Choline supplement, neurotransmitter precursor

The dietary supplement Choline Complex has been developed to offer the benefits of choline. For a long time, this molecule was referred to as vitamin B4 since it shares certain properties with other vitamins in the B group.

What are the benefits associated with Choline Complex?

Like vitamins B6, B9 and B12, choline contributes to healthy nervous system function and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Although it is no longer regarded as a B vitamin, choline remains indispensable to human health and is viewed by scientists as having ‘essential nutrient status because of its crucial role as a precursor:

• Choline is known as the precursor of acetylcholine, one of the body's main neurotransmitters.
• Acetylcholine plays an essential role in the central nervous system in helping to develop cognitive abilities such as memory.
• It is also involved in the autonomic nervous system, contributing to muscle activity and coordination.
• By encouraging acetylcholine production, choline may therefore help stimulate the body's cognitive and muscular abilities. Some studies suggest it also offers therapeutic potential for fighting neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
• Choline is also the precursor of phosphatidylcholine, the main phospholipid in cell membranes, which helps protect and support healthy cell function.
• Produced in the liver, phosphatidylcholine is also present in bile where it is involved in emulsifying fats. This process enables fats to be dispersed in the intestines which facilitates the digestion of lipids, reduces fat storage and prevents the build-up of cholesterol. This is the reason choline supplementation is recommended for preventing fat accumulation in the liver and for combatting certain liver diseases.

Why take Choline Complex?

We need to ingest choline as the body only produces a small amount naturally from methionine and serine. This additional choline is all the more important given that deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Choline is present in everyday foods such as eggs and legumes, and from dietary supplements formulated using active, bioavailable forms of choline to help ensure an optimal intake. One such supplement is our new product Choline Complex which combines three choline derivatives: choline bitartrate, alpha-glycerophosphocholine and cytidine-diphosphate-choline (also known as CDP-choline or citicoline), now available to buy at Supersmart.

Choline Complex has been produced from high-quality raw materials and is delivered in the form of vegetarian capsules. Each capsule contains an optimal 250mg of alpha-glycerophosphocholine, 50mg of cytidine-diphosphate-choline and 35mg of choline bitartrate, with a suggested dose of two capsules of Choline Complex a day, though this can be adapted to your needs and your therapist's advice. Studies show that choline can also be combined with other supplements available to buy at Supersmart, such as vitamins B6, B9 and B12 in order to regulate levels of homocysteine in the blood and thus prevent the development of cardiovascular disease. You may also be interested in another B vitamin, B1, for its role in the nervous system and muscles.