What Is the Best Choline Supplement (Updated 2023)

Why do you need to take the best choline supplement?

Choline is an essential nutrient that is often overlooked by people when considering their daily vitamin, mineral, and nutrient intake. There are many different types of choline, as well as a multitude of brands that all claim health benefits such as: supporting mental health, improving cognitive function, and boosting your metabolism.

This is all paired with the ability to reverse some types of liver damage potentiallyliver damage. 

Choline is naturally occurring, so you may already consume a healthy amount.

Continue reading to learn more about choline, decide if you need a supplement, and find the top ten supplements.

What is Choline?

Choline is a nutrient that assists in the synthesis of two major phospholipids vital for cell membranes.

This is important because cells need healthy membranes for structure and intracellular communication. There are many more benefits, as well.

An example of choline’s function in the body is DNA synthesis, which is part of cells’ natural growth and repair process. Choline’s place in DNA synthesis makes it a powerful nootropic (brain-boosting) nutrient because it contributes to the growth and repair of neuron connections.

Choline is also an important factor ingredient for making the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which helps maintain memory, and muscle control. Another crucial thing that acetylcholine assists with is heartbeat regulation.

Without enough choline, you may experience symptoms ranging from mood and anxiety issues to a fatty liver or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). NAFLD is a disease in which the buildup of fat cells in the liver causes the liverthe buildup of fat cells in the liver. Rapid weight loss may contribute to this disease and poor eating habits, which would reduce your choline intake.

Small amounts of choline are made in the liver, but not enough is produced to stay healthy, which means humans must obtain extra choline from their diets. Choline occurs in many food sources, from eggs, milk, and fish, to potatoes, brussels sprouts, and even bread.

How Much Do You Need?

Recommended Intakes of choline vary based on gender and age, with 19+-year-old males and lactating females needing the most choline per day.

The average adequate intakes are described here:

• 9-13-Year-old males and females need 375 milligrams of choline per day.
• 14-18-year-old males need 550 milligrams, and females of this age require 400 milligrams.
• 19+-year-old males require 550 milligrams, and females require 425 milligrams
• Pregnant females 14+ years old require 450 milligrams, and lactating females require 550 milligrams.

These recommendations are general averages—if you aren’t sure what amount is right for you, please speak to your healthcare provider to find out how much choline you need per day.

Choline is very important in the maintenance of cell membranes, and it’s important for liver function and muscle health.

For many people, choline can be sourced primarily from the diet. It just takes incorporating more choline-rich foods into your diet. If this is not the case for you, you may need choline supplements. This would be a good thing to discuss with your doctor.

Why Do We Need Choline?

Choline is necessary for many of our bodily processes. It is rarely tested for, but choline deficiency can cause some major problems. The good thing though, is that choline occurs naturally in many foods, and it is also created in the liver. If you feel that you may not be getting enough choline, it is always good to check with your medical provider.

Choline is a major component in liver function. People deficient in choline may develop fatty liver and liver damage. The liver is one of the first places that choline arrives once it is digested. The liver stores choline and is one of the main places choline metabolism, and methylation take place. Recent findings show that choline is a key player in avoiding non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFD).

It is also suggested from recent studies that choline assists with limiting neurologic damage in stroke patients, as well as playing a necessary role for the cognitive development and later cognitive abilities of animals in certain studies.

Choline is necessary on its own for sustaining liver and cognitive function, but B vitamins must be incorporated into your diet because they work alongside choline as methyl donors and are necessary for the synthesis of DNA to assist in the growth and repair of cells within the body.

The suggested intake of B-Vitamins varies by age and gender, but also by which of the nine vitamins you take. More B-complex vitamins are needed for pregnant women. These vitamins are typically only needed in small amounts, remember to talk to your healthcare professional to establish the right amount of each of the B-vitamins for you.

Should I Take a Choline Supplement?

The best choline supplement for you may be no choline supplement because you may be getting enough with your diet.

Pregnant and lactating women are the most likely sufferers of a choline deficiency.

If you feel that you may not be obtaining enough choline or know that you need to add choline to your diet, a supplement may be right for you.

People that can typically benefit from a choline supplement are:

• Pregnant women (prenatal vitamins typically neglect choline)
• People with genetic alterations in the PEMT gene.
• People receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)

Many foods are very high in choline; these would be the first suggested treatment for choline deficiency. These include:

• Beef
• Eggs
• Soybeans
• Fish
• Quinoa
• Yogurt
• Brown Rice
• Broccoli

How Can a Choline Deficiency Harm You?

A lack of choline can severely inhibit the function of your liver. This leads to diseases such as fibrosis and NAFD, choline is also very important to the development of young children. They and their mothers must receive enough choline.

It is also suggested that choline is important to the cardiovascular system; it helps to regulate the processes and may prevent strokes. Choline deficiencies may also lead to a lack of focus and motivation and less ability to control mood.

It is very important that pregnant and nursing mothers take in enough choline to aid in the development of children because choline is an essential nutrient for this purpose.

What Are the Benefits of the Best Choline Supplements?

Choline is important, and many people eat less than the suggested choline intake per day. Choline supplements may be beneficial in many aspects of your life; here are the benefits suggested by some research:

• Improved Memory, there is a suggestion that choline may help with memory, especially in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

• NAFLD Prevention, this is a disease that affects the liver where too many fat cells accumulate instead of healthy liver cells. This disease occurs in 65% of overweight people, and up to 90% of obese people.

• Liver disease prevention, in animal models, it has been shown that choline deficiency may lead to liver cancer, and choline supplements may reduce this risk.

• Liver health promotion, choline is necessary for the liver to function properly.

• Muscle Health, studies suggest that a choline supplement can improve your strength when taken with exercise.

• Cognitive Function Maintenance, especially after a stroke, choline and b-vitamin complexes may help maintain neuroplasticity.

What Are the Different Types of Supplements?

There are many types of choline supplements, so it is important to research to find the right kind for you.

Just a quick search online will pull up supplements such as choline bitartrate, citicoline, Alpha-GPC. With all of these different types of supplements, it can be hard to decide which one might benefit you the most. Here is a rundown of the market’s common types of choline supplementscholine supplements on the market.

Choline Bitartrate

Choline Bitartrate is the most cost-effective choline supplement, and very common in the choline supplement market.

It is a very good supplement to fill bodily choline needs, but it is not a very effective nootropic (cognitive ability-enhancing) version of choline. It is about 41% choline and a good bioavailable source.

Phosphatidylcholine

Phosphatidylcholine is a form of choline that is found within the body. It consists of a phospholipid attached to a choline particle. This type of choline is suggested to be very good for liver repair and warding off some medicines’ side effects.

Studies have even suggested that phosphatidylcholine supplements can benefit Alzheimer’s patients.

Alpha-GPC

Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphorylcholine, more commonly known as Alpha-GPC, has a comparable choline density to choline bitartrate, at around 40% choline per sample of the supplement.

This means you absorb about 40 milligrams of choline per 100-milligram dose. Alpha-GPC is different from choline bitartrate; however because it can affect cognitive health and improve aspects such as memory.

Studies also suggest that this form of choline can assist with building strength when exercising.

Citicoline

Citicoline Supplements are typically only 18% choline by weight.

However, they contain another important nootropic in the form of cytidine; this is a key component in uracil, a nucleotide(a DNA building block).

This helps the body keep strong connections in the brain.

How Do You Choose the Best Supplement?

There are many different types of choline supplements, but with some research and a discussion with your medical provider, you can find the best choline supplement for you.

This can be broken down into a few simple steps:

1. Decide which type of choline supplement will best suit you. There are many different kinds which all have benefits of their own. Some, like choline bitartrate, are better for overall body and liver health, while supplements of phosphatidylcholine and Alpha-GPC have suggested cognitive benefits.
2. Understand how much choline you need to add to your diet. There is a good variety in sizes of supplements ranging from just 50mg to 650mg. If you aren’t sure, discuss with your health care provider to find the right amount for you.
3. Compare choline supplements that fit into the criteria (set by steps 1 and 2). Balance the costs and benefits of each supplement. Try to choose one that is Good Manufacturing Process certified, as well as FDA approved. Once you find good-quality supplements, you can compare the prices to determine the best value for you.

Following these steps is a good guideline for choosing the best choline supplement for you; however, you must have a discussion with your healthcare provider.

Can You Take Too Much?

Choline is a very important nutrient, but like all supplements, there is a limit to how much choline you should consume per day.

The limits are based on age.

Children under 12 months old should not take a choline supplement unless recommended by your healthcare provider.

• 1-8-year-old children should not consume more than 1,000mg per day.
• 9-13-year old children should consume less than 2,000mg per day.
• 14-18-year old teenagers should consume less than 3,000mg daily.
• People aged 19+ should consume no more than 3,500mg of choline daily.

Taking too much choline can have health consequences, such as cardiovascular issues, vomiting, sweating, excessive salivation, and fishy body odor.

It is important to ensure you do not take too much choline or any supplement.

Tips for Taking a Choline Supplement

After you have chosen a supplement that is right for you, make sure not to take too much or take anything that may conflict with your choline intake.

These are some general tips to keep you safe and to help get the most benefit from your choline supplements.

• Don’t consume over 3,500 mg of choline per day.
• Eat healthily to obtain most of the choline you consume from your diet.

Consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions about choline supplements.

Choline is not known to have any adverse effects when taking it with other supplements or medication; however, ask your doctor if you are unsure.

Reviews on the Top 10 Best Choline Supplements

Here is our list of the top 10 best choline supplements. This will include a little bit about each product, and why we believe this is a good supplement.

We have included all four major choline supplements to give a range of good supplements.

This is our list of supplements, but it cannot replace the advice of your medical provider.

Contact them whenever you need supplement advice.