Other tracked

Choline

Acetylcholine · liver

Acetylcholine precursor, phosphatidylcholine, methyl donor.

Daily target

550 mg

FDA Daily Value

Upper limit

3500 mg

Tolerable Upper Intake

Catalog matches

supplements in our catalog

Upper-limit caution

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for Choline is 3500 mg per day. Routine intakes above this level — counting food + supplements — raise the risk of adverse effects. Multivitamins, fortified foods, and standalone supplements stack faster than people expect.

What Choline does

Choline is the precursor to acetylcholine (neurotransmitter), phosphatidylcholine (cell membranes), and betaine (one-carbon metabolism). It was formally classified as essential in 1998 — the body makes some, but not enough to meet adult requirements without diet. ~90% of US adults consume below the AI. During pregnancy and lactation, choline supports fetal brain development; the prenatal RDA is high (450 mg/day), and most prenatal vitamins contain very little. Egg yolks are by far the most concentrated common source.

Food sources of Choline

Approximate Choline content per serving. Whole-food intake counts toward your daily total alongside any supplemental dose.

Food	Serving	Choline
Egg yolk	1 large	150 mg
Beef liver (cooked)	3 oz	335 mg
Cooked chicken breast	3 oz	75 mg
Cooked salmon	3 oz	55 mg
Soybeans (cooked)	1/2 cup	55 mg
Quinoa (cooked)	1 cup	45 mg

Signs of Choline deficiency

●Non-alcoholic fatty liver (impaired phosphatidylcholine for VLDL export)
●Muscle damage with elevated CK on prolonged choline-free diets
●In pregnancy: poor fetal neural tube and cognitive outcomes (observational)

Who needs more Choline

Groups and situations where Choline requirements rise or status commonly runs low:

●Pregnancy and lactation (450 and 550 mg/day AI)
●People who don't eat eggs or organ meats regularly
●MTHFR variants — choline pathway substitutes for the impaired folate methylation
●Endurance athletes (suggestive evidence for performance)

How Choline appears on labels

Supplement labels list Choline under several names depending on the chemical form used. Any of these on an ingredients panel counts toward your Choline intake:

choline
choline bitartrate
alpha-gpc
alpha gpc
cdp-choline
citicoline
phosphatidylcholine

Best supplements for Choline

Top-scoring supplements in our catalog that list Choline on the label. Each product is graded on Formulate's ingredient-level rubric — dose accuracy, form, transparency, and third-party testing.

MediClear-SGS™ - Vanilla

MediClear-SGS™ - Chocolate

Deep dive

For mechanism of action, dosing protocols, evidence grade, and interaction warnings on Choline, see the full encyclopedia entry:

Alpha-GPC encyclopedia entry →

Research on Choline

Peer-reviewed studies in our research database that reference Choline. Each entry links to a detailed methodology review.

Guides covering Choline

Long-form articles in our guide library that go deeper on Choline — comparisons, protocols, and reviews.

Review · 9 min read
Alpha-GPC vs Citicoline: Which Choline Source Actually Works?

Frequently asked questions

What is the daily target for Choline?

The fda daily value for Choline is 550 mg per day for adults. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 3500 mg/day from food and supplements combined.

What foods are highest in Choline?

Egg yolk (150 mg per 1 large); Beef liver (cooked) (335 mg per 3 oz); Cooked chicken breast (75 mg per 3 oz). See the food sources section below for the full list.

What is the best form of Choline to supplement?

Alpha-GPC and CDP-choline (citicoline) cross the blood-brain barrier most efficiently — preferred for cognitive applications. Phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) is cheaper and adequate for liver and general support. Choline bitartrate is the cheapest but less bioavailable to the brain.

What are the signs of Choline deficiency?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver (impaired phosphatidylcholine for VLDL export); Muscle damage with elevated CK on prolonged choline-free diets; In pregnancy: poor fetal neural tube and cognitive outcomes (observational).

Who is most at risk for low Choline?

Pregnancy and lactation (450 and 550 mg/day AI); People who don't eat eggs or organ meats regularly; MTHFR variants — choline pathway substitutes for the impaired folate methylation.

Related other tracked

Track your full intake

Formulate's free web app aggregates Choline (and ~40 other nutrients) across every supplement in your stack — flagging underdoses, overlaps, and upper-limit overshoots in one view.

Track your intake free →

Medical disclaimer. This page is educational and does not replace advice from a qualified healthcare provider. Targets and upper limits are general adult reference values; individual needs vary by age, sex, pregnancy status, and clinical context.