Home Ingredients VitaCholine® (Choline Bitartrate — Balchem)
Liver HealthWomen's Health

VitaCholine® (Choline Bitartrate — Balchem)

Evidence Level
Moderate
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

VitaCholine® is a branded form of choline L-bitartrate from Balchem. Choline is an essential nutrient that the body uses to make acetylcholine (a key memory neurotransmitter) and phosphatidylcholine (a building block of cell membranes), and it plays important roles in brain development, liver fat metabolism, and methylation.

Studied Dose Commonly 300 to 550 mg of choline per day.
Active Compound Choline L-bitartrate, a bioavailable salt of the essential nutrient choline.

Benefits

Acetylcholine building block (mechanism)

Choline is the precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and attention. This is a biochemical role: choline supplements have not been shown to improve memory in healthy, well-nourished adults, and the clearest cognitive benefit seen in trials is developmental, from maternal supplementation during pregnancy.

Supported by Trial 1

Prenatal brain development

In a randomized controlled feeding study, maternal choline supplementation improved infant information-processing speed, highlighting choline's role in brain development.

Supported by Trial 1

Liver support

Choline is needed to export fat from the liver as phosphatidylcholine, supporting healthy liver fat metabolism.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Acetylcholine synthesis

Choline supplies the raw material for acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter used in memory, attention, and muscle control.

2

Phospholipid and methyl-donor roles

Choline builds phosphatidylcholine for cell membranes and contributes methyl groups (via betaine) to support healthy homocysteine metabolism.

Clinical trials

1
Maternal Choline and Infant Cognition (RCT: maternal supplementation, infant outcome, n=24 infants)
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study of maternal choline supplementation in the third trimester on infant cognition. (Caudill et al. 2018, FASEB Journal)

Pregnant women and their infants.

Higher maternal choline intake improved infant information-processing speed, underscoring choline's role in brain development.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well tolerated at normal supplement doses. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults is 3,500 mg of choline per day; above that, reported effects include fishy body odor, low blood pressure, sweating, and digestive upset.
Mild digestive upset is occasionally reported.
Discontinue if any unusual reaction occurs.

Important Drug interactions

High doses can cause a fishy body odor, sweating, or digestive upset.
Stay within recommended intakes unless advised otherwise.
Tell your doctor if pregnant, breastfeeding, or managing a condition.

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Frequently asked questions about VitaCholine® (Choline Bitartrate — Balchem)

What is VitaCholine?

VitaCholine® is a branded form of choline L-bitartrate from Balchem. Choline is an essential nutrient that the body uses to make acetylcholine (a key memory neurotransmitter) and phosphatidylcholine (a building block of cell membranes), and it plays important roles in brain development, liver fat metabolism, and methyl…

What is VitaCholine used for?

VitaCholine is researched primarily for Liver Health and Women's Health. Choline is the precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and attention. This is a biochemical role: choline supplements have not been shown to improve memory in healthy, well-nourished adults, and the clearest cognit…

What is the recommended dosage of VitaCholine?

The clinically studied dose is Commonly 300 to 550 mg of choline per day. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is VitaCholine safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, VitaCholine is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well tolerated at normal supplement doses. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults is 3,500 mg of choline per day; above that, reported effects include fishy body odor, low blood pressure, sweating, and digestive upset. Mild digestive upset is occasionally reported. It may also interact with some medications. VitaCholine is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does VitaCholine interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: High doses can cause a fishy body odor, sweating, or digestive upset. Stay within recommended intakes unless advised otherwise. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for VitaCholine?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for VitaCholine as Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 3 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(3 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Caudill MA, Strupp BJ, Muscalu L, et al. Maternal choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy improves infant information processing speed: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study. FASEB J. 2018;32(4):2172-2180..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind controlled feeding trial in pregnant women: mothers consumed either 480 or 930 mg choline per day during the third trimester (26 women randomized, 24 infants tested). Infants of the 930 mg group showed significantly faster information-processing speed averaged across 4 to 13 months of age. This is a maternal supplementation trial with an infant outcome, not evidence for adult memory, and the sample is small.
  2. Fischer LM, daCosta KA, Kwock L, Stewart PW, Lu TS, Stabler SP, Allen RH, Zeisel SH Sex and menopausal status influence human dietary requirements for the nutrient choline. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85(5):1275-1285..PubMedUsed to support: Controlled feeding study in 57 healthy adults: when dietary choline was cut to under 50 mg/day, most developed fatty liver or muscle damage that resolved once choline was restored. 77% of men and 80% of postmenopausal women were affected versus 44% of premenopausal women, showing choline is required to keep fat out of the liver and that the requirement rises after menopause.
  3. Zeisel SH, da Costa KA Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009;67(11):615-623..PubMedUsed to support: Review documenting that the Institute of Medicine formally recognized choline as an essential nutrient in 1998 and set an Adequate Intake because inadequate choline causes liver dysfunction and other harm. It notes that average intakes for children, men, women, and pregnant women fall below the Adequate Intake.