Choline is an essential nutrient important for liver and brain function. It can be obtained from the diet and most people also produce significant amounts in their bodies. However postmenopausal women and people with certain genetic variants are less able to do so and may not get enough choline. Inadequate choline may cause fatty liver disease and muscle damage. Choline as a supplement has shown potential benefit in stroke recovery, cognition, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma and ulcerative colitis.
 
Unfortunately, choosing a choline supplement can be confusing, as there are many forms of choline from which to choose, including phosphatidylcholine (from soy lecithin), citicoline (or CDP-choline), choline citrate, and alpha glycerylphosphoryl choline (alpha-GPC). Although supplements must list their amounts of these ingredients, few list the amounts of choline they provide, which can represent 14% to over 40% of the listed ingredient, the company said. To help consumers more knowledgably select products, ConsumerLab.com purchased 10 popular choline supplements and tested their amounts of choline, compared their prices, and reviewed the clinical evidence for each form.
 
Although each of the tested supplements was found to be accurately labeled, the amount of choline in products ranged from just 50 mg to as much as 1,500 mg. The cost of obtaining a 100 mg dose of choline ranged from just 12 cents to $1.15 across the products, with large differences in cost even among products containing the same form of choline. Among the products tested (including one tested through CL’s voluntary Quality Certification Program, ConsumerLab.com identified several as Top Picks for providing choline at the lowest cost to the consumer.
 
Choline supplement quality ratings and comparisons are now available in ConsumerLab.com’s Choline Supplements (Including Phosphatidylcholine, CDP-Choline, and Alpha-GPC) Review. The report also summarizes the clinical evidence for the different forms of choline, noting dosage, side-effects, and potential drug interactions.
 
Products covered in the Review are Andrew Lessman ProCaps Phosphatidyl Choline, Bestvite Cognizin, Biotics Research Corporation Phosphatidylcholine, Cardiovascular Research Ltd. Cytidine Choline, Complementary Prescriptions CDP Choline, Jarrow Formulas Alpha GPC, Perque Choline Citrate, PipingRock.com Recall Elements, Swanson Ultra Alpha-GPC, tnvitamins Citicoline, and Twinlab Choline Cocktail.