Choline

What is Choline?

Choline was first discovered in 1849 as a component of pig bile (hence the name - the ancient Greek term for bile) and is involved in various vital metabolic processes in the body. It is an ammonium compound or monohydric alcohol. Choline arises naturally as an intermediate product of the cell membrane metabolism and is thus indirectly involved in the repair and formation of cell membranes. In addition, it is involved in acetylcholine synthesis, which is a neurotransmitter responsible for the transmission of nerve signals in the body.

Choline is essential for proper liver function and natural detoxification, as it removes excess fatty acids. If there is a Choline deficiency or the liver suffers from too high a fat content, a supplemental form of Choline can significantly disrupt the natural metabolic processes. Since Choline is very similar to the B vitamins, it is classified as "vitamin-like".

The most important areas of application for Choline or Alpha GPC supplements

The main areas of application are:

- cognitive disorders (e.g. after stroke/dementia)

- support of memory function

- support of lipid metabolism

- liver diseases/"fatty liver"

- glaucoma

- inflammation

We have put together a detailed description of the benefits of Choline and its effects on our blog.

Differences Between Citicoline UK, Alpha GPC UK, DMAE Bitartrate and Choline Bitartrate

Choline as a dietary supplement is available in different compounds: the main ones are Alpha GPC, CDP Choline and Choline Bitartrate. The main difference is that some of them are better absorbed and processed by the body. Citicoline powder (consists of choline and cytidine) and Alpha GPC powder (made of choline and Glyerophospah) can smoothly cross the blood-brain barrier.

Compared to Alpha GPC supplement and CDP Choline, Choline Bitartrate is a bit less potent but cheaper at the same time. Although it cannot increase the choline concentration in the brain, Choline Bitartrate can aid in liver problems and provide other health benefits. Of course, the correct intake of choline supplements is essential for all variants. More about this in our blog: Choline Dosage.

DMAE Bitartrate is structurally similar to Choline but contains one fewer methyl group, giving it different properties than typical Choline supplements such as Alpha-GPC or Citicoline CDP-Choline. DMAE powder provides beneficial effects to human memory and prevents ageing symptoms.

What Causes Choline Deficiency?

The causes of too little choline are diverse and continue to be researched. These include, in particular, an improper diet, advancing age, but also excessive alcohol consumption or alcohol and drug addiction and various other illnesses. Fatty liver or other liver diseases, poor absorption (uptake) of folic acid can also require the additional intake of choline.

Bear in mind that nootropics can also have side effects. You can find all information on this in our blog on the most Important choline side effects.

In what form is Choline supplement available?

In foods: Choline can be found in certain foods, e.g. in soybeans, nuts, vegetables and grains, but only in small amounts. Higher amounts can be found in liver (beef and pork) and egg yolk.

To significantly increase the choline level in the body, various supplement forms of choline are available. You can buy Choline UK, Alpha GPC, Choline Bitartrate, DMAE Bitartrate as a dietary supplement in capsules or powder form.

If you want to support liver health in general and save some money, you should order Choline Bitartrate. This variant is also available as a package of powder or capsules. All popular nootropics from Raw Powders can be found here: Melatonin, Phenibut, Noopept, Ashwagandha, Uridine, Bacopa-Brahmi, Gaba, L-Theanine.

You can read a good overview of the different best nootropics here.

Sources:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDP-Cholin

https://vitamine-ratgeber.com/weitere-vitalstoffe/cholin/

https://flexikon.doccheck.com/de/Cholin

https://naturaldoping.de/cholin-cdp-cholin-alpha-gpc/

https://www.cholin-wissen.de/lecithin-alpha-gpc-cdp-cholin-bitartrat/

https://www.naturalis-bio.de/alpha-gpc/