Abstract
Choline, an essential dietary nutrient for humans, is required for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, the methyl group donor, betaine, and phospholipids; and therefore, choline is involved in a broad range of critical physiological functions across all stages of the life cycle. The current dietary recommendations for choline have been established as Adequate Intakes (AIs) for total choline; however, dietary choline is present in multiple different forms that are both water-soluble (e.g., free choline, phosphocholine, and glycerophosphocholine) and lipid-soluble (e.g., phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin). Interestingly, the different dietary choline forms consumed during infancy differ from those in adulthood. This can be explained by the primary food source, where the majority of choline present in human milk is in the water-soluble form, versus lipid-soluble forms for foods consumed later on. This review summarizes the current knowledge on dietary recommendations and assessment methods, and dietary choline intake from food sources across the life cycle.
Highlights
Choline (2-hydroxyethyl-trimethyl-ammonium salt; molecular weight of 104 g/mol) is an essential nutrient for humans
Choline metabolism can be divided into four main pathways which are involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine, trimethylamine (TMA), betaine, and phospholipids (Figure 2)
Choline is a complex essential nutrient involved in several diverse body functions
Summary
Choline (2-hydroxyethyl-trimethyl-ammonium salt; molecular weight of 104 g/mol) is an essential nutrient for humans. While choline can be obtained through endogenous synthesis [1], this is not normally enough to support body needs. Choline needs to be obtained from the diet [2]. Choline has important and diverse functions in both cellular maintenance and growth across all life stages, including roles in neurotransmission, membrane synthesis, lipid transport, and one-carbon metabolism [3,4,5]. In 1998, the Institute of Medicine recognized choline as an essential nutrient and established dietary intake recommendations [8]. The European Food Safety Authority set dietary recommendations for choline in 2016 [9]. Choline is found as both water-soluble (free choline, phosphocholine, and glycerophosphocholine) and lipid-soluble forms (phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin) (Figure 1) [2]
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