Choline

Abstract

Choline has several important functions. These are as follows: 1) it is a source of the methyl groups needed to make the primary methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine, 2) it is a part of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and 3) it is a component of the major phospholipids in membranes [phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin] (1). PC is a main constituent of VLDLs and is required for their secretion and the export of fat from the liver (1). Choline is also important for normal fetal development (2, 3). Betaine, formed from the oxidation of choline, is an important osmolyte in the kidney glomerulus and helps with the reabsorption of water from the kidney tubule (4). The choline moiety can be produced endogenously through the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway, whereby PC is formed from phosphatidylethanolamine (mainly in the liver). Despite this capacity to form choline in the liver, most people need to consume choline in their diets (5), though premenopausal women need to eat less choline unless they have common genetic polymorphisms affecting estrogen-induced PEMT expression (6, 7).

Dietary choline is related to increased risk of acute myocardial infarction in patients with stable angina pectoris

“…The reported median energy-adjusted total choline intake was lower than the recommended 276 intake [4,10]. This is in accordance with observational data from European [48,49], North-…”

Olive oil by-product as functional ingredient in bakery products. Influence of processing and evaluation of biological effects

“…We speculate that in LMWF of SFB4%, the only one influencing the cell metabolome, the high concentration of tocopherol acted synergistically with polyphenols. In fact, the increase of MyI and Cho, which are important precursors of plasma membrane structured lipids (Tayebati, Marucci, Santinelli, Buccioni, & Amenta, 2015;Thomas, Mills, & Potter, 2016) suggests changes in cell membrane integrity (Ricks et al, 2019;Zeisel, Klatt, & Caudill, 2018). Polyphenols, including olive phenols, incorporate into the lipid bilayer inducing biophysical changes (phospholipid repacking) and altering the membrane structure (de Granada-Flor, Sousa, Filipe, Santos, & de Almeida, 2019;Verstraeten, Fraga, & Oteiza, 2015).…”

Could we be overlooking a potential choline crisis in the United Kingdom?

“…It is well appreciated that animal foods contain more choline per unit weight than plant sources. 22 In general, beef, eggs, fish, chicken, nuts, milk and certain plant foods such as cruciferous broccoli provide some dietary choline. 23 Other examples of food sources providing choline and the amount per 100 g are shown in figure 1.…”