Choline can improve postmenopause brain function, Balchem study finds

Choline can influence brain network efficiency in post-menopausal women, according to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research. The research used Balchem’s VitaCholine supplement, and it is the first to demonstrate these results, according to the company.

The supplier stresses that women are historically underrepresented in nutrition science. It adds that the new findings represent a significant advancement for nutraceutical manufacturers, creating more personalized solutions that support women’s health across every stage of life.

“Estrogen is a key driver of choline production in the body, so when levels of the hormone drop during menopause, women are at increased risk of choline deficiency,” highlights lead author of the study, professor Julie Dumas from the University of Vermont, US.

“This is important because choline is needed to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in cognitive functions such as mood, memory, and attention,” she stresses.

Choline’s brain boost

In the paper published in Nutrients, researchers explain that endogenous choline availability depends on the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine via a pathway known as phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT). PEMT is influenced by estrogen.

However, the way that a low estrogenic condition like menopause influences choline’s effect on the brain is not yet fully understood, note the authors.

Estrogen is a key driver of choline production in the body, so when levels of the hormone drop during menopause, women are at increased risk of choline deficiency.Dumas says choline research has also historically relied on self-reported scores or assessments from participants. The new study uniquely utilized fMRI scans and working memory exercises to capture an objective view of how brain networks respond to choline intake after menopause.

The pilot, randomized, crossover study focused on VitaCholine’s effects on working memory-related brain activation and functional connectivity.

The trial involved 20 healthy postmenopausal women aged 50–65 years who consumed either a single dose (1,650 mg) of VitaCholine or a placebo before completing a working memory exercise during an fMRI scan.

Compared to the placebo, choline intake demonstrated a rapid effect on the brain, significantly increasing functional connectivity within the working memory network to help optimize brain efficiency three hours after consumption.

Specifically, the researchers observed that choline bitartrate increased connectivity between the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the left inferior parietal lobule, which are key regions involved in executive function.

The study concluded that while there were no significant changes in task performance (accuracy and reaction time) in this single-dose trial, the brains of women taking VitaCholine used more efficient neural pathways to achieve those results.

Maturing body of evidence

This latest study adds to the existing body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of choline across different life stages. Balchem highlights previous research establishing choline’s role in supporting fetal brain and cognitive development during pregnancy and lactation, with “long-lasting benefits that extend beyond birth.”

Additional research has also demonstrated that choline intake may support people’s cognitive health later in life.

“Investing in women’s health research is something we feel very strongly about at Balchem,” says Eric Ciappio, P.hD., RD, senior manager, Nutrition Science at Balchem Human Nutrition and Health.

He emphasizes that, in the past, much of nutrition science was largely shaped by male-centric studies with a general assumption that these findings were also applicable to women’s health.

“This study is part of an essential shift toward a greater understanding of women’s specific nutritional needs and how we as an industry can better support them at every stage of life,” he underscores.

Ciappio adds that Blachem is already building on these findings with further research currently underway.

In other scientific activities, Balchem recently spotlighted clinical research supporting that its choline-enriched L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF) folate ingredient, Optifolin+, is 2.6 times more bioavailable and 3.5 times more quickly absorbed than standard folic acid in healthy adults.