Choline for Weight Loss – Does it Burn Fat?

Research shows that using Choline to lose weight may improve results as part of a complete weight loss program including diet and exercise.

While it may not be the strongest weight loss supplement on the market, the natural mechanism of action that this nutrient uses means that it comes with none of the side effects typical of diet pills.

Choline naturally promotes a faster rate of lipolysis meaning that you burn more fat than you would at your typical metabolic rate.

It does this by promoting the transportation of dietary fats throughout the body to your cells so they are promptly burned for energy.

This is believed to help prevent future weight gain while also contributing to steady and reliable weight loss results.

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

Top Choline Products* ❯

View User Ratings* ❯

Choline for Weight Loss

Choline is a dietary supplement that your body is actually capable of producing on its own in very small amounts.

However, most of the existing Choline within the body is from the diet or supplementation.

Certain foods like eggs, liver, fish and broccoli are high in choline, but in order to meet the FDA’s recommended daily intake, most people turn to supplements and multi-vitamins.

These days, it is common to find choline and related supplements in diet and weight loss products on the market.

Choline is a water soluble essential nutrient that is similar to the B-complex family of vitamins, although it is not technically a vitamin.

It is vital in numerous bodily processes and functions including brain and nerve cell function, cellular processes, and even metabolic functions within the liver.

It is necessary for the transportation of fats into cell mitochondria and the building of cell membranes.

If you do not get enough choline in your diet, it can lead to conditions such as Fatty Liver Disease where fats accumulate in your liver because there are no available transporters to deliver them to cells. This can cause widespread health problems as liver function declines.

Recent studies have found that using additional sources of choline above and beyond the recommended intake to avoid deficiency may be able to promote weight loss and a reduction in body fat percentage.

Research into Choline’s Health Benefits

This nutrient has a long and rich history, as it was first discovered in 1864 by the noted scientist Adolph Strecker. It was then chemically synthesized in 1866.

During the 1970’s researchers took a fresh look at this supplement during their ongoing research into insulin. This is when they discovered the connection between Choline and the powerful neurotransmitter Acetylcholine.

As a precursor to Acetylcholine in the brain, Choline helps to improve memory, learning capacity, attention span, and concentration. Some users report it can improve speed of cognition and memory recall while also stimulating greater creativity, better communication skills and improved mood. Choline also enhances visual perception and can improve the processing speed of sensory data.

There are a number of diseases and conditions for which researchers believe Choline may be helpful. This includes Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Tourette’s syndrome, schizophrenia, certain types of liver disease like hepatitis and cirrhosis, Huntington’s chorea, high cholesterol, asthma, allergies, and potentially even certain types of cancer. Research on most of these uses is limited however, and clinical studies are still needed to determine the full effects of supplemental Choline.

Athletes have also been known to use Choline to give them an edge in sports performance. This is normally for the purpose of delaying the onset of fatigue. Endurance athletes, as well as weight lifters and body builders will use Choline supplements to try and help them perform extra reps before their muscles fill with lactic acid.

Effects Related to Weight Loss

Choline is also very critical for overall brain and body health since it provides two of the most important substances needed in the production of cellular membranes.

The main component of this is phosphatidylcholine, the primary fat chemical or substance involved in the creation of cell membranes.

Choline transports lipids (fats) from the liver and helps form betaine, an important methyl donor which is used in a number of bodily processes.

This is what makes choline an important dietary supplement if you want to burn fat more efficiently and stop yourself from putting on more weight. The lipotropic effect of Choline means that it promotes the body’s use of fat for energy over other sources like glucose which is typically burned first.

Choline also aids the liver by breaking down and disposing of “trapped” fats. Healthy levels of this nutrient in your system ensures that fatty acids are made available to cellular mitochondria which can then convert these fats into ATP or energy.

While it may not be the most effective weight loss supplement, it makes a great complement to any natural diet pill product or stack.

Research on choline has been promising so far for neurological and weight loss purposes, however more research is still needed to fully determine the effects of supplemental choline in the body. At this time, Choline is only available as a dietary supplement, and the FDA has not approved Choline as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions.

Choline Stacks for Burning Fat

Bodybuilders and athletes who take Choline will typically combine it with several other components as part of a synergistic weight loss formula. This procedure is known as stacking.

Choline has been successfully stacked together with Carnitine and Caffeine in a powerful weight loss cocktail. Choline and Carnitine work together to supply your cells with fat so you are metabolizing lipids at a faster rate.

L-Carnitine also helps to ensure muscles are getting more energy and do not store carbohydrates as fats.

Caffeine is a well-known metabolism booster with stimulant effects that contributes to higher levels of norepinephrine. This can lead to additional energy needs and more fat being burned.

If you are looking for faster weight loss results, consider a stronger version of choline known as Alpha GPC. This supplement contains choline in a fully bioavailable form which makes it more potent and may lead to additional fat burning.

Furthermore, Alpha GPC has been found to dramatically raise Human Growth Hormone levels – especially when combined with exercise. This hormone is a key driver of gains in lean muscle mass and also leads to additional fat and calories being burned.

These effects are not exhibited to the same degree when using a supplement like Choline Bitartrate or Choline Citrate.

How to Use Choline for Weight Loss

Proper dosage depends on many factors including age, weight, and personal physiology. The below dosage recommendations are general guidelines only, and your personal dosage may be different. It is always recommended that you speak with your doctor to determine the best dosage for your needs.

If you are taking Choline to lose weight, the recommend dosage falls somewhere between 300 and 500 mg. Most users find this to be a very reasonable dosage with no notable side effects. That being said, you should first try using a smaller amount to ensure you do not observe any adverse effects.

Even though this is a natural ingredient, you should be careful about when you take it. Most reviews suggest the morning is best time to take it as well as before a workout.

Using Choline later in the day could possibly disrupt you sleeping patterns and schedule as you may feel like your mind is wide awake and be unable to fall asleep.

Although it is very well-tolerated and has a very safe overall user profile, Choline can still lead to side effects like headaches, increased body temperatures, sweating, and loss of appetite. Most of these only occur when taken in very high doses.

If any of them occur, simply back off to the recommended dose or stop taking it for a few days. If you are using a supplement like Choline Bitartrate, be aware that stomach discomfort and diarrhea are common side effects.

This is due to the fact that Choline is heavily broken down by bacteria in your intestines when taken in this form. Alpha GPC and Citicoline are two alternative high-potency Choline supplements that do not cause either of these side effects and may be more effective for weight loss.

If you do decide to use a normal Choline supplement for weight loss, consider looking for one combined with Inositol or Phsophatidylcholine to improve your results.

Rate This Article

(18 votes, average: 4.06 out of 5, rated)