- *MSRP:
$15.99- Our Price:
- $9.60
- Buy: at $9.60
- UPC: 733739005069
- # N0506
NOW Foods Choline 300 mg (100 Veg Capsules) – Item # N0506
NOW Foods Choline 300 mg provides a clean, bioavailable daily dose of an essential micronutrient your body needs for liver fat clearance, memory recall, and cellular protection. Although often grouped with the B-complex family, choline is an essential quaternary amine that your liver cannot make in high enough amounts to sustain long-term wellness. Each single vegetarian capsule delivers 300 mg of pure elemental choline derived from 730 mg of pharmaceutical-grade choline bitartrate.
Large-scale health data published by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) revealed that over 90% of American adults fail to consume the recommended Adequate Intake (AI) of choline from dietary sources alone (Wallace & Fulgoni, 2016). Strict vegetarians, vegans, endurance athletes, and postmenopausal women face an even greater risk of inadequate intake due to lower dietary consumption and reduced estrogen-driven endogenous synthesis. NOW Choline 300 mg fills this nutritional gap in a convenient, non-GMO, vegan-friendly capsule.
- ✓ Assists in Fatty Acid Metabolism: Enables your liver to transport triglycerides out into circulation rather than accumulating as organ fat.
- ✓ Precursor to Acetylcholine: Supplies the direct building block for acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for focus, memory formation, and muscular contraction.
- ✓ Homocysteine & Methylation Support: Converts into betaine to donate methyl groups, helping maintain balanced blood homocysteine levels for cardiovascular health.
- ✓ Clean Vegetarian Capsule: 100% free of artificial preservatives, hydrogenated oils, yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, and shellfish.
How Choline Works: Mechanism of Action Explained in Plain English
To understand why choline is vital for longevity and daily energy, it helps to look at the three major biochemical pathways it controls inside the human body:
1. The Liver Export System: Preventing Hepatic Fat Accumulation
Your liver continuously processes dietary fats and packages them into very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) so they can travel through the bloodstream and provide fuel to your muscles and heart. To create the protective shell of VLDL particles, your liver requires a specialized phospholipid called phosphatidylcholine, produced through the cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) pathway. When dietary choline is scarce, the liver cannot assemble VLDL shells. As a result, triglycerides become trapped inside liver cells (hepatocytes), triggering hepatic steatosis and inflammatory stress (Zeisel & da Costa, 2009; Corbin & Zeisel, 2012). Supplementing with bioavailable choline bitartrate provides the raw ingredients necessary to maintain smooth fat export and preserve healthy liver tissue.
2. Brain Chemistry & Memory Formation: Acetylcholine Synthesis
Choline is transported across the blood-brain barrier via specialized carrier-mediated transporters. Once inside neurons, the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) combines choline with acetyl-CoA to manufacture acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is your central nervous system’s master chemical messenger for neuroplasticity, memory retention, focus, and rapid signal transmission at neuromuscular junctions. Clinical data from the Framingham Offspring Cohort demonstrated that individuals with higher dietary choline intake performed significantly better on verbal and visual memory tests while maintaining healthier brain structure as they aged (Poly et al., 2011; Blusztajn et al., 2017).
3. Homocysteine Clearance: The Betaine Remethylation Bypass
Elevated blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine can irritate the delicate lining of arteries and compromise cardiovascular integrity. In liver and kidney mitochondria, choline is oxidized into betaine (trimethylglycine). Betaine acts as an essential methyl donor: the enzyme betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT) transfers a methyl group directly onto homocysteine, converting it safely back into methionine (Ueland, 2011). This alternative pathway supports methylation even when folate or vitamin B12 availability is compromised.
Authoritative Medical & Biochemical References:
• Zeisel SH, da Costa KA. "Choline: an essential nutrient for public health." Nutr Rev. 2009;67(11):615-623. PMID: 19906248.
• Corbin KD, Zeisel SH. "Choline metabolism provides novel insights into nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its progression." Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2012;28(2):159-165. PMID: 22134222.
• Poly C, et al. "The relation of dietary choline to cognitive performance and white-matter hyperintensity in the Framingham Offspring Cohort." Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(6):1584-1591. PMID: 22071706.
• Blusztajn JK, Slack BE, Mellott TJ. "Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline." Nutrients. 2017;9(8):815. PMID: 28788094.
• Ueland PM. "Choline and betaine in health and disease." J Inherit Metab Dis. 2011;34(1):3-15. PMID: 20499187.
• Wallace TC, Fulgoni VL 3rd. "Assessment of Total Choline Intakes in the United States." J Am Coll Nutr. 2016;35(2):108-112. PMID: 26886842.
Supplement Facts & Complete Ingredient Verification
Each batch of NOW Foods Choline 300 mg is verified for exact potency and elemental yield. Pure choline bitartrate contains roughly 41% elemental choline by weight bound to natural tartaric acid. Tartaric acid stabilizes the choline salt, preventing it from absorbing atmospheric moisture and degrading inside the capsule. This guarantees you receive a full 300 mg of active elemental choline in every serving.
| Supplement Facts: Serving Size 1 Veg Capsule | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Choline (from 730 mg Choline Bitartrate) | 300 mg | 55% |
| * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Servings Per Container: 100. | ||
Other Ingredients:
Hypromellose (plant-derived cellulose capsule), Ascorbyl Palmitate (fat-soluble antioxidant to preserve freshness), and Silicon Dioxide (natural mineral anti-caking agent).
Manufacturing & Allergen Statement:
Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut, or sesame ingredients. Produced in a certified GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens. Vegetarian/Vegan, Non-GMO, and Kosher certified.
NOW Foods Lab Purity: Comprehensive Analytical Testing & Contaminant Screening
Unlike generic marketplace brands that rely on unverified third-party certificates of analysis (CoAs), NOW Foods operates one of the most advanced private analytical laboratories in the nutritional supplement industry. Their facilities hold ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and undergo continuous independent audits under the Natural Products Association (NPA) A-rated Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) program.
Every single production lot of Choline 300 mg must pass an intensive series of diagnostic screenings before release:
- ✓ Ultra-Trace Heavy Metal Detection via ICP-MS: Raw materials and finished capsules are tested using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). This instrument detects heavy metals down to parts per billion (ppb) levels, enforcing rigorous limits on Lead (< 0.5 ppm), Arsenic (< 1.5 ppm), Cadmium (< 0.5 ppm), and Mercury (< 0.2 ppm) that easily exceed federal standards.
- ✓ Identity & Raw Material Purity (FTIR & Chromatography): Utilizing Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Ion Chromatography (IC), chemists run molecular fingerprinting to verify that the raw choline bitartrate powder contains zero adulterants and precisely matches reference specifications.
- ✓ Finished Potency Verification (HPLC): High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) ensures that every capsule contains the full 300 mg of elemental choline listed on the label through its entire shelf life.
- ✓ Microbiological Pathogen Screening: Automated molecular testing screens each batch for microbial contaminants, guaranteeing total absence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, alongside strict thresholds for total aerobic plate count, yeast, and mold.
Usage Guidelines, Daily Intake Targets, & Precautions
Suggested Use: Adults take 1 vegetarian capsule daily, preferably with a meal. Taking choline with food improves gastric tolerance and supports the natural lipid digestion cascade.
Understanding Dietary Intake Targets:
The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) established the Adequate Intake (AI) for choline at 550 mg per day for adult men and 425 mg per day for adult women (increasing to 450 mg during pregnancy and 550 mg during lactation). The established Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is 3,500 mg per day for adults. Providing 300 mg of elemental choline per capsule (55% DV), this supplement supplies an ideal foundational baseline that works alongside dietary sources such as eggs, fish, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, and legumes without approaching the upper limit.
Tolerance & Safety Considerations:
Choline bitartrate is water-soluble and highly tolerated. Doses substantially exceeding the 3,500 mg upper threshold can lead to excessive bacterial production of trimethylamine (TMA) in the gut, which may cause a temporary fishy body odor, mild gastrointestinal distress, or sweating. Sticking to the suggested serving of 1 capsule daily delivers full physiological support well below the threshold of unwanted digestive side effects.
Precautions & Interactions:
For adult use only. Consult your physician prior to using this product if you are pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medications (especially anticholinergic drugs, cholinergic agonists, or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors), or have an existing medical condition. Store tightly closed in a cool, dry place after opening. Keep out of reach of children.
Why Buy NOW Choline From VitaNet Health Solutions?
When you purchase dietary supplements for vital health needs like liver function and neurological health, product authenticity, storage conditions, and retailer reliability are paramount:
- ✓ Over 31 Years of Industry Experience: VitaNet is an independent, family-owned business operating online since 1995 with deep roots in natural health retail.
- ✓ 100% Direct Factory Sourcing: We source all NOW Foods inventory directly through authorized brand channels. You will never receive expired inventory, gray-market overstock, or counterfeit third-party marketplace lots.
- ✓ Strict Climate-Controlled Warehousing: Choline salts and vegetarian hypromellose capsules are sensitive to environmental heat and humidity. Our inventory is stored in strictly regulated, temperature-controlled facilities to preserve full active potency.
- ✓ Risk-Free 100% Money-Back Guarantee: We stand fully behind our catalog. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, return the bottle within 30 days. We even pay the return shipping costs.
- ✓ BBB A+ Accredited Customer Care: Get direct, responsive phone and email support from real product specialists based right here in Hartville, Ohio.
Frequently Asked Questions About NOW Choline 300 mg
What is the difference between choline bitartrate and other choline forms like Alpha-GPC or CDP-choline?
Choline bitartrate is choline bound to tartaric acid. It is the most economical, bioavailable form for broad systemic support, particularly for supporting liver lipid export, homocysteine remethylation, and general cellular membrane synthesis. In contrast, specialized nootropics like Alpha-GPC or CDP-choline (Citicoline) cross the blood-brain barrier with higher affinity specifically for cognitive tasks, but at a significantly higher cost per gram. For daily foundational liver health and everyday neurological support, choline bitartrate is the gold-standard, cost-effective choice.
How does choline support liver health and prevent fatty liver?
Your liver relies on choline to build phosphatidylcholine, which forms the outer transport capsule of very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). VLDLs transport fats and triglycerides out of the liver to tissues throughout the body. When choline intake is inadequate, the liver cannot secrete VLDL, leading to cellular fat accumulation within hepatocytes (hepatic steatosis). Supplementing with 300 mg of choline daily ensures your liver has the necessary compounds to export stored fat safely.
Can I get enough choline from food alone?
While whole eggs, beef liver, and fish are rich in choline, dietary intake studies show that more than 90% of American adults fail to meet the Adequate Intake (550 mg/day for men and 425 mg/day for women). Individuals on plant-based or vegetarian diets find it especially challenging to reach these levels because plant foods like broccoli, beans, and nuts contain much smaller concentrations. Taking NOW Choline 300 mg supplies 55% of the Daily Value in one convenient capsule to close this nutritional deficit.
When is the best time of day to take NOW Choline 300 mg?
The best time to take your capsule is in the morning or early afternoon with a meal. Because choline is involved in acetylcholine synthesis—a neurotransmitter associated with mental alertness and neuromuscular signaling—taking it earlier in the day supports daytime cognitive performance without interfering with nighttime sleep routines.
Will taking this choline supplement cause a fishy body odor?
No. A fishy body odor only occurs when very large doses of choline (typically exceeding 3,500 mg to 5,000 mg per day) flood the intestines, causing intestinal bacteria to convert excess choline into trimethylamine (TMA). At the balanced daily serving of 300 mg, NOW Choline is completely absorbed in the upper digestive tract without triggering TMA accumulation.
Is NOW Foods Choline 300 mg suitable for vegans and vegetarians?
Yes. The active choline bitartrate is housed in a 100% plant-derived hypromellose (cellulose) capsule, completely free of bovine or porcine gelatin, animal products, wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, egg, and shellfish.
How does NOW Foods guarantee the purity of their choline bitartrate?
NOW Foods tests every batch in their in-house, ISO/IEC 17025 accredited analytical laboratories. Raw ingredients are screened for identity and adulterants using FTIR spectrometry, assayed for accurate potency using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and screened for trace heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) down to parts per billion using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Helpful Customer Reviews