Choline
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Every diet
It is synthesized, though food sources like soy and eggs are the usual supply.
No carbohydrate.
Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.
Rules by country
Choline has no E-number: it is a nutrient rather than an additive. In the United States it is allowed in infant formula, where the rules set how much choline a formula has to carry. In the EU choline is an authorised added nutrient. EFSA set an adequate intake of 400 mg a day for adults and no upper level of its own.
What is it?
Choline is a quaternary amine that the body uses to build phosphatidylcholine, the main phospholipid of cell membranes, and to make acetylcholine, the messenger behind muscle and nerve signals. It also donates methyl groups, which is why a shortfall shows up first in the liver and the brain. Most diets supply several hundred milligrams a day without any fortification, and a large raw egg carries around 75 mg.
Where it comes from: Choline is a nutrient the body makes in small amounts and that most people also eat from food. It is manufactured and added on purpose to infant formula, where the amount and the form are set by regulation, and to vitamin pills for pregnancy.
Why it’s in food
- Forts infant formula
- Added to pregnancy vitamins
- Used in energy and sport powders
Often found in
Also listed as: Choline, Choline bitartrate, Choline chloride, Choline (nutrient), Choline bitartrate (vitamin)
Health & gut impact
EFSA set an adequate intake of 400 mg of choline a day for adults, and average intakes in most countries sit at or above that. Eggs, meat and soy are the richest everyday sources.
EFSA, dietary reference values for choline
EFSA set a higher adequate intake in pregnancy, 480 mg a day, because choline is needed for the brain and nervous system of the fetus. Deficiency is uncommon, but the gap between a typical intake and the pregnancy target is narrower than most people think.
EFSA, dietary reference values for choline
Gut bacteria convert choline into trimethylamine, which the liver turns into TMAO, a compound linked with cardiovascular risk in some studies. EFSA weighed this when setting the reference values, and the question is still open rather than settled.
EFSA Journal, scientific opinion on choline
What can I use instead?
Ratio: A much smaller amount than the salt, because it is more concentrated
Best for: Vegetarian and vegan supplements
Ratio: Normal portions cover a good share of the daily intake
Best for: Everyday food sources
Related
More vitamins & minerals:
Common questions
How much choline do I need?
EFSA puts the recommended intake at 550 mg a day for adult men and 425 mg for women, with more in pregnancy. Most people reach that without thinking about it, because eggs, meat and soy are all good sources.
Is choline in infant formula the same as choline in food?
It is the same nutrient in a different form. Formula uses a set compound, usually choline chloride or choline bitartrate, in a fixed amount because babies cannot eat much, and the rules set that amount so it works alongside the choline in milk fat.
Do choline supplements improve memory?
The evidence is thin. Choline is needed for normal brain function and a shortfall causes real problems, but trials of extra choline in supplements have not shown a clear memory benefit in people who already eat enough.
Is Choline safe?
Use in moderation (82/100). Choline has no E-number: it is a nutrient rather than an additive. In the United States it is allowed in infant formula, where the rules set how much choline a formula has to carry. In the EU choline is an authorised added nutrient. EFSA set an adequate intake of 400 mg a day for adults and no upper level of its own.
Is Choline vegan?
Yes. It is synthesized, though food sources like soy and eggs are the usual supply.
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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
- 21 CFR 107.100 (US FDA)
- EFSA, dietary reference values for choline
- EFSA Journal, scientific opinion on choline