Choline: The Nutrient Deficiency No One Talks About

According to Dr. David Williams, at least 90% of the entire US population doesn’t consume enough choline.

What is choline and why is it an important nutrient?

Although not an official B vitamin, choline is considered a member of the B vitamin complex. It is water soluble and considered essential, because your body only makes a small amount of choline. To be healthy, you have to get additional it through your diet.

Choline is vital in the formation of cell membranes. It is the precursor to acetylcholine, which is a primary neurotransmitter. The body also needs choline to prevent the buildup of homocysteine in the blood.

Homocysteine is associated with cardiovascular disease and the appearance of premature aging of the skin. Homocysteine breaks down the protein elastin, which will make blood vessels more prone to rupturing and sag your skin. In addition to all of those crucial purposes, choline also reduces inflammation, prevents birth defects and promotes normal brain development in newborns.

In the most severe cases, a choline deficiency can result in a fatty liver and hemorrhagic kidney necrosis.

The minimum dietary intake of choline has been set at 550 mg per day for men and 425 mg per day for women. Studies have determined that the choline intake in this country only averages from 320 to 380 mg per day. The minimum amounts prevent disease, but do not translate to optimal health. The optimal choline intake should be somewhat higher, possibly in the neighborhood of 1,000 mg/day.

Good Choline Food Sources:

It’s not too surprising that choline intake would be low in this country, when you consider the best choline food sources are egg yolks, animal liver, brain and organ meats, fish eggs, sardines, scallops and shrimp. Most of us don’t eat enough of these foods to come close to getting the choline we need.

With these major choline sources being animal in nature, choline deficiencies are an even bigger problem for vegans, who avoid these foods altogether.

Choosing a Choline Supplement:

Another option is taking a choline supplement. Choline is a component of lecithin. The least expensive way to supplement is with lecithin granules. All the various brands are comparable when it comes to function and a pound can be purchased for $8 to $10.

Two tablespoons of lecithin granules contain roughly 434 mg of choline. The granules can be put in a shake, sprinkled over salads, stirred into a drink or mixed with yogurt. They can get sticky and don’t dissolve easily, so blended in a shake might be your preferred option.

The Choline Content of Foods

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