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Are You Getting Enough Choline?

by Carly Neubert, BA, NC on September 06, 2018

Are you in the 90% of people in America that are not consuming enough of one essential nutrient?

It is estimated that 90% of the population does not get enough choline in their diet. Choline deficiency can cause liver damage, fatty liver, heart disease, and brain disorders such as dementia, Parkinson's and Alzheimers' diseases. Taking a supplement like Nutrasal’s PhosChol Capsules can help with anyone who is low in naturally produced choline.

Before we dive into the most common questions surrounding choline and the appropriate supplements to take, here's a quick glossary of terms for you to reference.

Glossary of Terms: 

  • GMO: Genetically modified organism (such as soybeans grown in the United States).  The long-term safety of consuming GMOs is questionable and has not been proven safe.
  • Non-GMO: A product with certifications proving that it has not been genetically modified.
  • Lecithin: A fat molecule found in soy, eggs, sunflowers, and cottonseed.  Lecithin acts as an emulsifier which enables liquids and fats to mix together more readily.  
  • Choline: An essential nutrient with Adequate Daily Intake standards. It is a component of polyphosphatidylcholine. It is available in small amounts in salmon, soybeans, liver, oatmeal, cabbage, cauliflower, egg yolks, meat, and krill oil.
  • Polyphosphatidylcholine: A nutrient your body uses to make cell membranes. It is commonly referred to as phosphatidylcholine or PPC.
  • 1, 2 Dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC): The active antioxidant in polyphosphatidylcholine that allows cell membranes to be fluid instead of rigid. Cell membrane fluidity is the main clinical therapeutic property of PPC supplements.
  • PPC: A common abbreviation for polyphosphatidylcholine
  • Phospholipids: A specific type of fat molecule (triglyceride). Typical triglycerides have 3 fat molecules clumped together. A phospholipid has only 2 fat molecules at the end and 1 phosphorus molecule at the head. Phosphatidylcholine is a type of phospholipid.
  • PhosChol: The unique and high-grade polyphosphatidylcholine product offered by Nutrasal. It is available in capsules or liquid.

What is choline?

Choline is a fat-like nutrient that is essential for body function. You cannot synthesize choline within your body. It must be consumed as food or supplements. One of the easier choline supplements to you can take is Nutrasal’s PhosChol liquid.

What is the difference between choline and phosphatidylcholine?

Choline is a building block for phosphatidylcholine. Over 95% of all the choline found in your body is in the form of phosphatidylcholine. All cell membranes need phosphatidylcholine. Each of your cell membranes are composed of 65% phosphatidylcholine.

Why would I care about my cell membranes?

A team of scientists who study phosphatidylcholine believes that: Healthy cell membranes make healthy cells. If you have healthy cells, you will have healthy organs and body systems. This will give you a healthy body and mind. 

Why would you consume choline-rich foods or take phosphatidylcholine supplements? 

PPC is an essential ingredient in the recipe for every cell membrane. Every time your body needs to build a cell membrane, phosphatidylcholine is the main ingredient. Over 65% of the cell membrane is PPC. If this phospholipid is not available, your body can synthesize the needed PPC from other nutrients. However, this is a very biologically expensive task.  In other words, it takes your body a lot of energy to synthesize PPC from choline.

Is phosphatidylcholine safe?

Pure PPC has been used as medication in Europe for over 50 years. Over 600 million doses have been used worldwide, with another 350 million dispensed in European nations. No toxic events have been reported. Choline and phosphatidylcholine have been clinically researched for over 30 years.

What does the research suggest:

Phosphatidylcholine supplements have been proven to:

  1. Lower and optimize cholesterol levels
  2. Protect your liver against hepatitis
  3. Protect liver function in alcoholic cirrhosis
  4. Decrease symptoms from IBS and ulcerative colitis:
  5. Relieve depression and anxiety
  6. Reduce the risk of neural tube defect in pregnant women 
  7. Reduce cognitive impairment in brain disorders 
  8. Aid in symptom reduction in autistic children

How do I pick a high-quality PPC supplement? 

Some supplement brands offer phosphatidylcholine as choline salts in their products. Choline salts are not as readily absorbed as purified phosphatidylcholine. In fact, if you take a choline salt phosphatidylcholine supplement, your body must devote energy into transforming the salts into polyphosphatidylcholine.

Choline salts also cause an unpleasant fishy body odor. Purified phosphatidylcholine (PPC), as found in Nutrasal’s PhosChol liquid and capsules, do not contain any choline salts. They are 100% pure polyenylphosphatidylcholine. This is the major difference between less expensive phosphatidylcholine supplements and Nutrasal’s PhosChol. There is no other 100% pure phosphatidylcholine supplement available in North America and no other supplement provides 52% dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) within their phosphatidylcholine.

While some PPC supplements may have the unwanted side effect of fishy body odor and nausea, Nutrasal PhosChol yields no side effects. If you are looking for the highest quality unadulterated polyphosphatidylcholine to fortify your cell membranes, PhosChol is your target.

Does it contain soy?

You have read my many cautions about soy and genetically modified foods (GMOs). Whole soybeans and tofu contain phytoestrogens which can alter your hormones, I recommend staying away from all whole soy products. PhosChol is extracted from the fat molecules in non-GMO soy. The fat molecules do not contain phytoestrogens and will not change your hormone levels. Additionally, PhosChol is derived from certified non-GMO soy as verified by PCR testing.

Recommended doses:

PPC liquid may not be the best tasting supplement, but it is available. If you mix Nutrasal PhosChol liquid into a smoothie, the taste will be undetectable. However, if you put the liquid directly into your mouth, you will definitely taste it.  

PhosChol contains 900mg of polyphosphatidycholine per capsule. The recommended dose is 2-3 capsules taken once daily or ⅔ to 1 tsp of liquid concentrate. The liquid concentrate contains 3000mg per teaspoon. The capsules and liquid may be taken with meals or on an empty stomach.

Schedule a phone consultation with Carly Neubert BA, NC to create a personalized protocol for utilizing PhosChol in your wellness plan. 

In health,

Carly Neubert BA, NC

For additional recipes, biohacking tips and lifestyle hacks -- check out my other blog on my coaching site www.cleancoachcarly.com! I post weekly about nutrition and lifestyle topics, all backed by science. Happy Reading!

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