A number of dietary substances are required for the synthesis of neurotransmitters in humans, and this links the diet to the brain. Choline is a dietary factor that is present in a number of foods including eggs, meat, fish and mushrooms. Dietary choline has a number of non-brain functions in the body including the processing of fats in the liver. However, its central nervous system effects, where it serves as a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, are well reported. Increasing dietary concentrations of choline, either through foods or supplements, increases synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is needed for memory and movement. Initial studies investigating the effects of dietary choline on aetylcholine synthesis relied on food studies, whilst more recent studies have used supplements. Taken as a whole, these studies show a significant increase in brain acetylcholine synthesis rates with increased dietary choline, although there is an upper limit as the synthesis enzymes are rate limiting.
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