Článek
Choline is not one of the nutrients you would normally see on food packaging. The body needs it for the proper functioning of the brain, nervous system and liver. It can produce some of it itself, but the rest we must regularly consume from food. Which foods?
Neither the brain nor the muscles can do without it.
Choline is sometimes classified as a B vitamin, but it is not technically a vitamin . The body uses it to make cell membranes and acetylcholine, a substance that helps transmit nerve signals and is involved in things like memory, mood, muscle control, and attention .
It also plays an important role in the liver, where it helps transport fats . A 2007 controlled study found that when choline was severely restricted, 77% of men and 80% of postmenopausal women developed fatty liver or muscle damage. This rate was 44% in premenopausal women, suggesting that hormones also influence the need for this nutrient.
How much choline do we need and where can we find it?
The European Food Safety Authority has set the adequate daily intake of choline for adults at 400 mg . However, this does not mean that you have to count every milligram. A varied diet will contribute to the resulting amount from more different foods .
Good sources include:
- beef liver,
- egg,
- beef,
- roasted soybeans,
- chicken breast or cod,
- potato with skin,
- milk, legumes, broccoli or cauliflower.
The easiest way is not to use any special foods. Just a combination of eggs , meat, dairy products, and the other foods mentioned above.
How much choline do common foods have?
You don't have to look for choline only in food supplements. It can be found quite easily in your regular diet. One egg contains approximately 140 to 150 mg of choline, beef liver is a very rich source, meat, fish or dairy products also contribute significantly. Smaller but still useful amounts can also be found in legumes, broccoli, cauliflower or potatoes with their skin.
„For the average person, this does not mean that they have to eat eggs every day at all costs. Choline is an important nutrient, but as with most substances in nutrition, variety is key. If a person eats eggs, meat, fish, dairy products or appropriately composed plant sources, they can get the necessary amount naturally from their diet. However, for pregnant or breastfeeding women or people with a significantly limited diet, it makes sense to monitor choline intake more specifically,“ explains nutrition specialist Pavel Holý to Kupi.
Choline supports memory, it is important for mothers
In a 2011 study , higher choline intake was associated with better scores on verbal and visual memory tests . Participants also showed a smaller extent of some changes in the brain's white matter.
People who do not eat eggs, meat, fish or dairy products should be especially careful. Choline can also be obtained from plant foods, such as soy, beans, potatoes, broccoli, nuts or whole grains, but the diet must be sufficiently varied.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are said to have a higher need. However, even during this period, it is not advisable to automatically reach for high doses of supplements. Moreover, some „multivitamins“ for pregnant or breastfeeding women do not contain choline at all or only in small amounts, so it is necessary to check the composition and, if necessary, supplement it separately.
Adjust your diet, tablets as a supplement
Of course, you can buy choline, like other vitamins and minerals , as a dietary supplement, most often in capsules or tablets.
In Czech e-shops and online pharmacies, individual preparations cost approximately CZK 150 to 500 per package , depending on the dosage, number of capsules and brand. You can also find combinations with inositol, vitamins or herbal substances, which are preparations intended primarily for liver support .
"I wouldn't consider dietary supplements as the first choice for everyone when it comes to choline. The basis should be the diet. They can make sense when a person has not eaten the main sources of choline for a long time, such as eggs, meat, fish or dairy products, or during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Therefore, a varied diet should remain the basis. As we mentioned above, choline contributes to the proper functioning of the liver and fat metabolism, and the body also uses it to build cell membranes and create a substance important for the transmission of nerve impulses. And this is the alpha and omega of the functioning of the human body.
