Choline

Builds cell membranes and the messenger acetylcholine, moves fat out of the liver and is important for baby brain development.

If you are short of it

Fatty liver (low choline)

Fat builds up in the liver when choline intake is very low.

Possible signs

Poor memory or concentration
Tiredness, low energy
Muscle weakness

These signs are common and have many other causes. They are clues, not proof; a blood test and a doctor can tell.

Who is more at risk

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, heavy alcohol use, people eating no eggs or meat, some gene variants.

Foods rich in Choline

Food	Serving	Amount	women 19–50	men 19–50
Beef liver	85 g cooked	356 NIH	84%	65%
Eggs	2 large eggs	294 NIH	69%	53%
Shrimp	85 g cooked	115	27%	21%
Mackerel	100 g cooked	95	22%	17%
Lamb	100 g cooked	93	22%	17%
Salmon	100 g cooked	90	21%	16%
Chicken breast	100 g cooked	85 NIH	20%	15%
Turkey breast	100 g cooked	84	20%	15%
Beef (lean)	100 g cooked	82 NIH	19%	15%
Cod or other white fish	100 g cooked	80 NIH	19%	15%
Chickpeas	1 cup cooked	70	16%	13%
Sardines (canned, with bones)	1 can (90 g drained)	69	16%	13%
Lentils	1 cup cooked	65	15%	12%
Kidney or white beans	1 cup cooked	54	13%	9.8%

Unit: mg. Share of the daily amount. Values marked NIH were checked against the food tables of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements; the others are approximate and unchecked. Real foods vary with variety, brand, soil and cooking.

Plan a day of meals rich in Choline

As a supplement

Choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC, CDP-choline or lecithin.

Too much

Above the upper limit: fishy body odour, sweating, low blood pressure, diarrhoea.

How much you need each day

Group	Recommended	Upper limit
Infants 0–6 months	125	—
Infants 7–12 months	150	—
Children 1–3 years	200	1000
Children 4–8 years	250	1000
Children 9–13 years	375	2000
Boys 14–18 years	550	3000
Girls 14–18 years	400	3000
Men 19–30 years	550	3500
Women 19–30 years	425	3500
Men 31–50 years	550	3500
Women 31–50 years	425	3500
Men 51–70 years	550	3500
Women 51–70 years	425	3500
Men over 70	550	3500
Women over 70	425	3500
Pregnant 14–18 years	450	3000
Pregnant 19–30 years	450	3500
Pregnant 31–50 years	450	3500
Breastfeeding 14–18 years	550	3000
Breastfeeding 19–30 years	550	3500
Breastfeeding 31–50 years	550	3500

Unit: mg. US/Canada Dietary Reference Intakes (National Academies), as summarised by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Other countries’ values differ slightly. These are amounts for healthy people, not treatment doses.

Open in the Vita Guide app

General information for healthy people. It does not diagnose, treat or replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or dietitian. Not reviewed by a clinician.

Page updated: 2026-10-08 · By Prof. E. Shalaan, Applied Sciences and AI (ASAI)