that influence Choline Needs

  • Estrogen stimulates the gene responsible for choline biosynthesis, so women may require less dietary choline than children or other adults
  • If your diet is deficient in folate (Vitamin B9), which acts as a methyl donor, the requirement of choline dietary intake is higher due to choline becoming the primary methyl donor (for metabolic processes).

Choline and Insulin Resistance

Choline has a complex and potentially inverse relationship with insulin resistance:

  • Higher intake is typically associated with lower insulin resistance, particularly in women, and when combined with betaine, a derivative of choline, found in foods like sugar beets or spinach
  • However, excessive supplementation can also promote hepatic insulin resistance (affecting the liver cells).

Choline and Hearth Health

Similarly, the relationship with heart health is multifaceted; while there may be protective effects, there are also associated risk factors:

  • Choline helps to regulate blood pressure and to reduce homocysteine levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease
  • However, gut bacteria can convert it into TMA (trimethylamine), which is then processed by the liver into TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide) – elevated TMAO levels are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion

Choline is a powerful yet often overlooked nutrient with far‑reaching effects on brain function, nervous system balance and overall wellbeing. Understanding how it works — and how your individual system responds — can help you make more informed choices about your health.

A Note of Caution about Choline Supplementation

Like with anything, moderation and balance are key! Everyone has different needs and I am by no means suggesting that you rush out and purchase a choline supplement.

This article is intended for awareness and educational purposes and not deemed as advice. Please conduct further research to and/or consult with your GP or a qualified healthcare professional to ensure the approach you select is tailored and right for you. If you are taking choline supplements, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before significantly changing your intake, as high doses can have adverse effects and risks.

How Advanced Kinesiology can support Brain & Nervous System Balance

I am not a naturopath and thus not qualified to give advice on supplementation. However, through Advanced Kinesiology treatments, I am able to work with you and your system to identify and balance potential stresses related to choline — including its functions, levels, synthesis, absorption or other underlying or relevant aspects.

Alongside working with the body’s stress responses around choline, I also work with overall brain integration. If you experience brain fog, reduced clarity, concentration challenges, or difficulties with visual or auditory processing, these can sometimes reflect stress patterns within the brain and nervous system.

Through my extensive brain and neurological studies as part of the Learning Enhancement Advancement Program (LEAP), I’m trained to work with:

  • Brain areas involved in focus, clarity, processing, and executive function
  • Survival systems that may be over‑activated or under‑regulated
  • Neurological pathways that aren’t firing or communicating as effectively as they could
  • Integration between hemispheres and functional centres that support learning, memory, and cognitive flow

Kinesiology doesn’t diagnose cognitive conditions, but it does help identify and balance the stress patterns that may be influencing how your brain and nervous system are functioning day to day. This can support greater coherence, ease, and mental clarity.

You can email me, call or book online.

Simple Techniques and Practices to support your Brain & Nervous System.

Your brain and nervous system are working for you every moment of the day (and night) – processing, protecting and keeping you balanced – so it is important to nourish and support them, every day. Click on the link to access the article:

Sources

Other Food & Nutritional Articles from the Complete Connection Library.

Click on the link to access the article:

=

Join in

=

Follow us

=

Request a

voucher