Tier 2 — strong

Differential metabolism of choline supplements in adult volunteers

Katrin A Böckmann, Axel R Franz, Michaela Minarski, Anna Shunova, Christian A Maiwald, Julian Schwarz, Maximilian Gross, Christian F Poets, Wolfgang Bernhard
European journal of nutrition 2022 61(1):219-230

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 34287673
PubMed Central
PMC8783899
DOI
10.1007/s00394-021-02637-6
Funding
Reported funding/support: HiPP-Werk Georg Hipp OHG Universitätsklinikum Tübingen (8868)Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose. Trial Registration: This trial was registered at https://drks.de/drks_web/ trial ID: DRKS00020454.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized crossover controlled trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample6 healthy men
InterventionSingle doses of four choline forms supplying 550 mg choline each
Duration6-hour sampling; at least 1 week between doses
EndpointsCholine-form kinetics; Betaine; TMAO

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2022, this source examined food sources, absorption and nutrient metabolism. Design: Randomized crossover controlled trial. Sample/model: 6 healthy men. The exposure or intervention was Single doses of four choline forms supplying 550 mg choline each. Follow-up or treatment period: 6-hour sampling; at least 1 week between doses.

All forms raised betaine; absorption timing differed. Water-soluble choline forms increased TMAO more rapidly than egg phosphatidylcholine.

Very small acute comparison; TMAO differences do not by themselves establish differences in clinical harm.

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Key findings

  • All forms raised betaine; absorption timing differed.
  • Water-soluble choline forms increased TMAO more rapidly than egg phosphatidylcholine.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Choline-form kinetics; Betaine; TMAO.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Single doses of four choline forms supplying 550 mg choline each; 6-hour sampling; at least 1 week between doses.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Very small acute comparison; TMAO differences do not by themselves establish differences in clinical harm.
  • An individual controlled trial must be interpreted alongside its comparator, sample size, endpoint selection and independent replication. It does not validate a different commercial formulation or a general longevity claim.
  • Source basis: Accessible full-text extract plus indexed bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology