Choline
Choline is an essential nutrient that serves as a building block for cell membranes and is critical for producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It is found naturally in foods like eggs, liver, fish, and soybeans, though many people fall short of adequate intake through diet alone. Choline also plays a key role in methylation processes and lipid transport.
Expert Evidence
3 references from 2 experts
“You probably want to take something like 500 milligrams per day as a daily dosage prophylactically. However, if you've had a direct head injury, this might be the time to ramp up to 1 to 2 grams. These generally do have a nootropic effect, so you would want to take these earlier in the day so you don't have any problems cognitively or with sleep later on.”
Nutrition to Support Brain Health & Offset Brain Injuries
1:16:142 references in 1 episode
Galpin recommends choline primarily for brain health, citing its role in preserving the blood-brain barrier, serving as a precursor to acetylcholine and glutathione. He provides specific dosing: 500mg/day as a baseline, ramping to 1-2g after head injury. He advises taking it earlier in the day due to its nootropic effects. No evidence of personal use is present, and no specific brand or form preferences are discussed.
“In general, most people should probably strive to get somewhere between 500 milligrams and a gram of choline per day.”
Food & Supplements for Brain Health & Cognitive Performance | Huberman Lab Essentials
6:411 reference in 1 episode from 2025
Huberman recommends most people aim for 500mg to 1g of choline per day as a general best practice. No evidence of personal supplementation, no specific brand or form recommendations, and no cautions discussed.
Side Effects
- Fishy body odor at high doses
- Nausea or gastrointestinal discomfort
- Excessive sweating
- Low blood pressure at very high intakes
$0.24/ct
$23.84 total
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$18.95 total