ABSTRACT
Choline was isolated and identified by Strecker in 1868. It has been long recognized as a lipotropic factor. Choline serves as a precursor for the biological synthesis of lecithin, sphingomyelin, and choline plasmalogens. In the choline-deficient group, plasma choline concentrations decreased an average of 30% during the 21 days of choline deficiency. Evidence suggests that prematurely born infants or infants of low birth weight may have reduced abilities to synthesize choline. The occurrence of a choline deficiency in the healthy human must be rare, since most ordinary foods contain significant amounts of choline. The essentiality of choline is supported also by the benefits of choline supplements in the treatment of some adults and children with neuropsychiatric and medical problems. Hepatic aminotransferase abnormalities also occurred in the patients. The hepatic dysfunction was corrected when choline was made available through lecithin supplementation.
