Choline Dosage Recommendations for Adults and Children

What is the proper daily dosage to take of Choline supplements?

We are learning more and more every day about the importance of Choline for brain function and preventing memory loss disorders such as Alzhemier’s.

It may also offer benefits for individuals who want to improve their memory capacity while increasing focus and helping to balance mood.

Since an estimated 90% of the North American population is deficient in this nutrient, it has become commonplace to supplement with some form of Choline either in a multi-vitamin formulation or on its own.

But there is great discrepancy between different sources and the doses that are used. What is the best Choline dosage to use and how much is too much?

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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Choline Background Information

Choline is a nutrient that falls under the grouping of B-complex Vitamins.

Because the body can only synthesize a small amount of choline, it is necessary that the majority of our daily needs be consume in our diet.

Choline has a number of important responsibilities in both the brain and body and is integral for overall health.

It is considered to be the main precursor molecule for Acetylcholine – a primary excitatory neurotransmitter. As such, it is involved in a number of cognitive and mental processes such as memory formation and attention.

Choline is also used in the building and repairing of cell membranes and helps to protect against fatty liver and other forms of liver and muscle damage. Natural food sources of this nutrient include eggs (especially the yolks) and fatty meats.

The doses present in these foods is still quite low which is why so much of the population suffers from deficiency.

Advantages of Choline Supplements

Choline is water-soluble which means that the body cannot store this nutrient and we must replenish our sources on a daily basis.

Having enough Choline in your diet is not only essential for brain health, but it can also enhance cognitive function. With higher doses of Alpha GPC Choline or CDP Choline, you can safely increase levels of the acetylcholine neurotransmitter.

This can improve memory formation and storage, make it easier to learn new things and help to make your thoughts clearer and give you faster recall. As a precursor to acetylcholine, this nutrient helps to maintain nerve transmissions from the spinal cord to the intended targets in the heart, muscles, glands, lungs, and more.

Several of the components of Choline also help to insulate the myelin sheaths which cover and protect neurons and maintain efficient nervous system signaling.

If you do not have enough Choline for a long period of time, it can put your liver health at risk. Choline is necessary for the transportation of fats throughout the body so they can be burned for energy.

When lipids build up in the liver, it is this compound that is used to remove excess cholesterol and fats. When deficient in this supplement, you can suffer from a condition known as fatty liver. However, this condition can be reversed with the right Choline dosage.

Supplementation with additional Choline is also thought to promote overall health by reducing inflammation throughout the body. One of the markers of inflammation, homocysteine, is reduced by up to 20 percent when consuming the highest recommended levels of Choline.

As a lipid material, Choline also plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of cell membrane fluidity. When cell walls become overly rigid, it diminishes their ability to transport nutrients in and waste products out.

By increasing your Choline intake, you can help keep cells pliable and functioning at a high level, especially brain cells. You can also repair the damage done to old and worn out cell membranes, replenishing cell walls that act like they were ‘young’ once again.

Finally, studies have found that Choline is especially important in pregnant women as it ensures normal nervous system development in a developing baby and it can help to prevent congenital heart defects.

Choline Formulations Available

The dosage of Choline that you ultimately decide to use will based on the form of this supplement that you buy. Choline is a general term for any type of quaternary ammonium salt that contains N,N,N-trimethylethanolammonium.

Some of these forms may be more concentrated and may have greater bioavailability which means they will be more effective when absorbed into the bloodstream.

Certain forms are known for being especially effective at crossing over into the brain tissue and neurons. These are the formulations that are used as brain supplements or “nootropics”.

Among the possible options that you can buy at your local supplement store, Choline Bitartrate and Choline Citrate are two popular choices.

Unfortunately, both of these are known to have low bioavailability and do not target the brain especially well. This means you will need a much larger dosage of these forms in order to derive the benefits.

Other more effective supplements include Citicoline (CDP Choline) and Alpha GPC Choline. Both of these are natural forms of Choline that have been combined with a lipid to improve their absorption rate and their ability to cross over into the brain. They are both found in food sources and your body can make small amounts of each.

Because they are more direct precusors to acetylcholine, you will need a smaller dosage for the same results as compared to basic choline salt powders.

Choline Dosage:

So what is an appropriate dosage for Choline? The FDA outlines a general dietary guideline for adult males to consume at minimum 550 mg per day and for females to consume 425 mg per day.

Pregnant and nursing women should take at least 550 mg per day to promote proper neural development in their children.

While these numbers are seen as basic minimums, studies have found that supplementing with additional amounts of Choline can lead to greater improvements in mental capacity.

Individuals who are taking Choline Bitartrate as part of a brain boosting stack may use as much as 1 to 2 grams per day. One should start with a dosage of between 250 to 500 mg and increase upwards slowly only after becoming familiar with the effects.

Doses should be adjusted to suit individual needs as not everyone will see the same results from the same quantity.

One side effect of taking this much Choline Bitartrate is diarrhea. This is common when starting out with a full dose right away since the Tartaric acid in this formulation is heavily broken down by bacteria in the intestines. Other individuals may experience a fishy odor developing when using this much Choline Bitartrate powder.

These symptoms may be reduced by splitting the dosages into several equal administrations throughout the day and taking it with food to improve the rate of absorption.

If you do not notice positive effects from Choline Bitartrate and would prefer to use a stronger supplement, consider taking Alpha GPC or Citicoline instead. Dosages for these compounds range from 300 mg to 1,200 mg per day.

Most individuals notice improvements to their memory and ability to focus at the lower end of this dosage spectrum. Start with the smallest effective dosage and increase upwards according to your tolerance in increments of 100 to 200 mg per day.

Choline Overdoses:

There has never been a reported instance of a fatal choline overdose and there are no serious side effects known of. There may be some mild side effects that can occur when taking too much Choline powder at once.

In general, this supplement is safe with few issues of tolerance or interactions.

When using a Choline Mega Dose, side effects can include a slight fishy odor, increased sweating and salivation, upset stomach, and decreased appetite. To eliminate these side effects, use a smaller dosage in the future.

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