Choline Bitartrate Review
Choline bitartrate is a brain supplement designed to help users get more from their brain. It has a much better absorption rate compared to pure choline which is essential to the normal functioning of our bodies. Chemically, Choline bitartrate is a vitamin-like nutrient similar to vitamin B. In essence it is basically a choline combined with a salt of tartaric acid.
For those who don’t know, choline is a chemical precursor of a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter plays a very important role in memory and muscle function. The human body synthesizes a small amount of choline in the liver but we still have to obtain a majority of it from dietary sources. The best dietary sources of choline include liver, beans, peas, nuts, wheat germ and spinach.
Despite choline being available in some of the most common foods, people seldom get enough of it from their diets alone and often need to supplement for it from more concentrated sources. As a supplement, Choline bitartrate is taken orally to help users improve their mental performance, learning speed and energy levels. It is often stacked with inositol to increase its effectiveness.
Choline Bitartrate Health Benefits
Brain support:
The supplement has been reported to enhance mental performance and improve memory. Researchers are also exploring its ability to maintain neuromuscular function in aging adults.
Cardiovascular Benefits:
Using this supplement regularly has been shown to offer benefits that directly reduce risks of heart disease. Studies have shown that administering Choline offers cardiac-relaxing effects that help reduce blood pressure and lower heart rate.
Dementia/ Alzheimer’s disease:
Adding choline to your diet may slow the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences revealed that patients with Alzheimer’s disease had significantly decreased levels of choline in the temporal lobe. The findings, therefore, suggested that increasing choline in Alzheimer’s patients can slow or even prevent progression.
Anti-inflammatory:
Choline-rich diets are well-known for their ability to reduce inflammation markers in our bodies which slow down the developing inflammation-associated illnesses such as brain dementia and cancer.
Bipolar disorder/manic depression:
Choline bitartrate has also been tested in bipolar disorder (a.k.a. manic depression) patients in which 5 out of six subjects showed impressive improvement.
Mobility and coordination:
Choline is vital for proper functioning of the brain and nervous system. This, in turn, helps with muscle movement and concentration, which plays a major role in coordination.
Choline bitartrate dosage
Choline bitartrate is completely safe and non-toxic to humans. The recommended daily dose for men is 550mg while that for women is 425 mg; which can be increased to 450mg during pregnancy, and up to 550mg when nursing. When using this supplement for brain enhancement; 750mg can be taken with meals or as directed by the doctor.
For new users, it is safe to start at lowers doses of about 200mg per day and only increase after you have understood how the supplement affects you. For long term daily use, it’s advisable to take 100mg to 300mg to avoid issues of tolerance buildup and addiction. Experienced users can take up to 2000mg per day, but this should be taken in 2-3 splits to avoid any chances of developing side effects.
Potential side effects include…
Choline bitartrate is generally very well tolerated and does not cause any unpleasant reaction within the recommended rates of 425mg-2000mg per day. Even stretching as far as 3000mg per day is still safe, though not recommended.
A zone of toxicity and overdose for this supplement is thought to be around 3.5g per day. At this point, you may notice symptoms of low blood pressure such as faintness or dizziness. Higher doses of up to 5 grams have been linked to increased salivation, sweating, body odor, and vomiting.
Consuming even higher doses of up to 10mg per day is known to disturb the neurotransmitter balance in the brain which can lead to advanced symptoms of overdose such as hypotension, depression, diarrhea, agitation, and even trigger existing epilepsy. Even though it’s not easy to hit the overdose zone with Choline in general, users should always try to stick to the minimum effective dosage and observe any unusual reaction.
Users who have a history of allergy to choline or lecithin should not take Choline bitartrate or any choline supplement to avoid developing allergic reactions. Allergic reactions can be pretty serious and you should contact your doctor immediately. Common allergic symptoms include itching, swelling of the face, hives, rash, difficulty in breathing and shortness in breath.
Bottom Line
Choline bitartrate is an excellent nootropic source of choline that you can use to supplement your diet. Unlike dietary sources, Choline bitartrate supplement is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and easily crosses the blood-brain barrier to deliver its numerous benefits mentioned above. So go ahead and try it out today to unlock the smart within and boost your overall wellbeing.
