Latest news with #choline
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Eating just 4 ounces of common food each week cuts Alzheimer's risk by 40%
Older adults who eat two eggs a week may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, a new study claims. Researchers from Boston, Washington DC and Chicago found that the presence of several nutrients, particularly choline in the breakfast staple can help lower the risk of the progressive disease. Choline is an essential nutrient for liver development, healthy brain development, muscle movement, maintaining nervous system health and metabolism. While previous research has suggested that eating eggs may support cognitive performance, this new study has been able to find that the choline in eggs can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's-related dementia by 40 percent. Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the development of plaques created by protein cells in the brain, which damage and kill cells. But now, scientists believe that choline can protect the brain cells from decay and damage, therefore reducing a person's risk of developing the disease. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and primarily affects people over the age of 65. More than 7.2 million adults among that age bracket in the US are currently living with the condition, and over 100,000 die from it each year. The Alzheimer's Association warns that nearly 13 million Americans may be affected by 2050. While there is no clear cause of the disease, experts believe that cases of Alzheimer's are set to increase in the future due to genetic mutations and lifestyle choices, such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and social isolation. To find the link between consuming eggs and the potential decrease in the risk of developing Alzheimer's, the researchers analyzed data from 1,024 dementia-free people. The participants were asked to fill in a well-known food frequency questionnaire developed at Harvard University that captures their typical diet over the previous year, including how often they ate eggs. Once completed, they were followed by the researchers for nearly seven years and underwent yearly assessments for signs of Alzheimer's dementia. The scientists divided these participants into four groups based on how often they consumed eggs: less than once per month, one to three times per month, once per week and two or more times per week. The volunteer's answers as well as the data from their cognitive tests were then evaluated using various statistical models. Along with the 1,024 living participants, another 578 participants donated their brains for research after death. These brain samples allowed the scientists to assess whether egg intake was related to the presence of dementia-related markers. It remains unclear if all the deceased participants were suffering from dementia prior to their death. Results showed that people who ate eggs at least once a week had a lower rate of clinical Alzheimer's diagnosis than those who ate them rarely. Specifically, those who ate eggs once-a-week or two-or-more-times-per-week groups had about half the risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia compared to those who consumed eggs less than once a month. Participants who ate eggs more frequently also had significantly higher average choline levels over time. While this observational study did not expand on how choline can decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease by up to 40 percent, the scientists theorized that it's overall protective effect may play a critical role in protecting brain cells from damage. Choline is a nutrient essential for producing acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that maintains the brain's memory and learning capacity. It also plays a significant role in maintaining and protecting the structure of cell membranes in the brain. Previous studies have shown that low choline levels in the blood are associated with increased levels of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain - both of which are the main culprits in the development of the Alzheimer's. The plaques and tangles form when amyloid proteins misfold and stick together, forming sticky clumps (plaques) and when tau proteins twist and get tied up (tangles). These toxic buildups block brain cells, or neurons, from sending signals properly. Over time, this can impair brain functioning and lead to memory and muscle decline. If it persists, this disruption can cause permanent damage in the brain that leads to Alzheimer's disease. As the disease progresses, patients may lose the ability to speak, care for themselves or even respond to the world around them. However, the researchers believe that regularly consuming eggs can maintain choline levels in the body, which in turn can help maintain brain cell health and prevent the formation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Even though the liver produces choline in small amounts, experts say that it is necessary to consume food items such as egg yolks, fish, soybeans and legumes to maintain the required levels of the nutrient in the body. According to the National Institute of Health, adult women (above the age of 19) need to consume about 425 milligrams of choline per day while adult men need to consume 550 mg of the nutrient every day. One large hard boiled egg has about 147 mg of choline while half a cup of roasted soybeans contain about 107 mg of the nutrient. On the other hand, three ounces of pan-fried beef liver contains about 356 mg of choline while three ounces of cooked fresh cod merely has 71 mg of the nutrient.
Health Line
29-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
What Is Choline? An Essential Nutrient With Many Benefits
Choline is a vital nutrient, but many people do not consume the recommended intake. Beef and chicken liver, salmon, and eggs are among the richest dietary sources of choline. Choline was only acknowledged as a required nutrient by the Institute of Medicine in 1998. Although your body makes some choline naturally, you need to get it from your diet to avoid a deficiency. Many people are not meeting the recommended intake for this nutrient. This article provides everything you need to know about choline, including what it is and why you need it. What is choline? Choline is an essential nutrient. This means it's required for normal bodily function and human health. Though your liver can make small amounts, you must obtain the majority through your diet. Choline is an organic, water-soluble compound. It is neither a vitamin nor a mineral. However, it is often grouped with the vitamin B complex due to its similarities. In fact, this nutrient affects a number of vital bodily functions. It impacts liver function, healthy brain development, muscle movement, your nervous system and metabolism. Therefore, adequate amounts are needed for optimal health. Serves many functions in your body Choline plays an important part in many processes in your body, including: Cell structure: It is needed to make fats that support the structural integrity of cell membranes. Cell messaging: It is involved in the production of compounds that act as cell messengers. Fat transport and metabolism: It is essential for making a substance required for removing cholesterol from your liver. Inadequate choline may result in fat and cholesterol buildup in your liver. DNA synthesis: Choline and other vitamins, such as B12 and folate, help with a process that's important for DNA synthesis. A healthy nervous system: This nutrient is required to make acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter. It's involved in memory, muscle movement, regulating heartbeat and other basic functions. How much do you need? Due to a lack of available evidence, a Reference Daily Allowance (RDA) for choline has not been determined. However, the Institute of Medicine has set a value for adequate intake (AI). This value is intended to be sufficient for most healthy people, helping them avoid negative consequences of deficiency, such as liver damage. Nevertheless, requirements differ according to age, gender, and genetic makeup. In addition, determining choline intake is difficult because its presence in various foods is relatively unknown. Here are the recommended AI values of choline for different age groups: 0–6 months: 125 mg per day 7–12 months: 150 mg per day 1–3 years: 200 mg per day 4–8 years: 250 mg per day 9–13 years: 375 mg per day 14–18 years: 400 mg per day for females and 550 mg per day for males Adult females: 425 mg per day Adult males: 550 mg per day People breastfeeding: 550 mg per day Pregnant people: 430 mg per day Deficiency is unhealthy but rare Choline deficiency can cause harm, especially for your liver. One small, older study in 57 adults found that 77% of men, 80% of postmenopausal women and 44% of premenopausal women developed fatty liver and/or muscle damage after going on a choline-deficient diet. Another older study noted that when postmenopausal women consumed a diet deficient in choline, 73% developed liver or muscle dysfunction. However, these symptoms disappeared once they began getting enough choline. Choline is especially important during pregnancy, as a low intake may raise the risk of neural tube defects in unborn babies. Another older study determined that a higher dietary intake around the time of conception was associated with a lower risk of neural tube defects. In addition, low choline intake may raise your risk of other pregnancy complications. These include preeclampsia, premature birth and low birth weight. Top dietary sources Choline can be obtained from a variety of foods and supplements. Food sources Dietary sources are generally in the form of phosphatidylcholine from lecithin, a type of fat-like molecule found in lecithin. The richest dietary sources of choline include: Food Portion Amount of choline contained (mg) Pan-fried beef liver 1 slice (3 ounces or 85 grams) 356 Hardboiled eggs 1 large egg 147 Lean braised beef top round 3 ounces or 85 grams 117 Roasted soybeans Half a cup 107 Roasted chicken breast 3 ounces or 85 grams 72 Cooked fresh cod 3 ounces or 85 grams 71 Baked red potatoes with skin 1 large potato 57 Canned kidney beans Half a cup 45 Additives and supplements Soy lecithin is a widely used food additive that contains choline. Therefore, it is likely that extra choline is consumed through the diet via food additives. Some additive and supplemental forms of chlorine include: lecithin phosphatidylcholine choline chloride CDP-choline alpha-GPC betaine Some sources claim that choline in nutritional supplements may reduce body fat, but there is little to no evidence supporting these claims. Impact on heart health Elevated levels of homocysteine in your blood have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and strokes, as well as lower blood pressure. However, evidence is mixed, and more studies are needed to confirm any positive link. Choline helps convert the amino acid homocysteine to methionine. Therefore, a deficiency of choline can result in an accumulation of homocysteine in your blood. Impact on your brain Choline is required to produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in regulating memory, mood and intelligence. It's also needed for the process that synthesizes DNA, which is important for brain function and development. Therefore, choline intake is associated with improvements in brain function and cognitive performance. Observational studies link higher choline intake to better brain function and a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, further studies on this subject are needed to better understand whether choline supplementation would affect cognitive function. Too much can be harmful Consuming too much choline has been associated with unpleasant and potentially harmful side effects. These include drops in blood pressure, sweating, fishy body odor, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The daily upper limit for adults is 3,500 mg per day. This is the highest level of intake that is unlikely to cause harm. It is very unlikely that someone could ingest this amount from food alone. It would be almost impossible to reach this level without taking supplements in large doses.
Medscape
22-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Urine Metabolites Could Forecast Renal Outcomes in T2D
Increased levels of urine metabolites choline and dimethylglycine were independently associated with an increased risk for renal events and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), with evidence suggesting that tubular stress partly mediated the link between disrupted choline metabolism and the gradual decline in kidney function in this population. METHODOLOGY: Although elevated plasma choline levels are linked to a greater risk for kidney disease progression in patients with T2D, the relationship between choline metabolism in the kidneys and the progression of kidney disease is not well understood. Researchers analyzed data of 1894 patients with T2D (mean age, 57.4 years; 51.1% men) from a regional hospital and a primary care facility in Singapore to study the role of urine metabolites of the choline oxidation pathway in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urine metabolites (choline, betaine, dimethylglycine, and sarcosine) were quantified or semiquantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Variables such as heart conditions, blood pressure, tubulopathy biomarkers, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were either self-reported or measured, with patients being followed-up using electronic medical records and in-person research visits. The primary outcome was a composite of incident end-stage kidney disease (defined as having a sustained eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2, undergoing maintenance dialysis, or death from renal causes) or the doubling of serum creatinine levels. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 263 participants experienced renal events over a median follow-up of 9.2 years. Those who experienced renal events had higher baseline levels of urine choline (median, 32.1 vs 16.9 µM) and dimethylglycine (median, 1.25 vs 0.74 units) than those who did not. Each SD increase in levels of urine choline (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.33) and dimethylglycine (aHR, 1.30) was associated with an increased risk for the composite renal outcome ( P < .001 for both). < .001 for both). Researchers postulated that tubular stress may partly mediate the link between urine choline, dimethylglycine, and the risk for adverse renal outcome. After adjusting for clinical risk factors, each SD increase in levels of urine choline and dimethylglycine was associated with a 1.2-fold and 1.17-fold increase in the risk for all-cause death, respectively ( P < .05 for both). IN PRACTICE: 'High levels of urine choline and dimethylglycine in the choline oxidation pathway were strongly associated with a high risk for CKD progression independent of traditional risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Dysregulation of choline metabolism in the kidney may be involved in pathogenesis of tubulopathy and plays a role in progressive loss of kidney disease,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Jian-Jun Liu, Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) in Singapore. It was published online on May 13, 2025, in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism . LIMITATIONS: It could not be inferred whether urine metabolites caused kidney disease progression. Residual confounding could not be ruled out due to observational nature of this study. Some of the urine metabolites were semiquantified with relatively high technical differences. DISCLOSURES: This study received grants from KTPH STAR and Singapore National Medical Research Council. The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. Medscape Medical News © 2025 WebMD, LLC Cite this: Urine Metabolites Could Forecast Renal Outcomes in T2D - Medscape - May 22, 2025.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Tired all the time? You might be suffering a little-known nutritional deficiency, warn experts
There could be a quick fix to the dreaded feeling of constant exhaustion. A nutrition expert has suggested that many of those who suffer fatigue despite getting adequate sleep may be suffering a deficiency in a little-known nutrient — choline. Choline is an essential nutrient that is made in the liver, but we get the majority of our intake from foods like beef, chicken, eggs, fish and milk. The compound is vital for liver function, brain development, muscle strength, metabolism, and the processes of the nervous system. Maintaining the right levels of choline can help you feel more energetic and improve cognitive function, experts argue. 'Choline plays a big role in our brain health, mood, memory, and liver function,' Hanieh Vidmar, nutritional therapist and naturopathic chef, told The Standard. 'People with low intake or deficiency may notice things like low energy, trouble concentrating, or even signs of a fatty liver, since choline helps move fat out of the liver.' She added the nutrient is also good for brain health: 'Many studies suggest it may help reduce anxiety and lower the risk of depression. 'Low levels in pregnancy have also been linked to attention issues and a higher risk of ADHD in children.' A choline deficiency is relatively rare but the ailment could have significant health implications. It is a major nutrient in creating fats that support the strength of cells, as well as producing compounds that act as messengers between cells. In the liver, it helps to remove cholesterol, which is important for warding off heart attacks and strokes. It also plays a significant part in the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that's involved in muscle memory, cognitive functions, heartbeat regulation. Ms Vidmar advises eating animal-based food like beef, chicken, eggs, fish and milk to make sure you get enough of the nutrient. But for those who are vegan, choline can also be found in plant foods like broccoli, peanuts, kidney beans, and mushrooms. However, animal sources tend to have much more, she warned. One recent YouGov study found that one in eight people in the UK report feeling tired 'all the time' and a quarter of us are tired 'most of the time'. There's even a medical acronym for it: TATT or 'tired all the time'. While it is estimated more than 400,000 people in the UK suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. Symptoms include waking up exhausted despite sleeping well, headaches, mood swings and lack of motivation. Common causes can include iron deficiency, vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, diabetes and hypothyroidism, which is when the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones leading to slow metabolism. Another common cause may also be depression.
Medical News Today
13-05-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Glaucoma: Vitamin B, choline supplements may slow down progression
Two supplements may help slow down the progression of glaucoma, according to a new study. Design by MNT; Photography by& Halfdark/Getty Images Glaucoma is a type of eye disease that can injure the optic nerve and lead to blindness. Past studies show there are several ways a person can help lower their risk for glaucoma, including eating a healthy diet rich in certain nutrients. A new study has found that supplementation with B vitamins and choline may help slow the progression of glaucoma, via a mouse model. There is currently no cure for glaucoma. Medications, surgery, and laser treatments are currently used to help treat and slow the progression of the condition. Now, a new study recently published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine adds to this body of knowledge by reporting that supplementation with B vitamins and the essential nutrient choline may help slow the progression of glaucoma, via a mouse model. For this study, researchers focused on an amino acid that naturally occurs in the body called homocysteine. Homocysteine plays a crucial role in protein synthesis. Past studies have linked high homocysteine levels to the development and progression of glaucoma. However, in this current study, researchers found when mice with glaucoma were given higher levels of homocysteine, it did not make their glaucoma worse. They also discovered that increased amounts of homocysteine in the blood were not linked to how fast the disease progressed. 'Our conclusion is that homocysteine is a bystander in the disease process, not a player,' James Tribble, researcher and assistant professor at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and co-lead author of this study said in a press release. 'Altered homocysteine levels may reveal that the retina has lost its ability to use certain vitamins that are necessary to maintain healthy metabolism. That's why we wanted to investigate whether supplements of these vitamins could protect the retina,' he said. Researchers then provided supplements of B vitamins — including B6, B9 (folate), and B12 — as well as the essential nutrient choline to the glaucoma mouse model. Scientists discovered that in mice with slow development of glaucoma, the optic nerve damage was completely stopped. And in mice with a more aggressive form of glaucoma, the supplementation helped slow down the disease's progression. The researchers mentioned that in all experiments with the mouse glaucoma model, eye pressure was not treated. Glaucoma is normally associated with elevated eye pressure or intraocular pressure (IOP). A primary treatment for glaucoma is lowering the eye's IOP through the use of medications, laser treatments, or surgery. Scientists believe this shows that the vitamin supplementation may impact glaucoma in a different way than lower eye pressure. Researchers are now reportedly beginning a clinical trial to test their findings on humans. Medical News Today had the opportunity to speak with David I. Geffen, OD, FAAO, director of optometric and refractive services at the Gordon Schanzlin New Vision in La Jolla, CA, about this study. 'Any new method of decreasing the damage from glaucoma is a welcome addition to our ability to save eyesight,' Geffen commented. 'This could be revolutionary in, it is one of the first studies to show supplements will help control glaucoma. As our population is aging, we are seeing a large increase of glaucoma patients in our practice.' 'Because glaucoma is a progressive disease and we do not have a cure, any new treatment is a welcome addition,' he continued. 'We know glaucoma medications seem to be less effective over time. Therefore, we need to keep finding more new ways to help control this process and eventually cure the disease. This treatment may be an important way to look at new ways to control glaucoma.' 'In the future I would like to see some longer-term studies with glaucoma patients,' Geffen added. 'I would also like to see investigations on similar types of treatments utilizing other supplements.' MNT also spoke with Benjamin Bert, MD, a board certified ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, about this research. Bert commented that anytime we make any discoveries that show the potential to slow or prevent any damage from diseases like glaucoma is always a good thing. 'There have been other nutrition studies that have been done in the past that have shown some benefit, and so anything that we can add to what we can do on a daily basis is, of course, of great importance and great interest,' he added. 'Right now, the only treatments that we have for glaucoma specifically are eye drops and surgeries to lower the eye pressure, but we're discovering more and more that there's other things that are happening that can actually cause the progression of the glaucoma. So continuing to explore the actual background of why this damage is happening is very important to be able to develop other treatments for it, and also ways to prevent it from happening in the first place.' — Benjamin Bert, MD 'And this study, in particular, kind of identified homocysteine as one of the metabolic components that was causing some of the damage, which had been thought of before but not directly treated,' he added. 'And with the vitamin supplements showing some prevention benefit, that's an exciting thing for us to be able to have on the horizon.' Supplements Eye Health / Blindness Nutrition / Diet
