With all this new buzz about choline, you might probably be a little clueless as to what exactly this new miracle drug is. Choline is a very recently discovered nutrient; in fact, it’s so recent that it was only acknowledged as a required nutrient by the Institute of Medicine in 1998.
This substance isn’t totally foreign to your body; in fact, your body does make some choline the majority of the choline your body needs is highly dependent on your diet. Choline is made by your liver is small quantities. It is a water-soluble organic compound that is neither a vitamin nor a mineral.
Choline has its hand in plenty of primary bodily functions such as liver function, muscle movement, healthy brain development, nervous system, and metabolism. It plays a vital role in many processes in your body such as cell structure, cell massaging, fat transport and metabolism, a healthy nervous system, and DNA synthesis.
The recommended amount of choline to be consumed in a day for different age groups according to dietary specialists is as follows.
Adult women: 425 mg per day
Adult men: 550mg per day
Breastfeeding women: 550 mg per day
Pregnant women:450 mg per day
Although this is the recommended amount of choline to be consumed in a day, it differs from person to person depending on their body composition and daily activities. Some studies found that men consuming the recommended amount of choline still suffer from a deficiency.
Choline deficiency is especially harmful to your liver. Choline is especially important during pregnancy as numerous studies have found that a deficiency of choline in the mother significantly increased the risk of neural tube defects in unborn babies. Other risks to your pregnancy because of a deficit of choline include preeclampsia which is a condition where you have high blood pressure and protein in your urine during pregnancy or after delivery, premature birth, and low birth weight which is very dangerous for newborn babies. In some cases, the babies will have to be put in an incubator.
The people who fall in the highest risk category for choline deficiency are endurance athletes, post-menopausal women, high alcohol intake, and pregnant women. Some foods that are rich in proteins are beef liver, chicken liver, fresh cod, salmon, cauliflower, soybean oil, broccoli, and egg. A single egg contains about 20% to 25% of your daily requirement of choline.
There are many positives to increasing your daily choline consumption. Such as a reduced risk of heart disease, synthesis of DNA which helps with brain function and development, improves your memory and processing power, if taken during pregnancy improves fetal brain development, helps people with bipolar disorder manage their symptoms and it may lower the risk of breast cancer in women over 30. However, it is crucial to note that most of this research is purely experimental, and researchers are still looking to find a way to tie reduced intake of choline with these symptoms.
If you’re having some trouble getting your choline from natural supplements, the following are the best choline supplements available on the market.
Double wood supplements alpha GPC choline
These supplements provide 600mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 2 tablets. The bottle comes with about 60 capsules, which are supposed to last a single user for 2 months, it is not suitable for vegetarians as it is a non-vegetarian product. Final thoughts on this product are that it is an effective supplement for natural choline, but it is not at all suitable for vegans and vegetarians as it contains fillers.
Nature’s Way choline
This supplement called natures way choline provides 500mg of choline, the serving size of this supplement is 1 tablet, this is enough to satisfy the choline needs of pregnant adult women for the day. This supplement happens to be one of the highest-rated supplements that’s available on the market. It provides about 500mg of choline per tablet, and it is sold in a bitartrate form. This product, unlike double wood supplements alpha GPC choline, is suitable for vegans. This product has overall great reviews and has a real value for money. This is one of the few companies that use TRU-ID program to ensure the authenticity of all its herbal ingredients, ensuring that whatever is going into your supplements is authentic and has not been adulterated. This is one of the most potent supplements on the market; this is because of the presence of bitartrate. Bitartrate is the simplest and least complex form of choline; this makes it the easiest out of all the types of choline to digest. This supplement is not only giving you great value for money as well as being of good quality, but it also is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Now foods choline and Inositol
This supplement called Now foods choline, and Inositol choline provides 500mg of choline, the serving size of this supplement is 1 tablet, this is enough to satisfy the choline needs of pregnant adult women for the day. The bottle comes with about 100 capsules, which are supposed to last a single user for about 3 months. It provides you with your daily requirement of choline in one small tablet form; it is most convenient. The company has won many national awards for achieving excellence in producing high dietary supplements and maintaining environmental sustainability. This is a top supplement made by a very reputable company. It has very potent strength and has the added benefit of Inositol, which supports healthy circulation and balanced hormones. We recommend the double pack as it is excellent value for money.
Thorne Research choline
These supplements provide 420mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 2 tablets. The bottle comes with about 60 capsules, which are supposed to last a single user for 2 months, it is not suitable for vegetarians as it is a non-vegetarian product. The upside about this product is that it contains no known allergens; it is also gluten-free, which is another bonus. It provides you with your daily requirement of choline in one small tablet form, and it is most convenient. This supplement is very suitable for you if you are not a vegetarian and you’re looking for a potent supplement.
Solgar Choline
These supplements provide 350mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 1 tablet. The bottle comes with about 100 capsules, which are supposed to last a single user for 3 months, it is suitable for vegetarians as it is a vegetarian as well as a vegan product. The amount of choline present in this tablet is on the lower side so if you’re a fully grown man, post-menopausal woman, or a pregnant woman, and we recommend two tablets per day. The best part about this product is that it is not only vegan friendly, but it is also dairy-free, gluten-free and to add the cherry on top it has excellent value for money. This is the go-to supplement if you’re looking for something kosher, organic, and vegan and vegetarian friendly.
Jarrow Formulas CDP choline
These supplements provide 250mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 1 tablet. The bottle comes with about 120 capsules, which are supposed to last a single user 4 months. The amount of choline present in this tablet is on the lower side so if you’re a fully grown man, a fully grown woman, post-menopausal woman or a pregnant woman we recommend two tablets per day. This product contains no sweetener, although this is on the higher side of the price scale. It makes up for the higher price by using high-quality ingredients.
Country Life Choline
These supplements provide 1200mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 1 tablet. The bottle comes with about 100 soft gel capsules, which are supposed to last a single user 3 months. It is not suitable for vegetarians as it is a non-vegetarian product. This product is gluten-free, which gives it another star in our book, but it also contains soy which a lot of people are allergic to. The amount of choline in these tablets is quite a lot, so it is most useful for individuals that have choline deficiency. This supplements is made with the best standards and is gluten free; it contains no know allergens and is offered at a very good price for its contents; however, it is suitable for vegetarians.
Douglas laboratories
These supplements provide 235mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 1 tablet. The bottle comes with about 100 soft gel capsules, which are supposed to last a single user 3 months. The amount of choline present in this tablet is on the lower side so if you’re a fully grown man, post-menopausal woman or a pregnant woman, and we recommend two tablets per day. This product is not only dairy-free, gluten-free and contains no artificial flavouring or sweeteners, but it also contains choline bitartrate. This is one of the most powerful supplements on the market; this is because of the presence of bitartrate. Bitartrate is the simplest and least complex form of choline; this makes it the easiest out of all the types to digest. This product also provides an amazing value for money, considering all the other features it comes with.
Nested naturals choline bitartrate
These supplements provide 550mg of choline per serving so 1 tablet is enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 2 tablets. The bottle comes with about 90 soft gel capsules, which are supposed to last a single user 3 months. It is suitable for vegetarians as it is a vegetarian as well as a vegan product. The product is gluten free, contains no common allergens, and contains fillers and is suitable for vegans. This is one of the most potent supplements on the market; this is because of the presence of bitartrate. Bitartrate is the simplest and least complicated form of choline; this makes it the easiest out of all the forms to digest. A nested natural is a Canadian based company that is dedicated to producing dietary supplements that strive to put people and the planet above profit. They source only the finest raw materials from all corners of the earth to make this product. The only downside to this product is that it contains fillers.
Standard process choline
These supplements provide 175mg of choline per serving so 2 tablets are enough for your daily dose, although the serving size is 3 tablets. The bottle comes with about 90 soft gel capsules, which are supposed to last a single user 3 months. The amount of choline present in this tablet is on the lower side so if you’re a fully grown man, post-menopausal woman or a pregnant woman, and we recommend two tablets per day. This company uses a straightforward formula using only choline bitartrate and calcium stearate, achieving what other companies need a dozen more ingredients to make. This is one of the most powerful supplements on the market; this is because of the presence of bitartrate. Bitartrate is the simplest and least complex form of choline; this makes it the easiest out of all the forms to digest.
These are our top 10 picks for choline supplements on the market. Remember to always consult your doctors before consuming any tablets or brands, especially for pregnant women or if you’re using choline to treat symptoms. It is also important to note that too much of a good thing can be bad, although it is very hard to cause harm to your body by taking excessive choline it is still possible. The upper limit for choline in adults is 3500mg, which is impossible to reach in food form and can only be achieved through taking supplements. The side effects include sweating, fishy body odour, nausea, drops in blood pressure, vomiting and diarrhoea.
