Choline and phosphatidylcholine

[LNN]

Ok, you will all think I've gone overboard on supplements. I promise I'm not scouring the internet looking for yet more pills to give my kids. Someone mentioned using phosphatidylcholine and seeing improved executive function. So I got curious and found this:

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/choline/

 

excerpts (bolding mine):

Choline is a precursor for acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter involved in muscle control, memory, and many other functions.

 

Without adequate phosphatidylcholine, fat and cholesterol accumulate in the liver

 

Choline may be oxidized in the body to form a metabolite called betaine. Betaine is a source of methyl (CH3) groups required for methylation reactions.

 

Choline is required to form the phosphatidylcholine portion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles. VLDL particles transport fat from the liver to the tissues (see Function). When the supply of choline is inadequate, VLDL particles cannot be synthesized and fat accumulates in the liver, ultimately resulting in liver damage. Because low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles are formed from VLDL particles, choline-deficient individuals also have reduced blood levels of LDL cholesterol (6). Healthy male volunteers with adequate folate and vitamin B12 nutrition developed elevated blood levels of a liver enzyme called alanine aminotransferase (ALT) when fed a choline-deficient diet. Elevated ALT activity is a sign of liver damage. ..These signs of organ dysfunction resolved when choline was replaced in the diet.

 

Choline, when oxidized in the body to form betaine, provides a methyl group for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine by the enzyme, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT). See diagram. Despite its relevance, the relationship of betaine and choline to homocysteine metabolism has been only lightly investigated in humans. (my note - this seems to be important to those with MTHFR A1298 mutations but not sure exactly how)

 

It's worth reading the whole article, which does say most people get adequate intakes. But past discussions of kids with elevated ALT and cholesterol made this article catch my attention.(that plus it talks about methylation, so you know I had to read it).

 

Does anyone have experiences with choline or phosphatidylcholine or lecithin (which Yasko believes plays a role in a healthy BBB)?

[sf_mom]

Yes, we used phosphatidylcholine for a long time. Thought to help deliver herbals remedies to the brain. It has the consistency and look of egg yoke when mixed so many kids don't like it. We added it to orange juice with herbs. It was one of the many supplements we thought was helpful but did not have as obvious of improvements like we had with KPU treatment or MSM for oxidative stress. I am considering adding it back in since most of the remaining Lyme is thought to be in older DS's brain and eyes per ART.

 

Edit: My son has not had elevated liver enzymes since using phosphatidylcholine and treating Babesia. Just prior his enzymes were elevating and eyes were slightly yellow so perhaps it helped more than I realized.

Edited August 22, 2012 by SF Mom

[beeskneesmommy]

Interesting that a PANDAS doc told me to make sure that I got extra Choline to help brain development during a time that I was trying to get pregnant again (knowing my son already had PANDAS). Just a thought. Decided against having another child after all, but a note of interest...

[rowingmom]

I have been giving DD10 a phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine supplement daily for a long time. We struggled to regain her speech for 4 years after her 15 month MMR vaccination - thankfully our speech therapist was able to use the PROMPT method to retrain her loss of motor control over her facial muscles, but she never sang. No nursery rhymes or children's songs or anything, despite my playing them endlessly on car rides - I could sing them all to you now if you would like

 

There was some mention of using phosphatidylserine with children suffering from oral apraxia (to help rebuild the myelin sheath, I think), so I thought I would give it a try. The day after she started the supplement she sang for the first time, perhaps a coincidence, IDK.

 

We try to eat veal liver once a week, and I often give her egg yolks (no white though because we have too many autoimmune difficulties). I'm not sure if this helps or not, but it seems to make sense.

 

A link to an article by Chris Masterjohn (Weston A Price Foundation) on choline and its effects on the methylation cycle.

 

http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2010/12/meeting-choline-requirement-eggs-organs.html

[LNN]

Great link - thanks! You guys rock, as always!

 

Anyone else with experiences, pro or con?

[rowingmom]

You rock as well LLM! I read this stuff, retain some of the important material, but the rest kind of floats away. Thank you for revisiting some of the more complicated concepts and rewording them for those of us with brain leekage

[LNN]

I read this stuff, retain some of the important material, but the rest kind of floats away.

Me too!

 

I browsed thru some of Masterjohn's blogs and contacted him to see if he knows anyone at UConn who shares his approach to health but looks at neurotransmitters instead of cholesterol. I need a Masterjohn for the brain

[trggirl]

We had some success with giving DMAE which is thought to possibly be an acetylcholine precursor. It noticeably helped her focus, but it seemed to stop working after awhile. I have always wondered if Choline would be a better option.

 

On a different note, SFMom, what is MSM for oxidative stress? I don't think I have heard of that.

[Johnsmom]

DS11 had phosphatidylcholine added to IV chelation therapy. We did a total of 14 infusions in all but it wasn't added until the last few. I can't say I saw any improvements but will check my notes. LLM where we're you years ago when the doctors were making my head spin with all of this?

 

 

 

Ok, you will all think I've gone overboard on supplements. I promise I'm not scouring the internet looking for yet more pills to give my kids. Someone mentioned using phosphatidylcholine and seeing improved executive function. So I got curious and found this:

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/choline/

 

excerpts (bolding mine):

Choline is a precursor for acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter involved in muscle control, memory, and many other functions.

 

Without adequate phosphatidylcholine, fat and cholesterol accumulate in the liver

 

Choline may be oxidized in the body to form a metabolite called betaine. Betaine is a source of methyl (CH3) groups required for methylation reactions.

 

Choline is required to form the phosphatidylcholine portion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles. VLDL particles transport fat from the liver to the tissues (see Function). When the supply of choline is inadequate, VLDL particles cannot be synthesized and fat accumulates in the liver, ultimately resulting in liver damage. Because low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles are formed from VLDL particles, choline-deficient individuals also have reduced blood levels of LDL cholesterol (6). Healthy male volunteers with adequate folate and vitamin B12 nutrition developed elevated blood levels of a liver enzyme called alanine aminotransferase (ALT) when fed a choline-deficient diet. Elevated ALT activity is a sign of liver damage. ..These signs of organ dysfunction resolved when choline was replaced in the diet.

 

Choline, when oxidized in the body to form betaine, provides a methyl group for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine by the enzyme, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT). See diagram. Despite its relevance, the relationship of betaine and choline to homocysteine metabolism has been only lightly investigated in humans. (my note - this seems to be important to those with MTHFR A1298 mutations but not sure exactly how)

 

It's worth reading the whole article, which does say most people get adequate intakes. But past discussions of kids with elevated ALT and cholesterol made this article catch my attention.(that plus it talks about methylation, so you know I had to read it).

 

Does anyone have experiences with choline or phosphatidylcholine or lecithin (which Yasko believes plays a role in a healthy BBB)?

Edited August 23, 2012 by Johnsmom