{
  "slug": "choline",
  "name": "Choline",
  "alternate_names": [
    "Choline",
    "Colina",
    "Choline bitartrate",
    "Choline chloride",
    "Vitamin B4 (former designation)"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Precursor for acetylcholine synthesis (cholinergic neurotransmission)",
    "Substrate for phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin synthesis — cell-membrane structural integrity (Kennedy pathway)",
    "Methyl-group donor via oxidation to betaine, feeding the methionine-homocysteine remethylation cycle (BHMT pathway, synergistic with folate/B12)",
    "Required for VLDL assembly and hepatic lipid export (deficiency drives hepatic steatosis)"
  ],
  "target": [
    "Acetylcholine / cholinergic system",
    "Phosphatidylcholine / membrane phospholipid pool",
    "Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) / one-carbon metabolism",
    "Hepatic VLDL / lipid transport"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "liver function / fatty-liver research-context (depletion-repletion human data)",
    "lipid metabolism support (research-context · EFSA-authorized direction)",
    "homocysteine metabolism (research-context · betaine pathway)",
    "maternal choline status and fetal neurodevelopment (research-context · pregnancy population)"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "BRAIN",
    "LIVER",
    "REPRO",
    "METABOLISM",
    "CELL"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "B",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 3,
  "dosage_range": "Educational reference, not a dosing recommendation. US Adequate Intake (AI): 550 mg/day men, 425 mg/day women; pregnancy 450 mg/day, lactation 550 mg/day; FDA Daily Value 550 mg. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) 3500 mg/day (adults). Research/supplement forms: choline bitartrate, choline chloride; CDP-choline 500-2000 mg/day and alpha-GPC 600-1200 mg/day are distinct delivery forms studied separately.",
  "safety_notes": "Generally well tolerated within the AI/UL range. High intake (>3500 mg/day) can cause fishy body odor (trimethylamine accumulation), sweating, hypersalivation and hypotension. Trimethylaminuria (TMAU / fish-odor syndrome) patients must restrict choline. Gut microbiota convert choline to TMA, hepatically oxidized to TMAO; high TMAO has been epidemiologically associated with cardiovascular risk (causality unestablished) — balance high-dose framing. A 2021 retrospective cohort suggested long-term alpha-GPC use mildly associated with stroke risk (form-specific signal, monitor). No adequate data beyond established nutrient-reference contexts; not medical advice.",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "Recognized essential nutrient (IOM 1998); FDA Daily Value 550 mg (2016). Multiple forms (choline bitartrate, choline chloride, alpha-GPC, CDP-choline) are lawful GRAS dietary-supplement / food ingredients; structure/function claims with mandatory DSHEA disclaimer; no FDA-authorized health claim.",
    "efsa": "Three authorized Reg 432/2012 Art.13.1 health claims: choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism, to maintenance of normal liver function, and to normal homocysteine metabolism (EFSA Journal 2011;9(9):2056). Cognitive/neurological claims were NOT authorized.",
    "anvisa": "ANVISA-recognized nutrient usable in food supplements (RDC 269/2005 referencing international references; IN 28/2018 supplement framework). Listed nutrient ingredient; no specific Anexo V functional claim distinct from nutrient declaration.",
    "cn": "Choline (bitartrate/chloride) is a lawful GB 14880 nutritional fortifier; mandatory in infant formula; usable in health foods."
  },
  "regulatory_markets": [
    {
      "market": "US",
      "status": "GRAS",
      "tier": "permitted"
    },
    {
      "market": "EU",
      "status": "EFSA",
      "tier": "authorized"
    },
    {
      "market": "CN",
      "status": "NMPA",
      "tier": "permitted"
    },
    {
      "market": "BR",
      "status": "ANVISA",
      "tier": "permitted"
    }
  ],
  "authorized_claims": [],
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/choline/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "cognitive-support",
    "heart-health"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "pregnancy",
    "senior-60-plus"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-22",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-22",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "proprietary_research_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition and clinical-protocol internals are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}