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Once upon a time, the vitamin alphabet included a vitamin J. While the name is no longer used\u2014the micronutrient is now just known as choline\u2014it\u2019s still important for brain development and function, liver health, muscles, and more. According to the National Institutes of Health<\/a>, choline levels typically aren\u2019t checked in healthy people. However, given the fact that your body doesn\u2019t produce enough of it naturally (and that most Americans aren\u2019t getting enough from their diet<\/a>), there\u2019s plenty to learn. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about the essential water-soluble micronutrient choline and how to get enough of it daily.<\/p>\n The body uses choline to create acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter, explains Shae Datta<\/a>, MD, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine and co-director of the NYU Langone Concussion Center.<\/p>\n Neurotransmitters (messengers in the brain) are needed for a variety of functions, including managing mood, memory, nervous system regulation, muscle control, and cell signaling, says Lisa McDowell<\/a>, MS, RDN, CSSD, DipACLM, director of lifestyle medicine at Trinity Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and performance dietitian for the Detroit Red Wings.<\/p>\n Choline is especially critical for fetal brain formation and development. McDowell highlights a 2022 study<\/a> that found low maternal choline intake was associated with a higher risk of neural tube defects, while higher intake \u201cwas likely to be associated with better child neurocognition and neurodevelopment.\u201d<\/p>\n In older adults, studies<\/a> are also evaluating the link between choline intake and a decreased risk for Alzheimer\u2019s dementia.<\/p>\n Beyond the brain, \u201ccholine also helps remove fat from the liver,\u201d Dr. Datta says, which is crucial for maintaining the organ\u2019s health and function, as well as preventing disease. And it helps with muscle function too. A 2023 study<\/a> found that older adults (ages 50\u201369) who consumed less than 51% of the recommended intake didn\u2019t gain as much strength as those who consumed more choline during a 12-week resistance exercise training program.<\/p>\n Last year, research from UC Davis Health<\/a> published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry<\/em><\/a> reported that choline levels were about 8% lower in the brains of people with anxiety disorders.<\/p>\n \u201cAcetylcholine is key to cognitive function, and with reduced amounts, brain fog and emotional regulation present daily challenges associated with anxiety,\u201d McDowell says.<\/p>\n Still, more research is needed to determine whether increasing the choline in your diet directly affects anxiety levels.<\/p>\n Choline is found in both plant and animal foods, McDowell says. According to the NIH, some choline-rich foods include beef liver, eggs<\/a> (predominantly the yolk, Datta notes), soybeans, chicken breasts, milk<\/a>, yogurt,<\/a> potatoes, and wheat germ.<\/p>\n One large hard-boiled egg has 147 mg of choline\u201427% of your daily recommended intake.<\/p>\n The recommendations for choline intake vary by age. The NIH recommends that adult women consume 425 mg of choline daily and that adult men consume 550 mg. During pregnancy, that recommendation increases to 450 mg, and during lactation, it increases to 550 mg.<\/p>\n Yes. Although choline is water-soluble, both experts caution that it\u2019s possible to consume too much. \u201cYou can get a fishy body odor because of the interactions it has in the body; you can get vomiting, low blood pressure, even liver toxicity,\u201d Dr. Datta says, with McDowell noting that low blood pressure can also be a negative effect.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhy do we need choline?<\/h2>\n
What is the relationship between choline and mental health?<\/h2>\n
How to get choline from your diet<\/h2>\n
How much choline should you have per day?<\/h2>\n
Is it possible to have too much choline?<\/h2>\n