What happens if you take choline every day? A Nutritional Breakdown

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health, a large portion of the US population does not consume the recommended daily amount of choline, but what happens if you take choline every day, particularly as a supplement? This practice carries a balance of potential benefits and risks that every user should understand to achieve optimal health.

Quick Summary

Daily choline intake supports vital functions including brain and liver health, but excessive amounts can trigger adverse effects such as fishy body odor and low blood pressure. The outcome depends heavily on the individual's overall intake from diet and supplements.

Key Points

Brain Health: Daily choline supports the nervous system and is a precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important for memory, mood, and muscle control.
Liver Function: Adequate choline intake is crucial for fat metabolism and transport away from the liver, helping to prevent fat accumulation.
Risks of Excess: High daily amounts of choline, typically from supplements, can cause side effects like a fishy body odor, digestive issues, and low blood pressure.
Diet Over Supplements: For most individuals, meeting choline needs through a diet rich in eggs, meat, fish, and cruciferous vegetables is the safest and most effective way.
Supplement Forms Vary: Different supplement forms, like Alpha-GPC and CDP-choline, offer varying levels of bioavailability and specific potential benefits.
Pregnancy Importance: Choline is particularly vital during pregnancy for fetal brain development, but many pregnant women may not meet recommended intake levels.

Understanding Choline: An Essential Nutrient

Choline is a nutrient that is essential for human health, playing a critical role in various bodily functions. While the body can produce a small amount in the liver, the majority must be obtained through the diet. It is often grouped with B vitamins due to its similarities and involvement in methylation pathways, though it is not a vitamin itself. Choline is required for several key processes, including cell membrane formation, neurotransmitter synthesis, and fat metabolism.

The Essential Functions of Choline

Choline's role in the body is fundamental and far-reaching. It is a precursor to phosphatidylcholine, a key component of cell membranes, and to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is crucial for memory, mood, and muscle control. A balanced intake ensures these systems function optimally. Choline is also vital for lipid transport from the liver, and deficiency can lead to fat accumulation and potentially nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Potential Benefits of Daily Choline Intake

When consumed at appropriate levels, either through diet or supplementation, daily choline can provide several benefits to overall health.

Enhancing Brain and Cognitive Function

Choline's role in producing acetylcholine makes it a key player in brain health. Studies link higher choline intake to improved cognitive performance, including better memory and verbal skills. This is particularly important for aging populations and during prenatal development. Adequate maternal choline intake is associated with higher information processing speeds in infants and can help protect against neurodevelopmental disorders.

Supporting Liver Health

Because choline is necessary for transporting fat away from the liver, consistent daily intake helps prevent the accumulation of liver fat. This is a crucial defense against NAFLD, a condition where excessive fat is stored in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. Daily choline supports proper liver function and metabolism.

Aiding Metabolism and Cell Structure

Choline is integral to fat metabolism and the maintenance of cell membranes. It is also involved in the process of methylation, where it helps with DNA synthesis and repair. This is a crucial cellular process that influences how genes are expressed and how our cells function daily. By supporting these fundamental cellular activities, choline helps ensure the structural integrity and functionality of all cells.

Risks and Side Effects of Excessive Choline

While beneficial in moderation, taking excessive amounts of choline can lead to several adverse side effects. Excessive intake is most commonly achieved through high-dose supplements rather than diet alone, and can be problematic.

Common Side Effects of High Intake

Fishy body odor: Excess choline can be metabolized by gut bacteria into trimethylamine (TMA), which the body excretes through sweat, breath, and urine, causing a strong, unpleasant fishy smell.
Digestive issues: High intake can cause gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
Low blood pressure: Very high intake can cause a significant drop in blood pressure (hypotension).
Liver toxicity: In extreme cases, excessively high daily intake can potentially lead to liver toxicity.

Potential Cardiovascular Concerns

Some studies have explored a link between high choline intake and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to the production of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). While high TMAO levels are associated with higher CVD risk, more research is needed to determine the exact relationship between choline intake, TMAO production, and long-term heart health outcomes.

Achieving Optimal Daily Intake

For most healthy adults, meeting choline needs through a balanced diet is achievable. General recommendations exist for daily intake for different groups. During pregnancy and lactation, these general recommendations typically increase.

Food Sources of Choline

Incorporating choline-rich foods into your daily diet is the most effective and safest way to ensure adequate intake.

Eggs: One large hard-boiled egg contains about 147 mg of choline, making it one of the richest sources.
Meat and Fish: Beef liver, salmon, chicken breast, and cod are excellent sources.
Legumes: Roasted soybeans and kidney beans contain significant amounts.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are good plant-based sources.
Dairy Products: Milk and other dairy items contribute to choline intake.

Choline Supplements: Different Forms and Considerations

For those who may not meet their needs through diet alone, especially pregnant women and individuals with certain genetic variations, supplements are an option. It's important to be aware of the different forms available and consult with a healthcare provider before starting supplementation.

Comparing Choline Supplement Forms


Form of Choline	Bioavailability	Primary Benefit	Considerations
Choline Bitartrate	Lower	Liver support, general need	Less expensive, basic choline boost.
Phosphatidylcholine	Medium	Liver support, cell membrane repair	Found in lecithin, good for bile support.
Alpha-GPC (L-alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine)	High	Cognition, memory, brain health	Crosses the blood-brain barrier effectively.
CDP-Choline (Citicoline)	High	Cognition, memory, neurological repair	Supports neurotransmission, fewer side effects than Alpha-GPC for some.

Conclusion: Balancing Choline Intake for Health

Taking choline every day can be highly beneficial for supporting cognitive function, liver health, and overall cellular metabolism, provided the intake is balanced. For most people, a diet rich in choline-dense foods like eggs, meat, and vegetables is sufficient. However, certain individuals, such as pregnant women, may benefit from supplementation under medical supervision to help meet their needs. It is important to be mindful of potential excessive intake to prevent potential side effects like fishy body odor and digestive upset. Consulting with a healthcare provider is the best way to determine the appropriate approach for your individual needs. By balancing your intake, you can effectively harness the benefits of this vital and often overlooked nutrient. For more comprehensive information, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements provides a detailed fact sheet on choline.

Frequently Asked Questions

General recommendations for daily choline intake exist and can vary based on factors like age, sex, and life stage. It's best to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.

Yes, it is possible to get all the choline you need from food sources. Excellent dietary sources include eggs, meat, fish, legumes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.

Consuming excessively high amounts of choline can lead to a fishy body odor, excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, and low blood pressure.

While supplements can address deficiencies, most nutrition experts recommend getting choline from whole food sources when possible. This approach is generally considered safer, more balanced, and reduces the risk of excessive intake.

Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter critical for memory, mood, and muscle control. Adequate intake is associated with improved cognitive function and healthy brain development.

Research on the link between choline and cardiovascular disease is mixed. High choline intake can increase TMAO levels, which have been associated with heart disease, but more research is needed to clarify the relationship.

Alpha-GPC and CDP-Choline are both forms of supplemental choline that have shown potential cognitive benefits. Alpha-GPC is sometimes considered more potent for performance, while CDP-Choline may be favored for neurological repair, but individual responses can vary.

Choline is involved in fat metabolism, and there is no evidence to suggest that appropriate daily intake causes weight gain. Some forms have even been studied for their role in metabolism, but claims of body fat reduction are largely unproven.