News Excerpt: 

Researchers have discovered that choline, an essential nutrient vital for brain health, is actively transported from the bloodstream into the brain by a protein.

About Choline:

• Choline is an essential nutrient that supports vital bodily functions and people’s overall health. 
• Although the body makes some choline, people need to incorporate choline-rich foods into their diet to get enough of it.

• Choline supports numerous vital bodily functions, including:

• Cell maintenance: The body uses choline to produce fats that make up cellular membranes.
• DNA synthesis: Choline along with other nutrients such as folate and vitamin B-12 can affect gene expression.
• Metabolism: Choline helps metabolize fats.
• Nervous system functioning: The body converts choline into a neurotransmitter that affects the nerves and plays a role in regulating automatic bodily functions, such as breathing and heart rate.
• Choline exists as both water-soluble and fat-soluble molecules. 
• Water-soluble choline molecules go to the liver, where the body converts them into a type of fat called lecithin.
• Fat-soluble choline usually comes from dietary sources, so the body absorbs it in the gastrointestinal tract

Benefits:

• Choline supports several vital bodily functions and may offer a wide range of other health benefits, such as:

• • Improving memory and cognition

• • Essential nutrient for brain development 
    • • In one observational study of 2,195 participants aged 70–74 years, those with higher choline levels had better cognitive functioning than participants with low choline levels.
      • Another observational study found that inadequate levels of choline, vitamin C, and zinc were associated with poorer working memory in older men.

• Protecting heart health:

• • The study found an association between higher dietary intakes of choline and a lower risk of ischemic stroke.

• Boosting metabolism:

• • Some research has shown that choline plays a role in metabolizing fats.
    • • The study found that female athletes who took choline supplements had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) and leptin levels than the control group. Leptin is a hormone that controls body fat.

• Reducing the risk of pregnancy complications:

• • Choline can affect fetal development and may influence pregnancy outcomes. 
  • Those who took higher doses had reduced markers of preeclampsia. 
    • Symptoms of preeclampsia include high blood pressure, swelling, and severe headaches.

• Improving cystic fibrosis symptoms:

• Choline supplementation improved lung function and reduced symptoms of fatty liver disease in 10 adult males with cystic fibrosis.