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General description	Essential quaternary ammonium salt important in cholesterol metabolism.
Found	- green leafy vegetables - fish - peanuts, soybeans - organ meat - yeast - wheat germ - lecithin - eggs, milk
Anti-aging role	- manufacture of acetiylcholin - lower cholesterol levels - lower blood homocysteine level - sintethase VLDL and phospholipids that build cell membrane - anticancer properties - important for amino and fatty acids metabolism - prevent neural tube defects in fetus during pregnancy
Deficiency symptoms	- fatty liver and liver damage (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) - metabolic syndrome - long-term - cirrhosis of the liver - increased production of reactive oxygen species
Therapeutic doses	RDA for men: 550 mg RDA for women: 400 mg
Maximum safe level	3,5 g
Side effects	- excessive doses: abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea. - doses upward of 9 g / day - depression - 10 - 16 g/day - "fishy" smell of the body, increased sweating and salivation
High risk groups	- vegans - patients on parenteral diet
Composition formulas	- as citicholine (CPD-choline) or choline salts (chloride, bitartarate) - in combination with vitamin B complex
Other remarks	- small amount of choline is synthesized in organism

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