Indications
Choline Bitartrate is a source of choline, a nutrient the body needs for healthy cell membranes, nerve signalling and fat transport in the liver. It is used:
- as an ingredient in multivitamin, liver-support and brain-health supplements;
- to help meet choline needs when the diet is low in choline-rich foods such as eggs, meat, fish and beans;
- as part of supplements used in pregnancy and breastfeeding, when advised by a doctor.
It is a nutritional supplement and is not a treatment for liver disease or memory loss on its own.
How It Works
The body uses choline to make phosphatidylcholine (a building block of cell membranes), acetylcholine (a chemical messenger for nerves and muscles) and to help move fat out of the liver. Choline Bitartrate is a stable salt that releases choline after it is swallowed; about 40% of its weight is choline.
Dosage and Administration
- Adults: follow the dose on the product label or as advised by your doctor. Supplements usually give a few hundred milligrams a day.
- The usual daily need of choline from all sources is about 425 mg for adult women and 550 mg for adult men (about 450 mg in pregnancy and 550 mg during breastfeeding).
- Do not take more than 3500 mg of choline a day from all sources combined.
- Children: only as advised by a doctor.
Take with food and water.
Interactions
No important interactions with common medicines are well known. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines and supplements you take, and avoid taking several products that each contain choline.
Contraindications
- Allergy to Choline Bitartrate or any ingredient of the product
- Trimethylaminuria (a rare condition that causes a strong fishy body odour)
Side Effects
At usual doses it is generally well tolerated. Higher doses may cause a fishy body odour, sweating, extra saliva, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach upset.
Get medical help at once for: swelling of the face, lips or throat, trouble breathing, a severe rash, or fainting and severe dizziness (very high doses can lower blood pressure).
Pregnancy and Lactation
Choline is important for the baby’s brain and spinal cord development, and needs are higher in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Amounts in standard pregnancy supplements are considered safe. Do not take extra high-dose products unless your doctor advises it, and stay below the daily upper limit.
Precautions and Warnings
- Check the total choline from all supplements you take.
- Take extra care with liver or kidney disease and ask your doctor first.
- A supplement does not replace a balanced diet.
Overdose
Very high doses can cause a fishy body odour, heavy sweating, vomiting, diarrhoea, low blood pressure and dizziness. Stop taking it and contact a doctor; treatment is supportive.
Therapeutic Class
Nutritional supplement (vitamin-like nutrient).
Storage
Store below 30°C in a dry place, away from light and out of the reach of children. Keep the container tightly closed, as it can absorb moisture.
Prepared by the Oshud Alo team from standard drug references. For information only; always follow your doctor's advice.