Posted by
David Rosales
Choline, a once totally unsexy topic, is now exactly the type of supplement you’ll hear about on damn near every health, wellness, and science podcast. (Most commonly, in the form of Alpha-GPC, which we’ll talk more about here.)
Before choline became a cool “nootropic” ingredient, it first became clear that choline deficiency is super common. It’s an essential nutrient. While it can be consumed through a diet rich in fish, vegetables, and eggs, a lot of us can get to baseline by taking a supplement.
And if you’re looking for other benefits like enhanced focus, clarity, memory, and more, then you can look into supplementing with choline even if you’re not deficient.
So here are all the deets on choline and the best choline supplements.
What is Choline?
Choline is an essential nutrient similar to Vitamin B. It’s a building block for acetylcholine, a primary, decision-making neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. That sounds, well, kind of important. So it’s no wonder that choline helps with various bodily functions, from aiding brain development and memory to the nervous system, improving muscle movement, and boosting metabolism.
Your liver produces small quantities of this nutrient, but you get most of your intake through food.
If you’re not getting enough choline through your diet, taking a supplement can keep you (and your brain) functioning at its best.
In fact, different forms of choline, including Alpha GPC (glycerylphosphorylcholine) are super popular in nootropics.
Why Should You Take a Choline Supplement?
While all the hype is based around cognition, there are a lot of reasons to take a choline supplement.
Liver Function
Liver Function: One study showed that after going on a choline-deficient diet, over half of the men and over 75% of the postmenstrual women selected suffered a degree of liver damage. Some even suffered from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
In general, those most at risk of choline deficiency are heavy alcohol users, due to alcohol’s damaging effects on the liver, as well as women who are post-menstrual or pregnant. So if you’re a heavy drinker, you could benefit from a choline supplement.
Choline helps protect the liver by normalizing cholesterol metabolism, which is also how choline helps manage cholesterol levels, per many studies.
Prenatal Care, Breastfeeding, and Other Mom Shit
During pregnancy and while lactating, women’s need for choline increases greatly. Current guidelines recommend 550 mg of choline in the first year postpartum.
It’s not only key for the mother, but it’s also for the baby. One study showed that choline supplementation during lactation improved child growth.
Improve Cognition and Mental Performance
For the average population, choline supplementation can improve mental clarity, memory, and overall health. This is why it’s a common ingredient in nootropic, or “smart drug” supplements.
Choline has even shown promise to support those with Alzheimer’s.
If particular, if you’re looking for mental benefits of choline supplementation Alpha-GPC has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier more effectively, and helps induce acetylcholine production in the brain.
Acetylcholine is a key neurotransmitter, which, obviously, we need choline to produce. But the choline also has to make it to the brain for it to affect acetylcholine products. That’s what Alpha-GPC does that other forms may not. However, CDP-choline has also shown similar brain function benefits in research, so we’re still learning.
General Health
What’s often overlooked about these types of supplements is that they also play a role in general health. Choline is crucial for cell membranes. If you remember anything from the cell unit in high school biology, you’ll remember how important these are for our cells to survive.
who remembers this shit?
You get the point; it’s an important nutrient. With all of this out of the way, here are the best choline supplements on the market.
*Note: We do have affiliate links throughout this article, which means we receive a commission if you purchase from any of our links. This supports our mission to bring complicated health and fitness info in an entertaining package. And it keeps us from putting up annoying things like banner ads. Those suck.
The 11 Best Choline Supplements
When it comes to finding the best choline supplement, products containing citicoline are the most popular. The products we selected below prove to be the most effective and popular brain food on the market. All of the supplements selected are GMP certified, use high-quality ingredients, and are from trusted brands.
Best for Postpartum: Double Wood Supplements CDP Choline
Best for Cognition: Double Wood Supplements Alpha-GPC
1) Double Wood Supplements Alpha-GPC(Best for Cognition)
Double Wood Supplements only put out products of the highest quality. They’re GMP-certified, and even display the testing results of each batch, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
While there are tons of expensive nootropics out there, the powerful ingredients, like Alpha-GPC, are actually inexpensive when you buy them in single ingredients supplements, which is what Double Wood has.
Double Wood gives you a simple, tested Alpha-GPC that’s standardized to at least 50% Alpha-GPC total.
They also have a money-back guarantee, and are gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO.
2) Double Wood Supplements CDP Choline (Best for Postpartum)
Double Wood Supplements only put out products of the highest quality. They’re GMP-certified, and even display the testing results of each batch, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Second, it is made from high-quality citicoline, a compound chemically identical to choline. However, while choline can be created in the body, citicoline is used specifically for supplementation has proven to be effective.
Lastly, each bottle contains 60 servings, and each serving contains 300 mg of citicoline, at the best value for a non-bulk product on the market.
Altogether, this is one of the most affordable and high-quality products on the market, making Double Wood CDP Choline our top choice for regular choline.
They also have a money-back guarantee, and are gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO.
3) Vyvamind (Best for Productivity)
Vyvamind isn’t strictly a choline supplement. It contains an array of high-quality ingredients. Every serving has 75mg of caffeine, b vitamins, l-tyrosine, l-theanine, and 200mg of CDP-Choline.
If you’re using choline to improve focus and attention without the crash that comes from many “nootropics” with high amounts of caffeine, then this is just what you’re looking for.
L-theanine, for example, has a synergistic effect with caffeine, which means taking the together can enhance the effects of both. (theanine and caffeine are both in green tea.)
When you add tyrosine, choline, and b vitamins into that formula, you have a great combination that keeps you focused without the jitters or the “crash.”
Vyvamind is very popular for those with ADHD, who prefer to limit their use of medication.
I wouldn’t take Vyvamind as a pre-workout supplement, as it’s designed for mental focus and clarity, but for studying or overall productivity, its quality and comprehensive formula are hard to beat.
Learn more about Vyvamind here.
4) Double Wood Supplements Phosphatidylcholine
Double Wood Supplements Phosphatidylcholine is a form of choline that’s wrapped in a phospholipid. This is the most common form of choline found in foods, so it may be more bioavailable.
However, we’re not convinced by this, and ordinary CDP choline has more research on it, and is much more popular.
Of course, this product has the same high quality as Double Wood’s other products.
Each bottle also contains 210 servings, placing it at an affordable price point. It’s gluten-free but contains traces of soy.
5) Pure Bulk Choline L-Bitartrate (Best Bulk)
This is a great option if you’re looking to buy in bulk. This Choline L-Bitartrate supplement contains both choline and bitartrate (tartaric acid). The bitartrate may help your body absorb choline quicker than if you were taking choline alone. Keep in mind though, the overall volume of tartrate is less per gram in the bitartrate version.
Pure Bulk has both powder and capsule options.
The power is easy to mix in just about anything, from coffee to a smoothie. It’s flavorless and mixes easily.
So if you’re looking to buy in bulk, this is the best option out there.
6) Now Foods Choline & Inositol
Price: $7.20
Not only is this the most affordable supplement on the list, it also contains choline and inositol. Both ingredients fall under the umbrella of Vitamin B. Choline is essential for brain health and metabolism of the liver, while Inositol plays an important role in keeping your nervous system healthy. Paired together, you have a super affordable supplement that will have you feeling your best.
7) Natural Stacks Acetylcholine Brain Food
Natural Stacks states that their Acetylcholine Brain Food will help with cognitive functioning and memory, and they have a money-back guarantee on this claim. This product is different from the rest because it contains acetylcholine as the main ingredient, not choline. However, as I mentioned earlier in this article, choline makes acetylcholine.
It’s also made with organic ingredients.
Each bottle contains 60 servings, much less than the previous option. It’s also a bit more expensive.
8) Jarrows Formula Citicoline
This citicoline supplement from Jarrow Formulas checks off all the boxes of what we look for in a supplement. First, it’s a GMP Certified and USDA Organic-Certified brand.
This CDP-choline product contains a patented form called Congizin®.
Lastly, each bottle contains 120 servings, and each serving contains 250 mg of citicoline (That’s a 4 month supply at a fair price point.) The only downside is the soft gel capsule is not vegan-friendly.
9) Pure Synergy Choline Complex
This Choline Complex supplement by Pure Synergy is another one that checks all of our boxes. It’s considered a complex supplement because it’s actually made from organic foods rich in choline (vegetables and sprouts).
Not only will your body process its ingredients naturally, but the supplement also contains multiple sources of choline. In fact, one tablet contains 50% of your recommended choline intake.
It’s geared towards prenatal care, so this one’s a great pick for mothers-to-be (although anyone can take it.) And if that wasn’t enough- the supplement is vegan, gluten-free, and receives great reviews. Like our number four pick, each bottle contains 60 servings.
10) Nested Naturals Choline Bitartrate
Nested Naturals promises that their Choline Bitartrate supplement counteracts the effects of brain fog, and based on their reviews, they don’t disappoint. Nested Naturals’ choline supplement is vegan and tested through a multi-step process you can view on their website. All the information provided on their product is fact-based, and with 45 servings for under $20, this supplement definitely has great value.
11) Country Life Vitamins Choline
Last, we have the Choline supplement by Country Life Vitamins on the list. This supplement is vegan and a good option for people who aren’t getting enough choline from their diet.
Each bottle contains 100 servings for just under $18.00.
FAQ
How Much Choline Should I Take?
As mentioned, if you’re within one-year postpartum, your choline demands are going to be elevated. The current guidelines recommend 550mg per day.
For women who aren’t pregnant or postpartum and for men, the current recommendations are 425mg and 550mg respectively. However, these recommendations tend to be conservative.
Choline deficiency is super common. Unless you’re pounding down eggs, there’s a good chance you’re deficient.
What are good food sources of choline?
Eggs once again show us why they’re a powerhouse superfood, clocking in with around 147mg of dietary choline per egg. Soybeans are also super high, with 107mg per half cup.
For the full list of foods high in choline check out this official fact sheet.
Are there any drawbacks to choline supplementation?
Although rare, overconsumption of choline can cause side effects. Some reported side effects included a fishy body odor, sweating, reduced blood pressure, and nausea accompanied with or without vomiting. Loss of bladder control may occur if consuming over 9 grams daily.
The recommended daily intake is 1 to 4 grams, though, so you would have to take roughly 9 times the recommended amount to experience these effects. In other words, it’s probably not going to happen.
So for brain-boosting effects, choline is a safe, simple, inexpensive supplement you can try. If you’re curious to learn more about another supplement that helps support our energetic bodily functions (while keeping you young), check out our list of the best nmn supplements and best glutathione supplements.
For another common “nootropic” ingredient, check out our guide on the best theanine supplements.