Function:
It is a dietary component important for the structural integrity
of cell membrane as well as a number of other critical functions
necessary for normal health.
Human
cells grown in cultures outside the body must have choline
to survive.
Recommended
Dietary Allowance:
The
AI for men is 550 mg and for women 425 mg per day.
Deficiency:
Inadequate choline is very rare in normal humans. Liver
damage has been reported in individuals maintained on intravenous
feedings not given choline as part of it.
Sources:
Wheat
germ, soybean oil, egg yolk, dairy products, and organ meats
contain choline.
Toxicity
and UL:
Excess
choline from supplements can produce sweating, body odor,
low blood pressure, salivation, and liver damage.
The
UL is 3.5 grams per day.
