“Strikingly, obese participants also showed changes in a blood marker called neurofilament light (NfL) chain, a marker of neuronal damage,” Judd said. “Where we found higher levels of this marker, we also found lower levels of choline, which appeared many years before disorders such as Alzheimer\u2019s are typically diagnosed.”\n<\/p>\n
Together, these findings suggest that improving low choline levels<\/a> may help address an early, changeable risk factor for metabolic and brain-related disease<\/a>, Judd said.\n<\/p>\n What the Study Can\u2014and Can\u2019t\u2014Tell Us <\/p>\n The study focused on relatively young adults with obesity, yet their combination of low choline and high NfL resembled patterns seen in older adults with cognitive impairment, said\u00a0Dara Ford, PhD, RD<\/a>, program director of the Master of Science in Nutrition Education at American University.\n<\/p>\n This suggests that “metabolic stress earlier in life could affect the brain later in life,” Ford added.\n<\/p>\n Still, Ford cautioned that many details remain unclear. The study was small, cross-sectional, and not demographically representative, meaning it could not establish cause and effect. It also did not account for participants\u2019 diet or other lifestyle factors that may have influenced the results.\n<\/p>\n “It is too early to make any definitive statements about the role of choline in the development of Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a>,” Ford said. “There is much for us to learn.”<\/p>\n Why It’s Important to Get Enough Choline <\/p>\n While more evidence is needed to identify a definitive link between choline and Alzheimer\u2019s, approximately 90% of Americans fail to meet the recommended daily amount of choline.\n<\/p>\n Choline deficiency is particularly pronounced in women, Judd said, and similar trends are seen worldwide. Therefore, Judd and Ford both emphasized that ensuring you get enough choline in your diet remains essential.\n<\/p>\n “Choline is involved in the metabolism and transport of lipids and neurotransmitter synthesis<\/a>, and plays a role in brain function, heart health, and liver health,” Ford said. “It may be beneficial to aim to increase choline consumption through a balanced and varied diet<\/a> of whole foods.”\n<\/p>\n How Much Choline Do You Need? <\/p>\n The adequate intake for choline for U.S. adults is 425 mg per day for women and 550 mg per day for men. The recommended intake increases to 450 mg per day during pregnancy and to 550 mg per day during lactation.\n<\/p>\n While egg yolks are the richest source of choline, Ford said other dietary sources also contain this nutrient, including:\n<\/p>\n LiverCruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and Brussels sproutsBeansPeanutsMeatPoultryFishDairyPasta<\/p>\n “We also do make some choline in the body, though not enough to meet needs,” said Ford. “Choline is not a magical cure-all, but ensuring a balanced and varied diet rich in whole foods may increase intake and certainly improve health outcomes.”<\/p>\n![\"Mira](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/FE3F9AD2-9085-40B8-8E8E-AF95656B0B37-048bcc651b0f4063b40038d3df45e712.jpeg\")
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