About this ingredient
Choline is an essential nutrient required for normal human health. Although the body can produce some choline, the amount produced is not sufficient to meet all needs, so dietary intake is important.
Choline is needed to produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory, muscle control and other nervous-system functions. It is also a structural component of cell membranes through phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and contributes to normal lipid transport and metabolism in the liver.
Choline participates in one-carbon metabolism and methylation, where it can serve as a source of methyl groups through its metabolite betaine. It is particularly important during pregnancy and early development because of its role in cellular and neurological development.
Common supplemental forms include choline bitartrate, phosphatidylcholine, alpha-GPC and citicoline (CDP-choline). These forms differ chemically and nutritionally, so they should not automatically be treated as identical.