Choline Bitartrate Benefits, Dosage & Side Effects

If you are checking out Choline Bitartrate supplements, you might have noticed that there are quite a few different Choline sources on the market today.

Choline Bitartrate is one of the best-selling varieties of this essential nutrient because it is both affordable and effective.

It is frequently paired with more powerful Cholinergic supplements like Piracetam or Aniracetam to promote better mental performance and improve your memory.

However, nootropic users are more and more turning towards the more concentrated versions of Choline supplements such as Alpha GPC Choline and CDP Choline because they give a greater boost to cognitive abilities than Choline Bitartrate can on its own.

While this supplement works well for people who only want to make sure they are getting enough choline in their diet and potentially protect against memory loss while aging, if you are looking for a greater intellectual edge you might want to turn to one of the more potent supplements available.

Choline

Cholinergic Supplement

Memory

Brain Health

Cognition

How It Works:

• Supports memory and synaptic plasticity
• Raises acetylcholine levels
• Promotes brain health and focus

Dosage:

Between 250 - 1,000 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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What is Choline Bitartrate?

Choline Bitartrate is a brain supplement than people use for improved memory and mental performance.

Choline itself is a natural essential nutrient that is already found within our body and even is produced internally, although on a very limited basis.

It is found in a number of different food sources like eggs, meat, fish, peanuts, broccoli, and more.

Choline is consider to be a water soluble nutrient and is similar to the B vitamin family. It is also structurally identified as a phospholipid, or a type of fat that is abundant in cell membranes.

Choline is a direct precursor for Acetylcholine, which is one of the neurotransmitters that controls memory formation and a number of other cognitive processes. It is the Acetylcholine which is primarily responsible for many of the Nootropic benefits of this supplement.

Choline Bitartrate is simply Choline combined with a chemical salt to help its absorption. Other similar options include Choline Citrate and Choline Chloride which use different versions of chemical salts during the manufacturing processing. Using these supplements will ensure that you have enough Choline in your diet to meet the FDA daily recommendations and may protect against memory impairment.

The body does produce a small amount of Choline on its own, but this minuscule amount is not enough to satisfy the requirements of the human body. According to recent studies, the vast majority of people’s diets are lacking in the proper levels of this nutrient with as much as 90% of the world’s population being deficient in choline.

Low endogenous production coupled with low amounts in the diet are the main reasons why supplementation is useful. Studies have shown that only 2% of all post-menopausal women are getting enough Choline. Adult men should also be taking even more Choline Bitartrate then women in order to achieve maximum benefits.

Benefits Of Choline Bitartrate

As Choline Bitartrate is consumed orally, it becomes absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal tract.

Once entering the bloodstream the next step for this supplement is to cross over the blood-brain barrier and then enter into the central nervous system. This is very important since not many substances are able to cross over this barrier.

It first has to be converted into a different form so not all of the Choline Bitartrate you consume will actually make it to your brain.

For this reason, Choline Bitartrate has a lower effectiveness by volume than other more concentrated sources of Choline such as Alpha GPC, Centrophenoxine, or Citicoline (CDP Choline).

Upon entering the central nervous system, Choline Bitartrate aids in the synthesis and storage of Acetylcholine. With more Acetylcholine available in your neurons, this means that they are better able to communicate and stimulate the Cholinergic receptor sites in the brain. This leads to a number of different positive effects for mental capacity including improved memory and learning abilities.

Many users also indicate that it helps them to recall details faster and more efficiently with less effort. Often mental fluidity is improved, meaning that doing tasks like writing, thinking, or even holding conversations can be done much easier and with less effort.

Choline also is essential to the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system. It helps with muscle contraction and movement, even playing a role in coordination. It is hypothesized that choline helps fight off arteriosclerosis and a number of memory related diseases and issues.

Within the brain, this nutrient supports nerve development and the growth and production of cell membranes. It also repairs old and worn out cell membranes, helping them to continue functioning properly.

This supplement transports fat throughout the body which may also aid in weight loss, however research on this is extremely limited.

While many of the mechanisms of action of choline in the body are known, research on Choline supplementation in humans is limited, and more research still needs to be done to completely understand its full benefits. At this time, Choline Bitartrate is available in the US as a health supplement only, and the FDA has not approved Choline Bitartrate as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions.

Choline Bitartrate Dosage

A safe, appropriate dosage depends on many factors including age, weight, and health status. The below dosage recommendations are a general guideline only. It is always recommended that you speak with your doctor before beginning any new supplements.

The FDA has established the recommended dosage of Choline at 550 mg for men and 425 mg for women each day.

Of course, with users who are trying to improve their Nootropic benefits, higher dosages are often taken.

Most Nootropics experts recommend taking somewhere in the range of 550 to 3,000 mg of Choline Bitartrate per day for brain boosting effects.

This amount is still considered safe (the upper tolerable Choline limits are 3.5 g per day) and most users do not experience any side effects when taken at these doses.

However, due to the fact that not all of the choline from Choline Bitartrate will make it into the brain you might find it more effective to use a lipid version of this supplement instead of a salt.

The lipid formulations such as Alpha GPC and CDP Choline are already in the proper format they need to be in to cross over the blood-brain barrier. As such, their effects are felt faster and they convert into Acetylcholine at a better rate.

Potential Choline Bitartrate Side Effects

As with any other supplement there may be some rare but unintended side effects, especially when taken at high dosages. While Choline Bitartrate is generally well tolerated and very safe, it is still possible to lead to issues like stomach problems (pain, diarrhea, vomiting).

When taken in dosages higher than those ordinarily recommended, users might see some dizziness, low blood pressure, increased perspiration and salivation, and/or a fishy body odor.

If any of these effects present themselves, the best idea is to either discontinue Choline Bitartrate use for a little while, or reduce the dose back to the recommended levels. Always speak with your doctor if you have any concerns about side effects.

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