- Choline is an essential nutrient for heart health and brain function and is found in many foods like whole eggs, soy, and cruciferous vegetables.
- New research suggests that moderate choline intake may reduce the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease.
- Experts recommend getting choline from whole foods rather than supplements and making other lifestyle changes to prevent heart disease.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, primarily due to
Although traditional
Choline, an essential nutrient found in animal and plant foods, is gaining increasing attention due to its potential benefits for heart health, although its role in atherosclerosis remains debated.
Observational studies, including one recently published in the
However, some animal studies indicate that choline may increase the risk of heart disease, and there is a lack of human clinical trials.
Now, a new observational study published in
The second aim was to examine how choline affects metabolic syndrome and its risk factors, which contribute to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
The results showed that moderate choline intake was associated with a lower risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, there was no significant association between choline consumption and metabolic syndrome.
Despite mixed study results, experts recognize the potential of adequate choline intake to support heart health and disease prevention.
This cross-sectional study examined data from 5,525 U.S. adults ages 20 and older, collected through the
The average age of participants was 48 years, with almost equal numbers of men and women.
Most were non-Hispanic white, had low levels of physical activity, and more than 76% had abdominal obesity.
Researchers identified atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in participants with at least one of the following:
Participants were divided into two groups: 5,015 participants with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and 510 without.
Metabolic syndrome was determined by the presence of at least three risk factors: high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure, triglycerides, waist circumference, or low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. .
Researchers classified participants as having conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia, based on blood values or medication use.
The researchers used two 24-hour dietary surveys of each NHANES participant to calculate their average choline intake. Participants’ choline intake was divided into four quartiles, placing each participant into one of four groups based on their intake.
Using statistical software, the team analyzed the link between choline consumption and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. They took demographic and lifestyle factors into account and looked at differences by gender and choline intake levels.
The study results suggest that optimal heart health benefits from choline intake may occur at specific levels, with too much or too much choline being less beneficial.
A daily choline intake of about 244 milligrams for women and 367 milligrams for men appears to provide benefits for heart health.
These amounts are lower than
In their adjusted analysis, the researchers found that choline consumption in the third quartile was potentially linked to a lower risk of congestive heart failure and stroke.
However, consuming more than 342 milligrams per day appears to slightly increase the risk of heart failure, although it does not significantly affect the risk of stroke. This could be due to the brain’s ability to handle excess choline, the study authors note.
Overall, an inverse, nonlinear relationship between choline and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has been observed, less notably in men.
The present study found no significant association between choline intake and metabolic syndrome and its components, although the syndrome is a strong predictor of heart disease mortality.
This finding contrasts with recent research suggesting that higher choline intake was associated with lower levels of some components of metabolic syndrome in obese adults.
The observational nature of the study, the use of dietary questionnaires and the lack of
The study authors also note that a sensitivity analysis revealed that the protective effect of choline on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease lost statistical significance after adjusting for participants’ total caloric intake.
Philip Nimoityn, MD, FACC, a physician at Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia and clinical assistant professor of medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, who was not involved in the study, spoke with Medical news today on the results.
Appointed noted: “The nonlinear relationship is consistent with the pattern that a good nutritional supplement is not always better. »
However, he also pointed out a major flaw in the study design: arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease was diagnosed based on the presence of heart disease, but not all congestive heart failure or stroke is due to to arteriosclerotic disease.
“Data analysis was clearly compromised by combining different diseases as if they were necessarily the same. On this basis, the conflicting findings were not surprising,” he said.
“Prospective, controlled trials with better determination of dietary choline intake and analysis of disease outcomes with more specific and consistent definition of various heart disease states (are needed),” Nimoityn said.
MNT also spoke with Kiran Campbell, RDN, heart health dietitian at Kiran Campbell Nutrition and medical nutrition consultant at Dietitian Insights. Campbell was not involved in the study.
“The best way to get an adequate amount of choline each day is to eat a balanced diet that includes various types of choline-rich foods,” she advised.
Campbell highlighted some of the best food sources of choline, including:
- Whole eggs
- fish like salmon and cod
- dairy products like cottage cheese
- organ and red meat such as liver and beef
- red potatoes
- shiitake mushrooms
- nuts and seeds like almonds, flaxseeds and raw pumpkin seeds
- whole grains and pseudo-grains like wheat germ and quinoa
- cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
- legumes such as soybeans (edamame), lima beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils
“Most American adults do not consume sufficient amounts of choline and may need to consume more,” Campbell noted.
However, instead of increasing consumption of animal foods high in saturated fat, she recommends opting for increased consumption of lean protein and plant-based sources of dietary choline.
Nimoityn added:
“A well-balanced
heart healthy diet is likely to contain adequate amounts of choline without incurring the risk of possible overdose with commercially available nutritional supplements. This appears to be true for all populations.
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of combining a heart-healthy diet with other “proven and accepted measures,” including regular exercise (if safe to do so according to the patient’s doctor), avoiding smoking, preventing heart disease. obesity and aggressively manage cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as inflammation. necessary.