Choline (Lecithin)

Requirements:

• Have not been established - choline is not considered an essential vitamin since the body can synthesize it.
• Daily Optimal Intake:
  
  25 - 300 mg. for adults

Supplement Forms:

• Usually included in B-complex vitamin formulas
• Individual:
  
  Choline bitartrate
  Choline dihydrogen citrate
  Phosphatidyl choline (also known as lecithin)

Food Sources:

• Egg yolk
• Legumes
• Milk
• Muscle meats
• Organ meats
• Whole grain cereals

Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency:

• No known cases have been reported

Adverse Effects and Toxicity:

• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Fishy odor
• Nausea

Drug/Nutrient Interactions:

• None known

Biochemical Functions:

• Prevent the accumulation of large quantities of fat in the liver
• Required for transport and metabolism of fats
• Synthesize acetylcholine

Clinical Indications:

• Alzheimer's disease
• Atherosclerosis
• Bipolar disorder
• Cholecystitis
• Cholelithiasis
• Endometriosis
• Fibrocystic breast disease
• Hemorrhoids
• Memory loss
• Multiple sclerosis
• Obesity
• PMS
• Psoriasis
• Uterine fibroid
• Fatty liver
• Herpes zoster (mild cases)
• Lower esophageal sphincter dysfunction
• Myasthenia gravis
• Nerve dysfunctions i.e. Huntington's chorea, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease
• Tardive dyskinesia (choline in the natural source of lecithin)

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).