Monday 24 August 2015

CHOLINE

Choline is an essential water soluble micro-nutrient grouped together with B-vitamin complexes. Despite the fact that is an essential nutrient, the body is also able to synthesize it but not adequate enough to meet the body needs. [1]

Sources of dietary choline:-
  • Eggs.
  • Cruciferous plants e.g broccoli
  • Spinach.
  • Peanut.
  • Liver.
  • Brown rice.
The daily body requirement for choline varies with age, sex, in pregnancy and during lactation period.
  • Pregnant women- 450mg/day
  • Lactating mothers- 550mg/day
  • Female 19 years and above- 450mg/day.
  • Male 19 years and above- 550mg/day.
  • Children 1-3 years- 200mg/day.
  • Children 4-8 Years- 250mg/day. [2]

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHOLINE.  

During pregnancy 

The demand for choline during pregnancy is high as the developing baby demands for choline co-exists with those of the mother. During pregnancy choline is necessary for:-  
  • Prevent neural tube defective lesions in the brain (enencephaly and enencephalocele) and spinal cord (spina bifida). These lesions on the brain or spinal cord are life threatening. [3]
  • Supports cognitive function by enhancing growth of memory center of the brain more prevalent during the late stages of pregnancy through birth to when the child is 4 years of age when the hippocampus (memory center) resembles that of an adult.[1] 
  • Adequate plasma level of choline has a possible health effect during pregnancy helping to reduce risks associated with pregnancy like pre-ecclampsia, premature births and very low birth weight infants. [2]

Slows neuro-degeneration with advancement in age.

Choline deficiency exacerbates cognitive deficits like memory, speed and executive functions. Animal studies which has shown that supplementation with choline can enhance cognitive health and diminish severity of memory deficit symptoms. Extrapolating from this into human being context, choline supplementation can ameliorate neuro-degenerative disease symptoms like cognitive decline and dementia. [3

References.
1. Choline: An Essential Nutrient for Public Health - By Steven H. Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D and Kerry Ann da Costa, Ph.D. Viewed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782876. Viewed on 14/06/2015.
2. Choline -wikipedia,the free encyclopedia. Last edited on 25th May, 2015 by Anonymous. Viewed at: https://www.en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/choline. Viewed on: 15/06/2015.
3. Choline|Linus Pauline Institute|Orego State University. Address: http://www.lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/choline. Viewed on 15/06/2015