Choline
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Choline is very important in controlling fat and cholesterol buildup in the body.
Choline prevents fat from accumulating in the liver; facilitates the movement of fats in the cells; helps regulate the kidneys, liver and gallbladder; is important for nerve transmission and helps improve memory.
Choline and Inflammation
For the first time, Greek researchers have found that eating a diet rich in choline and betaine, two related compounds, is linked to indicators of inflammation. The researchers looked at 3,042 men and women 18 to 89, culled rom a larger study dubbed ATTICA. They found that those with the highest intakes of choline and betaine had the lowest levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, homocysteine, interleukin-6 and tumer necrosis factor.
Rich food sources of choline include eggs, wheat germ, pork, beef, cod, chicken, shrimp, salmon, oat bran, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower. Betaine is highest in wheat bran, wheat germ, spinach, shrimp and beets. If these are foods you, for whatever reasons, cannot eat or find difficult to incorporate into your diet, try a choline supplement (see suggestions below). For more information on choline containing foods, see USDA Database for the Choline Content of Common Foods.
Choline helps make neurotransmitters and fats in cell membranes, while betaine helps reduce homocysteine levels. These findings suggest that both may be key to reducing inflammation, now considered a stepping stone to heart disease and other chronic conditions.
Deficiency May Produce the Following Symptoms:
- cirrhosis and fatty degeneration of the liver
- hardening of the arteries
- heart problems
- high blood pressure
- hemorrhaging kidneys
Choline and choline esters can be found in significant amounts in many foods consumed by humans; some of the choline is added during processing (especially in the preparation of infant formula).
Supplemental Forms of Choline
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