What is Choline Bitartrate?

Choline bitartrate is an essential nutrients needed by the nervous system to produce
acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that facilitates the transmission of impulses between neurons. Choline is extremely important in maintaining healthy cell membranes because it produces phosphatidyl choline. It helps in the production of lipotropic agents which inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates to fat and assists in the production of HDL (good) cholesterol. Choline is very helpful in hormone production and in enhancing sexual function, as well as bladder, kidney, pancreatic, testicular, and liver function.

WHY DO WE NEED CHOLINE BITARTRATE?


There are two reasons for the body’s need for choline - classified as an essential
nutrient in 1998 by the National Academy of Sciences. Number one, choline is required for the synthesis of one of our body’s primary neurotransmitters, acetylcholine. Number two, it is used for the building and maintenance of the body’s
membranes. Acetylcholine is vital for thought, memory and sleep, and is also involved in the control of movement. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are the main driver of the liver, pancreas and adrenal/testicular
functions, and are the major regulators of the cardiovascular functions. Uptake of circulating choline decreases with age and choline is essential for nerve structure and function. FACT: Acetylcholine is a type of compound known as a neurotransmitter. These are chemicals are stored in nerve cells and are involved in transmitting messages between the nerve cells and muscle cells. Acetylcholine is found in nerve
endings and is constantly being manufactured and broken down by the body.

CAN WE RECEIVE ENOUGH CHOLINE THROUGH DIET ALONE?

Though choline can be manufactured internally from amino acids methionine and serine, it has been designated an essential nutrient, meaning that it is required by the body but not made in adequate amounts, so we need to get it in
our diet. Choline is available in a number of foods, including eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, meats and vegetables- even human breast milk. It is important to supplement our diets with choline since the production of acetylcholine
decreases with age. The importance of choline was demonstrated in a study in 1998 by Steven Zeisel from the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In this study, volunteers on a choline deficient diet were not able to produce enough acetylcholine.

WHAT IF THE BRAIN DOES NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH CHOLINE TO MANUFACTURE ACETYLCHOLINE?

When the neurons do not receive sufficient choline to manufacture acetylcholine they may resort to extracting choline out of the nerve cell membranes, in a process called auto-cannibalism. In the short run, this process provides the
body with enough choline to produce just enough acetylcholine to keep neurotransmission and other nervous system functions going. In the long run, however, the nerve cells become increasingly damaged as neural cell membranes
grow rigid and more and more dysfunctional.

HOW DOES CHOLINE AFFECT SLEEP?

One of the lesser known functions of acetylcholine is helping to maintain sleep. Acetylcholine controls sensory input, and strengthens the “stimulus barrier,” making it possible to sleep through minor noises and other disturbances. As we age, we tend to become light sleepers, and Choline Bitartrate and Melatonin can help regulate sleep patterns. The same stimulus barrier also helps us concentrate and solve problems. Too little acetylcholine can lead to irritability and a lack of focus as too many unimportant stimuli bombard us, preventing us from thinking clearly.

HOW DOES CHOLINE AFFECT THE BLADDER?:

The bladder is a muscle which is under cholinergic control. Acetylcholine stimulates a type of receptor in the body called a muscarinic receptor. Stimulation of the muscarinic receptors in muscles leads to a contraction of the muscle. Acetylcholine stimulates the muscle contractions of the bladder and supports healthy urinary function.

HOW DOES CHOLINE AFFECT CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN THE BODY:

Choline helps emulsify fat, keeping it in liquid form and suspension. As long as cholesterol is emulsified, it isn’t likely to settle in the arterial walls. Choline helps transport cholesterol and fats so they can be used by the body or excreted
to maintain healthy cholesterol levels already in the normal range. Strenuous exercise, such as marathon running, can dramatically lower your body’s levels of choline. The reason may be due to the need for choline in the metabolism of
fats, which increases during exercise.

WHAT IS CHOLINE’S IMPACT ON THE LIVER:

Choline bitartrate helps prevent fats from accumulating in the liver and is essential for its health, and also the health of the kidneys. Choline is involved in fat metabolism and in the transport of fats from the liver.

LIBIDO EFFECTS OF CHOLINE:

Choline is a nutrient that potentially enhances sexuality through its conversion to acetylcholine. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves are the main driver of testicular functions - and can help stimulate the libido.

WHAT IS CHOLINE’S IMPACT ON FETAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEWBORNS:

Pre-natal choline supplementation is thought to result in enhanced nervous system development and cognitive function throughout development and infancy, as newborns require large amounts of choline for development. Choline is supplied in mother’s milk, but the amount of choline in breast milk is directly related to the amount of choline that she consumes in her diet.