Who is your target consumer? Pregnant women? Athletes? Pets?!
All three? Perfect!
Here’s an understated supplement that is just WAITING to be added to your product line: CHOLINE.
Choline, you say?
Yes! Before we are even born, choline weighs heavily on our health. In utero and through childhood, choline, which was only acknowledged as a required nutrient by the Institute of Medicine in 1998, is crucial for brain and spinal cord development. In older adults, choline may slow cognitive decline (foodandnutrition, healthline). How so?
Definition: “Choline is part of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important in muscle control, memory, mood, and nervous system functions. Choline also plays a role in the stabilization of DNA, transportation of fats and (with folate) possibly the prevention of neural tube defects” (foodandnutrition).
Choline’s Purpose in Bodily Processes
- Cell structure: Choline is pivotal to the structural support of cell membranes.
- Cell messaging: This nutrient contributes to the production of compounds/cell messengers.
- Fat transport and metabolism: Insufficient choline can lead to fat and cholesterol build-up in the liver (healthline).
Food Sources
In addition to supplements, choline can be found in:
- Beef liver
- Chicken liver
- Fresh cod
- Eggs
- Salmon
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Red potatoes
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower (foodandnutrition, healthline)
less than 10% of the U.S. population appears to be getting enough choline
Deficiencies
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans approximates that most Americans consume less than the adequate intake level (foodandnutrition). In fact, less than 10% of the U.S. population appears to be getting enough choline (healthline). The body produces choline endogenously in the liver, but the body does not naturally synthesize the amount necessary for humans. This is why most of us need choline from our diet (ods). Signs of deficiency include muscle damage and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from abnormal deposits of fat in the liver (foodandnutrition).
Who is at risk?
Athletes: During long endurance exercises, such as marathons, choline levels decrease.
Pregnant women: Since choline is required for healthy fetal development, requirements increase during pregnancy.
Postmenopausal women: Estrogen helps produce choline, but this hormone level drops in postmenopausal women, putting them at a greater risk of deficiency (healthline).
Angles on Angles
In addition to offering NOOTROPIC effects (https://www.makersnutrition.com/news/2018-01-03-in-with-the-nootropics/), choline can:
1. Detoxify the liver
Our liver utilizes choline to prevent what is called “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.” Choline transports triglycerides called (VLDLs), protecting the liver from harm.
2. Improve brain health and prevent neural tube defects
Choline strengthens the hippocampus, contributing to the creation of acetylcholine, aka the “learning transmitter.” One study found that compared to women with very low intakes of choline, those with high intakes around the time of conception had a 51% lower risk of neural tube defects. Another disclosed that pregnant women with the lowest intakes can be more than twice as likely to have babies with neural tube defects.
3. Reduce body mass
In one study, 22 professional female martial arts athletes were separated into two groups based on weight. The experimental group took choline tablets for one week, while the control group did not. The conclusion: the experimental group lost an average of 10% of their body fat in that week of supplementing. Pretty amazing!
4. Slow cognitive degradation in humans AND pets
Growing older and producing less choline means the chance of developing brain disorders such as dementia increases. Choline can prevent white-matter hyperintensity (tell-tale sign of dementia) and prompt better cognitive function. This goes for our cats and dogs as well! All mammals need choline for optimal brain and body function, which is why many people are giving their dogs supplements to prevent “doggy dementia.” It’s a thing!
5. Mental health
While more research is needed to support these claims, some evidence shows that choline may play a part in the development and treatment of certain mental disorders. An observational study discovered that lower blood levels were associated with a higher risk of anxiety. We are now just learning the potential dietary supplements have on the mental health narrative and CHOLINE is just one of the many supplements that may help people live easier lives (https://www.makersnutrition.com/news/2018-03-06-nutritional-psychiatry-and-mental-health/) (healthline).
The Next Step
So many outlets, so many benefits! CHOLINE clearly has its strengths. Are you ready to put these strengths to good use? From CHOLINE BITARTRATE to LECITHIN, a choline-rich supplement, there are numerous forms of this very necessary nutrient. Do you want to offer your customers a variety to choose from? You are in luck! MAKERS NUTRITION manufactures everything from SOFTGELS, CAPSULES, and TABLETS, TO POWDERS and LIQUIDS! Request a quote, give us a ring—we can’t wait to help!
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