Choline Supplementation for Cognitive Health

Recommended Dosages

• The National Academy of Sciences recommends a daily choline intake of 400-550 mg to support lipid metabolism 1, 2
• The tolerable upper intake level for choline is 3.5 g/day to avoid potential toxicity 1
• For suspected choline deficiency, a daily dose of 500-1500 mg may be considered 2

Safety Considerations

• High-dose choline ingestion may cause hypotension and a fishy body odor 1
• Choline supplementation may be associated with potential negative long-term cardiovascular effects due to the conversion of choline into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) by gut microflora 1

Special Populations

• Patients with liver steatosis or steatohepatitis with suspected choline deficiency may require higher doses of 550 mg to 2 g/day 1, 2
• Patients on home parenteral nutrition may require choline supplementation at 550 mg to 2 g/day 2