Choline: The Underrated Nutrient Your Body Needs

It’s most talked about during pregnancy, but this under-the-radar nutrient is one everyone should be getting enough of.

Choline is a nutrient most recognized by those who have been pregnant: the nutrient supports fetal brain development. But choline also plays a key role in regulating memory, mood, and muscle function in the body, so it’s actually quite important for everyone. Choline is also necessary for your body to create the membranes that surround your cells. And now, a review in The Journal of Nutrition suggests this membrane creation may help support a healthy immune system, as well.

What You Should Know About Choline

Though choline may be a lesser-known nutrient, it’s important to pay attention to your intake. The nutrient builds cell membranes, is necessary to make fats that support cell structure, and works with vitamins like B12 and folate to help with DNA synthesis. Choline also helps support a healthy nervous system. It’s required to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that carries messages from your brain to your body. It plays a role in memory and learning, as well as muscle movement and even helps regulate your heartbeat. In pregnancy, choline supports fetal brain health and cognitive function. 

Your liver can make small amounts of choline, but your body mainly needs to get it from whole food sources, like eggs, liver, soybeans, chicken, fish, and beef. Adult males need 550mg of choline per day, while adult women need 425mg per day, with more required during pregnancy and breastfeeding, per the NIH.

But most people fall short of these adequate intake recommendations: Research suggests up to 90% of people don’t hit the daily recommended intake, and pregnant people — who need even more — are especially likely to come up short. (The NIH notes that most Americans consume less than the recommended amount, though frank choline deficiency is rare.)

And while you likely reach for vitamin C and D for immune support, choline may be a superstar for immunity, according to research.

Going Deeper on the Research

A review published in The Journal of Nutrition found that another reason to pay attention to your choline intake is its potential for supporting immune function. Choline’s established role is helping maintain healthy cell membranes — and for immune cells, those membranes do more than provide structure. They’re where the cell picks up signals and coordinates its response to an infection. Researchers also found the potential for choline to help regulate inflammation and support healthy immune cell activity. 

The review also underscored choline’s importance during pregnancy and early life, pointing to a handful of small studies in which choline-enriched infant formula was linked to fewer infections and illnesses in babies — though the authors stress the trials were small and far from conclusive. Researchers also point to evidence that higher choline intake may strengthen the gut barrier, though those findings came mostly from animal studies, with only a few human trials.

The Takeaway

Choline is known for its benefits during pregnancy to support fetal brain development. It also plays a role in regulating memory, mood, and muscle function in the body. And, emerging research suggests it may have immune support benefits as well. Everyone should pay attention to their intake of the nutrient, especially since most don’t hit daily intake recommendations. You can increase your choline intake by focusing on choline-rich foods like liver, eggs, soybeans, and fish. 

Bottom Line

Choline supports healthy cell membranes and regulates inflammation, which in turn may help support your immune system, according to research. Many of the studies researchers looked at in this review were animal studies or small human studies, so more research is needed to understand exactly how choline supports immune function. Since choline is already known for its role in brain function and many important processes in the body, paying attention to your daily intake will have major health benefits. If you’re thinking about a supplement rather than food, check with your healthcare provider about the right form and dose.