Research: Products containing choline, improve memory
Last reviewed: 23.11.2021
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People who eat foods that contain large amounts of choline are less prone to brain changes associated with dementia, and have better memory, compared to those who have a normal diet, say scientists from the University of Boston (USA).
This study shows the relationship between the state of memory and the use of choline, a substance found in foods such as sea fish, eggs, liver, chicken, milk, some legumes, including soy and beans.
The results of the study do not mean that choline can prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease, but despite this, scientists have shown that choline can significantly improve memory.
In the course of the study, 1,400 adults aged 36 to 83 years answered questions about their diet between 1991 and 1995. Then, between 1998 and 2001, participants in the study passed memory tests and other cognitive abilities, as well as brain MRI.
The results of the study showed that men and women who eat high choline foods showed better results in memory tests than those who usually ate.
In addition, people who eat products with choline, when carrying out an MRI of the brain, found less hyperintensive white matter. These sites are a sign of diseases of the blood vessels in the brain, which may indicate an increased risk of stroke and dementia.
Choline is a precursor of acetylcholine, which plays a key role in memory and other cognitive functions; a low level of acetylcholine is associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Recommended doses of choline: for men - 550 mg per day, for women 425 mg per day.
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