Choline citrate supplements are used to promote cellular health, improve absorption of minerals, and support cognitive development. Choline is essential for the creation of healthy cell membranes and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. While choline can be obtained through diet, some people choose to supplement their intake.
Many individuals use choline citrate supplements as the essential nutrient can only be produced to a limited extent by the body. Due to its purported cellular health promoting and energizing effects, some athletes choose to use choline citrate supplements. Patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia may also benefit from choline supplementation, as the nutrient is thought to improve the absorption and use of minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Although there has been some research to suggest that choline is used to promote cognitive development in babies in the womb, more research is needed before its use during pregnancy can be established.
The major expense of choline within the body is the manufacture of betaine. Betaine facilitates methylation by donating some of the molecules necessary for the process. Methyl donors such as betaine are required for the synthesis of lipids and some neurotransmitters, as well as for the transcription of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). It is possible that DNA transcription errors in part associated with aging may be due to deterioration of the body’s methylation capabilities over time. Some alternative practitioners theorize that the use of dietary supplements containing choline citrate may slow the aging process, although there is no research as of 2011 to support this claim.
The importance of choline in the manufacture of neurochemicals, however, is well understood. Cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer’s disease are sometimes attributed to damage to the brain’s cholinergic system, which is responsible for learning, memory, mood, and other functions. These deficits are sometimes treated with drugs to increase serum levels of acetylcholine, one of the most important excitatory chemicals in the brain. Supplements containing choline citrate can provide the body with additional choline for use in making this and other neurotransmitters.
Choline is also necessary for the creation and maintenance of healthy cell membranes. The nutrient is used within the liver in the synthesis of phosphotidylcholine, an important component of the phospholipid bilayer that makes up most cell and nuclear membranes. The structure of the phospholipid bilayer allows cells to control what goes in and out through the cell membrane by acting as a barrier between fluids inside and outside the cell.
Although choline can be obtained through a wide variety of dietary sources, including meats, vegetables, nuts, beans, and eggs, some people choose to supplement their natural intake with choline citrate supplements. While the body produces a limited amount of nutrients, choline deficiency is rare in people who eat a normal diet. Choline is vital for a number of metabolic and structural needs of the body, including DNA transcription, brain chemistry, and maintenance of cell walls.
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