Choline bitartrate (vitamin B4): where it is found, properties, benefits and harms

Vitamin B4 (choline, trimethylethanolamine) is a thermostable amino alcohol, the so-called lipotropic factor, and is part of the B complex of vitamins.
For the first time, the compound was obtained from bile, which influenced the name of the substance: translated from Greek choly - “bile”. As a donor of specific methyl groups, it participates in the processes of remethylation associated with the formation of methionine, adrenaline, methylnicotinamide and other compounds, and is part of phospholipids.

Choline belongs to the category of water-soluble vitamin-like substances that affect protein and fat metabolism. Lack of the compound in the body leads to excess weight gain. Therefore, vitamin B4 is an indispensable component of complex therapy for weight loss.

The structural formula of choline is C5H15NO2.

The peculiarity of the vitamin-like substance B4 is the ability to be produced in the body. Thanks to this, in most cases, the internal organs and tissues of a person do not “experience” a lack of useful compounds.

What is choline (vitamin B4) and what is it for?

Translated from Greek, this term means “bile”. Choline is an organic compound that is essential for normal human life and activity.

The substance has the texture of colorless crystals, which dissolve well in water and are destroyed at high temperatures.

According to the modern classification, choline is not directly classified as a vitamin. Unlike them, it is capable of being reproduced by the body independently, albeit in small quantities.

However, “own” choline is not enough for a person. People receive an additional dose of this component with food, and in modern conditions, also as part of specialized medications. One of them will be written below.

Considering the characteristics and properties of choline, it began to be called a semi-vitamin or a vitamin-like element. However, its original name “vitamin B4” continues to be used in scientific literature and reference books.

Absorption, exchange and excretion[edit | edit code]

Choline is absorbed in the intestine either as such or as part of lecithin. In the intestinal mucosa, lecithin is hydrolyzed to form glycerophosphocholine, which enters the liver (where it releases choline) or, through the lymphatic vessels, into the systemic circulation. Free choline, especially when taken in large doses, is not completely absorbed, and intestinal bacteria convert it into trimethylamine. Since this substance gives stool a strong rotten fish smell, it is better to use lecithin as a source of choline.

What products contain

Choline is found in plant and animal foods. The tables show the main sources of vitamin B4.

Food of animal origin:

Plant food:

Choline and its derivatives - salts and esters - are used as very useful food additives.

Record-breaking foods for choline content

The human liver is capable of independently synthesizing choline in the form of phosphatidylcholine. Natural choline is not enough for the body. To meet your vitamin needs, you should take foods that contain choline.

The leader in choline content are egg yolks of any animal. For example, 1 piece of chicken yolk contains 172 mg of choline (34% of the daily value). There is also quite a lot of choline in liver (and other offal), chicken breast, and fish. Beans are the leading plant products.

Egg Yolk Powder: 2403 mg Raw: 820 mg

Beef kidneys513 mg

Liver Beef: 426 mg Chicken: 326 mg Turkey: 220 mg

Eggs Chicken: 293 mg Goose: 263 mg Quail: 263 mg Duck: 263 mg

Shrimp135 mg

Chicken breast117 mg

Soy116 mg

Fish Pink salmon: 113 mg Salmon: 112 mg Sockeye salmon: 112 mg Coho salmon: 109 mg Herring: 104 mg Mackerel: 101 mg

Beans97 mg

Lentil96 mg

View the entire table of herbal products 290+ ➤

View the entire table of animal products 100+ ➤

What functions does it perform?

Vitamin B4 (choline alfoscerate and choline bitartrate) is involved in most vital processes occurring in the body. The main ones:

• Cell formation. Choline is necessary for the synthesis of fats, which maintain the structural integrity of membranes.
• Signal transmission. Vitamin B4 is involved in the production of a component that ensures intercellular communication.
• DNA formation. Choline plays an important role in this process, along with folate (folic acid compounds) and vitamin B12.
• Lipid metabolism. Vitamin B4 is necessary for the production of a substance that prevents the accumulation of fats and promotes the elimination of cholesterol.
• Respiratory function. Choline is involved in the formation of surfactant, a component necessary for normal lung function.
• Activity of the nervous system. Vitamin B4 serves as a material for the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter - acetylcholine. This substance ensures the performance of such functions as thinking, cardiac activity, speech apparatus, muscle movement, etc.

For the normal functioning of all organs and systems, it is recommended to include foods rich in choline in the menu, as well as use dietary supplements based on it (see below).

Metabolism of vitamin B4

Choline is a nitrogen compound that is similar in chemical structure to ammonia. The mammalian body forms a substance from the amino acid methionine. In addition, B4 comes from food.

During processing, choline is partially destroyed by intestinal microflora, forming trimethylamine. If a person’s diet contains a low amount of a vitamin-like substance, it is absorbed by active transport, if a large amount is absorbed by diffusion.

As part of lipoproteins, partially free choline, phosphocholine from the intestine (with the blood) is distributed to the tissues. Subsequently, the substance is “included” in the course of metabolic processes.

Phosphocholine plays an important role in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (lecithin).

The ingested choline is excreted from the body by sweat, bile, and urine. Up to 1.5% of the substance is excreted daily with urine. With sweat – 0.01% of the total amount of B4 taken.

If the excretory function of the kidneys is impaired, the breakdown products of the compound slowly leave the body, which leads to increased azotemia. Contrary to popular belief, choline is not excreted in feces (with the exception of diarrhea).

For what diseases is it recommended to take

Indications for the use of choline are:

• nervous system disorders (including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases),
• mental disorders,
• cardiovascular pathologies,
• atherosclerosis,
• anemia,
• arterial hypertension,
• traumatic brain injuries,
• memory impairment,
• fatty liver - steatosis,
• viral hepatitis,
• cholelithiasis,
• bronchial asthma,
• allergic rhinitis,
• overweight,
• alcoholism.

Vitamin B4 and its derivatives are widely used throughout the world as natural nootropics.

Medicinal use

Choline, along with improving fat metabolism and the functional state of the central nervous system, stimulates the production of red blood cells and increases the body's resistance to toxic substances. These properties of the vitamin are used in medicine to treat functional disorders.

Clinical uses of choline

Liver diseases

The lack of choline in the daily menu reduces the chemical synthesis of phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine and lipoprotein), as a result of which the outflow of fatty acids into the blood plasma is weakened. Because of this, triglycerides accumulate in the liver, which increases the risk of thrombosis. Vitamin deficiency leads to a decrease or cessation of the transport of fats to the peripheral tissues of the body. Moreover, at this stage, a laboratory examination reveals a normal level of triglycerides in the blood. Taking vitamin B4 in a therapeutic dosage (2000 - 3000 milligrams) helps prevent fatty infiltration of the liver, and in the presence of this pathology, accelerate the regeneration of degenerated tissues. Doctors suggest that trimethylethanolamine breaks down neutral fats and intensive excretion of phospholipids with bile begins in the diseased organ, which helps improve the functional state of the liver. In addition, oral administration of 100 milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight or parenteral administration of 1 milliliter of a 20% solution into a vein leads to intense bile secretion. This property of choline is used to reduce the increased production of phosphatase in patients suffering from liver cirrhosis. Daily intake of three grams of the substance for 15–20 days helps normalize organ function.

Heart pathologies

Vitamin B4 helps in the fight against “bad” cholesterol, as it dissolves deposits on the walls of blood vessels. This fact is confirmed by numerous studies, in particular, an experiment conducted by G. I. Koropova with the participation of 92 people. During the first month, patients were given choline chloride in combination with the amino acid methionine. After 30 days, patients showed positive dynamics in fat metabolism: a decrease in cholesterolemia, an increase in the content of phospholipids in the blood, and the release of fatty acids into the plasma (determined by analysis). When using vitamin B4 over the next 3–6 months, the detected changes had more pronounced symptoms. It is important to understand that the duration of choline therapy directly depends on the amount of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. In addition to dissolving atherosclerotic plaques, vitamin B4 increases performance, improves sleep, reduces headaches, prevents angina attacks, and normalizes intestinal evacuation function.

Neurology

Numerous studies confirm that mental health depends on the functional activity of the liver. Therefore, improving the functional state of the “filtering” organ by taking choline leads to normalization of emotional status, restoration of the balance of excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system, and resistance to adverse effects. In addition, lecithin (choline + inositol) is an essential nerve nutrient, as it makes up 30% of the brain and 17% of the peripheral nervous system.

Cognitive disorders

Choline is a substrate for the synthesis of lipids (phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine, choline-plasmalogen) and neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, signaling molecules), a donor of methyl groups necessary for the resynthesis of methionine and DNA methylation. Therefore, the substance is of enormous importance for the normal functioning of the brain. Laboratory experiments indicate the effectiveness of taking vitamin B4 in the complex treatment of cognitive disorders: decreased learning ability, concentration, memory and mental performance.

Cosmetology

Since phospholipids are the basis of cell membranes, their deficiency in the body, in 90% of cases, leads to disruption of the integrity of the dermis and deterioration of blood circulation in the tissues. To prevent these changes, including improving hair nutrition, it is important to take 500 milligrams of vitamin B4 daily. In addition, you can make your skin “lipostable” using cosmetics that contain choline (phosphatidylcholine). This phospholipid, when used externally, performs three functions: softening (emollient), restoration (repairant) and transport of nutrients to damaged tissues. The nutrient is also widely used in beauty salons as injections for skin rejuvenation (lipodissolution). Repeated injection of the solution into the subcutaneous fat in problem areas leads to the binding of the substance to lipoproteins, dissolution and removal from the cells. Before choosing “vitamin” cosmetics, it is important to carefully study the ingredient composition. The correct name of the substance in Latin is: 1,2-diacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine, phosphatidylcholine, PtdCho and lecithin. Indications for the use of cosmetics with phosphatidylcholine: sensitive skin prone to redness, eczema, excessive dryness of the face, dysfunction of the hydrolipid mantle of the dermis, prevention of premature aging. The choline content in food has decreased sharply over the past 20 years, and the number of diseases associated with deficiency of the compound has doubled. To prevent the development of these conditions, it is advisable to take vitamin B4 in a prophylactic dosage of 500–900 milligrams per day, and for the treatment of functional disorders – 1000–6000.

Choline bitartrate as a source of choline

Currently, quite a lot of B vitamins are produced. We always remind you that vitamins of this group, including vitamin B4, are better absorbed in the human body in a water-soluble form. This is precisely the property that the drug RINOVIT has. Choline bitartrate is present in it in an amount of 30% of the daily intake. This value is optimal, since in ordinary life, firstly, we obtain a significant part of choline from food, and, secondly, our liver is capable of independently producing a certain amount of vitamin b4. The element plays a vital role in processes such as memory, thinking, and learning.

When we ask ourselves: what is included in a particular vitamin complex, we open a reference book of drugs and study the instructions. You won't find vitamin b4 in almost any multivitamin. What does this mean? That the compositions of vitamin complexes are balanced according to the standards for the use of basic elements from vitamin groups. However, doctors and representatives of science rightly declare the importance of vitamin b4 - choline alfoscerate and choline bitartrate. This leads to the conclusion that you need to buy products containing choline separately. To find out the price and buy choline (vitamin b4) in a unique balanced composition, visit the RINOVIT page.

Physicochemical characteristics

Vitamin B4 is an amino-ethyl alcohol, the structure of which includes three methyl groups of nitrogen atoms. The functional compound is constantly in an ionized state, which makes choline a strong base.

Content:

• Physicochemical characteristics
• History of discovery
• Metabolism of vitamin B4
• Biological role
• Signs and consequences of choline deficiency and excess
• Daily requirement
• Choline during pregnancy
• Medicinal use
• Sources of vitamin B4
• Choline in medicine
• Instructions for use of cholinomimetic
• Interaction with other substances

Trimethylethanolamine is a colorless substance with a distinct odor of trimethylamine. The presence of highly hygroscopic crystals ensures their easy transformation into a viscous liquid. Choline is highly soluble in anhydrous ethanol and water, less soluble in acetone, chloroform, amyl alcohol, and insoluble in carbon tetrachloride, benzene, diethyl ether, carbon disulfide, and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Vitamin B4 is relatively stable, the threshold of thermal stability of the compound is 180 degrees, an increase in temperature leads to its destruction. Treatment of the substance with hot alkali promotes the death of the choline molecule and the formation of trimethylamine. Trimethylethanolamine reacts with organic and inorganic acids, forming salts, for example, hydrochloric acid.

Acting as part of phospholipids, vitamin B4 is part of almost all cells of the body. Moreover, a larger amount of it is found in human plasma. The content of the compound in the blood depends on the season and varies from 6.1 to 13.1 micromoles per liter. The lowest amount of choline in the human body is observed in July, and the highest in February-March.

In women, trimethylethanolamine is excreted in menstrual blood. Depending on the phase of the cycle, the highest amount of choline is observed on the 14th day, the lowest on the 26th day. In addition, vitamin B4 is part of the cerebrospinal fluid.

The level of free choline in the human body is 77 - 216 nanograms per milliliter, total - 104 - 423, respectively. A high concentration of the compound is found in seminal fluid.

Vitamin B4, its esters and salts are used as a food additive registered under the E1001 sign. Choline is used in the food production process as a glazing agent and anti-flaming agent, preventing the formation of foam. In addition, the substance is used as an emulsifier during the creation of fat emulsions (sauces, chocolate, ice cream, margarine, mayonnaise). It is also used in baking bread, making cheese, frozen products, sausages, and baby food.

According to the conclusion of scientists, B4 is considered a harmless supplement that has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system and is called an anti-sclerotic vitamin.

Daily norm

The individual need for choline depends on the person’s age, area of ​​activity, health status and other factors.

The Institute of Medicine has proposed general intakes of vitamin B4 that are sufficient to avoid deficiency of this substance in the body.

These data are presented in the table:

Schoolchildren, students, people engaged in mental and heavy physical labor, and athletes experience an increased need for choline.

Choline during pregnancy

Remember, vitamin B4 is the most important nutrient for the normal ontogenesis of the fetus developing in the womb.

Choline is necessary as a substrate for DNA methylation in the child’s brain (due to the increased need for one-carbon residues), the construction of cell membranes (due to the rapid growth of tissues in both organisms), increasing the reserves of the compound in placental tissues, and increasing the production of lipoproteins.

The need for a useful substance is especially acute in the third trimester of pregnancy, when the myelin sheaths of fetal nerve fibers begin to be synthesized from sphingomyelin phospholipids.

Choline normalizes the psycho-emotional “background” of the mother by reducing the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in her body. This has a positive effect on the child’s nervous system (at later stages of life), protecting him from the onset of mental disorders and metabolic disorders. In addition, trimethylethanolamine stimulates the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is “responsible” for the formation of synapses in the embryonic brain.

During pregnancy, the daily requirement of vitamin B4 is 1000 – 3000 milligrams. Retrospective studies of expectant mothers (case-control method) confirm numerous reviews from gynecologists about an increase (4 times) in the risk of having a child with neural tube pathologies when consuming a minimum portion of choline per day (400 milligrams) during pregnancy.

Interestingly, therapeutic doses of the vitamin can change fetal epigenetic markers that regulate the functioning of the endocrine gland. In this case, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system is stabilized, and as a result, the level of cortisol in the child’s blood decreases.

Vitamin B4 in combination with folic acid is an ideal prevention of neurological defects in the fetus, including childhood dementia. For this reason, in 1985, the American Academy of Pediatrics insisted on the introduction of an additional portion of vitamin B4 into infant formula (for every 100 calories - 7 milligrams of the substance).

Considering the fact that the brain of a newborn continues to actively develop in the first years of life, it is advisable for a nursing woman to take the nutrient during breastfeeding. At the same time, trimethylethanolamine, which enters the child’s body with milk, increases the concentration of its own choline in its blood. Scientists note that this component improves memory, cognitive and thinking functions in the children's brain.

Interaction with other elements

Vitamin B4 is better accepted by the body in combination with such active ingredients as:

• lecithin,
• folic acid,
• B vitamins.

In turn, choline promotes better absorption of vitamins A, D, E, K.

The amount of the substance in the body may decrease:

• with excessive alcohol consumption,

• as a result of taking antibacterial drugs,
• when using steroid hormones.

Daily requirement

The daily intake of trimethylethanolamine is not regulated. However, the minimum requirement for a healthy person for the compound is 300 milligrams per day. Choline consumption directly depends on the amount of folic acid, protein, cobalamin (vitamin B12) in the body.

The daily dose of the vitamin-like substance B4 entering the body varies on average from 500 to 1000 milligrams per day.

The upper limit for consumption of the compound for children under 14 years of age is 2000 milligrams, for adults – 3500 milligrams.

In case of a stressful situation or high mental load, it is recommended to double the choline intake.

Lack of substance in the body

Choline deficiency has a negative impact on health. If there is insufficient intake of vitamin B4 in the body, the following symptoms develop:

• general weakness,
• irritability,
• state of anxiety,
• insomnia,
• increased blood pressure,
• cardiac arrhythmia,
• circulatory disorders,
• increased cholesterol levels,
• atherosclerosis,
• headache,
• feeling of tinnitus,
• liver damage,
• gastrointestinal disorders,
• renal dysfunction,
• damage to muscle tissue,
• weight gain,
• growth retardation in children.

The following factors contribute to a decrease in choline levels in the body:

• Intense sports activities. With prolonged physical activity and endurance exercise, the content of vitamin B4 can be significantly reduced.
• Drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol increases the need for choline, resulting in a deficiency of this component in the body.
• Menopause in women. At this time, in the fairer sex, the production of estrogen, a hormone that affects the synthesis of vitamin B4, decreases.
• Pregnancy. After conception, the mother’s choline is “used up” for the development of the fetus, which increases the likelihood of a deficiency of this substance in the female body.

Insufficient choline intake during pregnancy can lead to serious pathologies such as:

• neural tube defect in the fetus,
• preeclampsia,
• premature birth,
• low baby weight at birth.

To compensate for vitamin B4 deficiency, it is recommended to take dietary supplements with this substance.

History of discovery

The first mention of choline dates back to the 19th century (1862), when scientists discovered a useful compound while studying animal tissue. However, people realized the importance of the substance for the human body half a century later.

Experiments on animals carried out in 1930 were a decisive factor in the research of the vitamin-like substance. Thus, during the test, the pancreas was removed from experimental animals, after which insulin was administered artificially. For a long time, research did not bring the desired result. Despite the fact that the animals survived after surgery, they started the process of fatty degeneration of the liver, which eventually stopped working. As a result, everything ended in the death of the animals.

In the process of numerous studies, scientists identified the reason for this outcome; it turned out to be a lack of choline in the animals’ bodies. Due to a deficiency of the compound, the liver did not process fat, and as it accumulated, it led to the replacement of normal liver tissue with fatty tissue and the occurrence of cirrhosis.

In the human body, processes occur similarly.

Possible side effects

Natural preparations based on choline have no contraindications and are usually well accepted by the body.

Negative reactions can only be observed in case of individual intolerance to the components or in case of significant overdose. The presence of these factors increases the likelihood of side effects, including:

• drop in blood pressure,
• excessive sweating,
• nausea,
• diarrhea.

To avoid such violations, preparations with vitamin B4 should be administered following the dosage indicated in the instructions.

Instructions for use of cholinomimetic

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Indications: confusion, chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency, memory impairment, dementia (senile, Alzheimer's, post-stroke), emotional instability, senile pseudomelancholia, irritability, ischemic stroke (in the recovery phase), Huntington's chorea, traumatic brain injury (acute period), functional central nervous system disorders, decreased concentration, disorientation, cognitive disorders (with encephalopathy and dementia).

How to take choline alfoscerate?

In acute conditions (ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury), 1000 milligrams of the substance are administered intravenously or intramuscularly (slowly). The frequency of injections, depending on the patient’s condition, is 1 – 4 times a day. The course of treatment is 10 – 20 days. After this, they switch to oral administration of the substance (3 capsules per day) for 4 to 6 months.

For dementia syndromes and chronic diseases of the central nervous system, the drug is prescribed orally, 400 milligrams 3 times a day before or after meals. The course of therapy is 3 – 6 months. If nausea occurs, reduce the dosage.

While carrying out “vitamin” therapy, it is important to consume protein foods that contain methionine (eggs, cottage cheese, liver, fish).

Remember, it is advisable to entrust the choice of medicine to an experienced specialist.

The above-described technologies for using drugs should not be taken as a basis; the material is for informational purposes only.

Use in sports nutrition

Choline is a necessary element for those whose life schedule is associated with physical activity. When doing fitness or bodybuilding, the body's need for this substance increases. The following factors may be the reason:

• Increased load on the liver. In athletes, this organ works with redoubled force due to the large amount of protein consumed. Vitamin B4 supports liver function.
• The need for dietary restrictions. Choline helps reduce appetite by increasing dopamine levels in the brain.
• Overtraining is physical and emotional exhaustion due to excessively high loads. Vitamin B4 helps return to normal by restoring the central nervous system.

In sports nutrition, choline is used as part of special vitamin complexes and fat burners. As a rule, these are combinations with other active substances. A combination of choline and carnitine is used as an effective means to achieve relief and “drying”.

The daily requirement of vitamin B4 for an athlete is 1-3 g. The daily limit is 3.5 g.

Biological role

Let's look at why choline is needed in the human body.

1. Nervous system. The vitamin plays a key role in creating the protective sheath of nerves and phospholipids that make up cell membranes. The connection protects them, as well as the myelin layer, from partial damage and complete destruction, which can lead to “exposure” of neurons and disruption of the nervous system as a whole. Trimethylethanolamine is a metabolic precursor of an important neurotransmitter, the so-called acetylcholine, which is responsible for the transmission of impulses. The systematic intake of choline into the human body prevents the occurrence of disorders of the nervous system.
2. Fat metabolism. The compound acts as a strong hepatoprotector, which helps accelerate the structural restoration of damaged liver tissue as a result of the toxic effects of alcoholic beverages, drugs, medications, and viruses. Choline prevents the formation of gallstones and improves the functioning of the digestive gland. Together with lecithin, it takes part in the transport and metabolism of fats in the liver, preventing its fatty degeneration (hepatosis). In addition, vitamin B4 promotes the absorption of vitamins E, K, A, D, normalizes fat metabolism, and accelerates the enzymatic breakdown of triglycerides.
3. The cardiovascular system. Trimethylethanolamine cleanses the walls of blood vessels from cholesterol plaques, reduces the concentration of fatty acids in the blood and reduces the level of bad cholesterol. Vitamin B4 is involved in the formation of methionine, which “fights” excess homocysteine, which increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and memory loss. In addition, choline normalizes heart rate and strengthens the heart muscle.
4. Carbohydrate metabolism. The benefit of choline in the functioning of the pancreas is that the compound strengthens the membranes of beta cells, normalizes blood glucose levels by regulating insulin levels. The use of vitamin B4 in type I diabetes mellitus reduces the body's need for insulin. In type II disease, it compensates for the lack of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the body, reducing the excess level of pancreatic hormone, which in most cases is the main factor in the development of the disease.
5. Reproduction. The most important functions of choline are increasing sperm motility and participating in the synthesis of prostaglandins in the prostate gland. In old age, vitamin B4 inhibits prostate dysfunction.
6. Mental capacity. According to a test conducted at the end of the 20th century (a group of volunteers included 10 grams of B4 in their diet daily for 10 days), English psychophysicists came to the conclusion that the systematic use of choline improves the short-term memory of subjects.

Trimethylethanolamine is one of the most important building blocks for the brain. It is especially important to use the compound for children under 5 years of age and women during pregnancy, since it has been proven that the level of human intelligence is established in the womb and in the first years of a baby’s life, which means that a deficiency of choline during this period can lead to mental disorders in the development of the baby.

It turns out that vitamin B4 is a substance that helps preserve memory into old age, reducing the risk of sclerosis.

Until now, the phenomenal effect of choline on the course of processes in the brain has not been studied in detail. It is assumed that the compound slows down the aging process at the cellular level and helps build a kind of reserve - a strong network of neurons that process any information.

Thus, choline has a critical effect on the body. In addition to influencing the nervous, cardiovascular systems, reproductive function, mental abilities, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, it improves the physiological state of the body as a whole. Namely: it normalizes intestinal activity, regulates metabolism, has a positive effect on growth, triggers liver cell regeneration processes, promotes hematopoiesis, improves mood, and eliminates mental instability.

In the 1990s, scientists found that during the experience of severe emotional shock (stress), choline consumption doubles.

Remember, if there is a lack of vitamin-like substance B4 in the diet, a healthy body will still receive the vital compound by processing other foods. However, it is better to prevent this phenomenon from occurring and ensure a regular supply of the substance with food. Otherwise, the load on the body to transform the compound increases significantly.

Which choline supplement should you choose?

Medical products (medicines, vitamins, medicines) are mentioned for informational purposes. We do not recommend using them without a doctor's prescription. We recommend reading: “Why can’t you take medications without a doctor’s prescription?”

Lecithin. Available in the form of a dietary supplement. Contains 10–20% phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is produced in the form of powder or tablets, in which choline is approximately 13% of the total volume of the drug []. Other vitamin supplements contain choline in the form of chloride, CDP-choline, alpha-GPC and betaine.

Names of drugs and their costs

Historical aspects

Vitamin B was first synthesized by Casimir Funk in 1911. He called the resulting compound a vitamin because it contained a nitrogen atom. Then, in 1929, Christian Eijkman received the Nobel Prize for the biosynthesis of a substance that cures beriberi disease, and therefore was named vitamin B. But with further research, substances very similar to this vitamin were discovered, they were given a group and number in their names in accordance with opening sequence. Now you can notice that when listing the vitamins of this group there are “gaps”: vitamin B4 is missing.

Nature's Way, Choline, 500 mg, 100 Tablets

703 rub.

More details

Vitamin B4 was first noticed back in 1849, and in 1862 it was possible to isolate the substance from bile, due to which it received the name choline (from the Greek “chole”), then in 1901, but it is impossible to say exactly where and how it was discovered no one can. The thing is that at the beginning of the 20th century there were no concepts about vitamins, and the technologies of those years could not explain its benefits to the body, so they forgot about the discovery. Then a group of scientists led by Best discovered fatty liver degeneration in dogs that received insulin and had enlarged pancreas. Treatment of this liver pathology was successfully carried out by adding lecithin, which is contained in raw egg yolk, to the feed. The substance that helped the dogs was called choline.

Further research showed that it is not a vitamin. Therefore, it is commonly called a vitamin-like substance. That is, it is only a metabolic factor that can be formed independently from amino acids.

Precautions and contraindications

Choline preparations for therapeutic purposes are prescribed only by the attending physician. The maximum permissible dosage for adult patients is 3500 mg per day. This amount will not harm the body. It is extremely difficult to obtain such a volume of the active substance with food. The use of pharmaceuticals must be under medical supervision.

Risk of high mortality

. A study of 80,978 women and 39,434 men showed that high doses of choline cause the development of cardiovascular disorders, leading to death [].

Risk of developing prostate and colorectal cancer.

Increasing recommended dosages over a long period of time causes the development of malignant processes in the prostate in men and in the colon in women [34-35].

Symptoms of Choline Overdose

• The appearance of a “fishy” odor from the body.
• Vomit.
• Excessive sweating.
• Hypersalivation.

Against the background of excess amounts of choline, the liver experiences a toxic effect. The body activates the production of TMAO, which causes cardiovascular disorders.