Choline is an essential nutrient that fulfills various functions in the body, being directly related to brain function, as it is a precursor to acetylcholine, a chemical that intervenes directly in the transmission of nerve impulses, accelerating the production and release of neurotransmitters, which makes you have better memory and greater learning capacity.
This nutrient, despite being produced in small amounts in the body, needs to be consumed in the diet, to avoid its lack. Thus, choline can be found in several types of food, but its main food source is egg yolk. Choline can also be taken as a food supplement.
What is the hill for
Choline helps in several complex functions of the body, being the precursor of the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine. In addition, it is also necessary for the production of essential components of the cell membrane, such as phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin, which are not only part of the structural part of the membrane, but also influence the functions it performs.
In addition, choline is also needed to reduce concentrations of homocysteine, a substance that is related to brain damage and other chronic diseases. Studies have shown that this compound (homocysteine) is found to be elevated in degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Thus, the hill may have a role in preventing these diseases.
Choline is also involved in the synthesis of lipids, regulation of metabolic pathways and detoxification of the body, improving liver function. It can also participate in important functions in pregnancy, contributing to the baby's neuronal development and avoiding neural tube defects.
List of hill rich foods
Some hill-rich foods are:
- Whole egg (100 g): 477 mg; Egg white (100 g): 1.4 mg; Egg yolk (100 g): 1400 mg; Quail egg (100 g): 263 mg Salmon (100 g): 57 mg; Yeast (100 g): 275 mg; Beer (100 g): 22.53 mg; Cooked chicken liver (100 g): 290 mg; Raw quinoa (½ cup): 60 mg; Almonds (100 g): 53 mg; Cooked cauliflower (½ cup): 24.2 mg; Cooked broccoli (½ cup): 31.3 mg; Flaxseed (2 tablespoons): 11 mg.
Soy lecithin also contains choline and can therefore be used as a food additive or as a food supplement.
Recommended doses
The recommended dose of choline varies according to sex and age:
| Life stages | Choline (mg / day) |
| Newborns and nursing mothers | |
| 0 to 6 months | 125 |
| 7 to 12 months | 150 |
| Boys and girls | |
| 1 to 3 years | 200 |
| 4 to 8 years | 250 |
| Boys | |
| 9 to 13 years | 375 |
| 14 to 18 years | 550 |
| Girls | |
| 9 to 13 years | 375 |
| 14 to 18 years | 400 |
| Men (after 19 years and up to 70 or over) | 550 |
| Women (after 19 years old and up to 70 or more) | 425 |
| Pregnancy (14 to 50 years) | 450 |
| Breastfeeding (14 to 50 years) | 550 |
The recommended doses of choline used in this table are for healthy people and, therefore, the recommendations may vary according to each person and their medical history. Thus, it is advisable to consult a nutritionist or a doctor.
Choline deficiency can cause muscle and liver damage, as well as non-alcoholic liver steatosis.
