Home Ingredients VitaCholine® (Choline Bitartrate — Balchem)
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VitaCholine® (Choline Bitartrate — Balchem)

Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

VitaCholine® is Balchem's brand of choline bitartrate. Choline was recognized as an essential nutrient by the US Institute of Medicine in 1998. The body uses it to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, and phosphatidylcholine, which cell membranes need and which the liver uses to export fat. Most US adults eat less than the Adequate Intake (550 mg a day for men, 425 mg for women, 450 mg in pregnancy), and prenatal supplements typically contain little. In a controlled feeding study, cutting dietary choline caused fatty liver or muscle damage in most men and postmenopausal women, which reversed when choline was restored. In a small pregnancy trial, a higher maternal choline intake was linked to faster infant information processing. The studies cited here did not test VitaCholine by name, and trials of extra choline for liver health in well-fed people are lacking.

Studied Dose Adequate Intake: 550 mg choline/day for men, 425 mg for women, 450 mg in pregnancy and 550 mg when breastfeeding; adult upper limit 3,500 mg/day. A pregnancy feeding trial compared 480 and 930 mg/day of total choline.
Active Compound Choline bitartrate (made with natural L(+) tartaric acid), a salt of the essential nutrient choline.

Benefits

Acetylcholine building block (mechanism)

Choline is the precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter for memory, mood and muscle control. Observational studies link higher choline intake to better memory in adults, but a systematic review found choline supplements did not clearly improve cognition in healthy adults. The clearest trial result is developmental, from maternal intake in pregnancy.

Supported by Trial 1

Prenatal brain development

In a randomized, double-blind controlled feeding trial in 26 pregnant women, infants of mothers eating 930 mg rather than 480 mg of choline a day in the third trimester had faster information-processing speed over their first year. The trial was small. The Adequate Intake in pregnancy is 450 mg a day, and prenatal supplements typically contain little choline.

Supported by Trial 1

Liver fat export: a required nutrient

The liver needs choline, as phosphatidylcholine, to export fat. In a controlled feeding study of 57 adults, a diet with under 50 mg choline a day caused fatty liver or muscle damage in 77% of men and 80% of postmenopausal women but 44% of premenopausal women, and organ function recovered when choline was restored. Trials of extra choline for liver health in well-fed people are lacking.

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 is a source of methyl groups needed for many steps in metabolism.

Clinical trials

1
Maternal Choline and Infant Processing Speed
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study of maternal choline intake in the third trimester (Caudill et al. 2018, FASEB J).

26 pregnant women randomized to 480 or 930 mg choline a day from the third trimester to delivery; 24 infants tested at 4, 7, 10 and 13 months.

Mean reaction time averaged across the four ages was significantly faster for infants of mothers in the 930 mg group. This is a small trial of total choline intake with an infant outcome, not evidence for adult memory or for VitaCholine specifically. Funded in part by the Egg Nutrition Center and the Beef Checkoff.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well tolerated at normal supplement doses. The adult upper limit is 3,500 mg of choline a day; high intakes are linked to fishy body odor, vomiting, sweating, salivation, low blood pressure and liver toxicity.
Choline raises production of TMAO, a compound linked to higher cardiovascular risk, in a dose-dependent way.
Stop taking it if any unusual reaction occurs.

Important Drug interactions

Choline is not known to have clinically relevant interactions with medications, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or managing a medical condition.

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

What is VitaCholine?

VitaCholine® is Balchem's brand of choline bitartrate. Choline was recognized as an essential nutrient by the US Institute of Medicine in 1998. The body uses it to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, and phosphatidylcholine, which cell membranes need and which the liver uses to export fat.

What is VitaCholine used for?

VitaCholine is researched primarily for Liver Health and Women's Health. Choline is the precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter for memory, mood and muscle control. Observational studies link higher choline intake to better memory in adults, but a systematic review found choline supplements did not clearl…

What is the recommended dosage of VitaCholine?

The clinically studied dose is Adequate Intake: 550 mg choline/day for men, 425 mg for women, 450 mg in pregnancy and 550 mg when breastfeeding; adult upper limit 3,500 mg/day. A pregnancy feeding trial compared 480 and 930 mg/day of total choline. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is VitaCholine safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for VitaCholine include: Generally well tolerated at normal supplement doses. The adult upper limit is 3,500 mg of choline a day; high intakes are linked to fishy body odor, vomiting, sweating, salivation, low blood pressure and liver toxicity. 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: Choline is not known to have clinically relevant interactions with medications, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or managing a medical condition. 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 Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 4 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(4 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, Nevins JEH, Canfield RL. 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. doi: 10.1096/fj.201700692RR.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):1275-85. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1275.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):615-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00246.x.PubMedUsed to support: Review: the Institute of Medicine officially recognized choline as an essential nutrient in 1998; choline needs vary with common genetic variants; mean intakes for older children, men, women and pregnant women are far below the Adequate Intake.
  4. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Choline: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. 2022;Updated June 2, 2022..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. Adequate Intakes (550 mg men, 425 mg women, 450 mg pregnancy, 550 mg lactation); upper limit 3,500 mg; most Americans eat less than the AI and prenatal supplements typically contain little choline; a 2015 systematic review found no clear cognitive benefit of choline supplements in healthy adults; high intakes cause fishy body odor, vomiting, sweating, salivation, hypotension and liver toxicity; choline raises TMAO; no known clinically relevant drug interactions; choline is a source of methyl groups.