WHY WE LOVE CHOLINE

AND YOU SHOULD TOO!!

Co written by founders:

• Katina Thomas – Senior Cognitive behavioural psychotherapist /Psychologist – Purervita • Dr Karen Joash – Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, MSc BSc MBBS MRCOG • Dr Unice Nartey – Consultant Paediatrician BSc MBchB MRPCH

You’re probably thinking, what is Choline? You would be joining many others, as it’s a relatively new supplement but a crucial one.

Choline was discovered in 1862; it took another 136 years to understand its unique properties. It was recognised as an essential nutrient in 1998, meaning you have to take it in your diet as your body can’t make it. It is also known as a ‘brain building’ nutrient. Just as we eventually realised that many of us are deficient in vitamin D, science has shown the same for choline. In fact, between 50-75% of the population are deficient in this critical nutrient!!!

WHY IS CHOLINE DEFICIENCY SO BAD?

Choline has essential functions at different stages of life such as pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also important in the formation of a healthy placenta.

The placenta absorbs choline as a vital building block and transfers it to the rapidly growing baby. It is important during development in the womb as it is an essential part of the brain and spinal cord structure. It is associated with higher scores in memory function, brain processing speeds and lowers the risk of spinal cord defects. Several decades of research have shown that adding extra choline to the maternal diet produces long-term cognitive benefits for the baby. The American Medical Association published new advice to pregnant mothers to take extra choline supplementation and this was agreed by The European Food Safety Authority who established recommended values. They recognised more needs to be done to educate women and also health care processionals about the importance of a choline rich diet and supplementation.

In addition to improving your offspring's attention and memory throughout life, maternal choline supplementation has proven to be protect the brain of babies in the womb from prenatal stress, infections, prematurity and fetal alcohol exposure. It also improves brain processing speeds and function in conditions such as autism, epilepsy, Down’s syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease; The list goes on!!!

RESEARCH IS STILL SHOWING JUST HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS.

Choline is active in the kidneys, brain, placenta, breast tissues, and liver to keep us healthy.

Choline makes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which allows brain cells to develop normally, controls muscles, and protects us against age-related memory loss.

• Allows cells to send chemical messages to each other • It helps kidney cells remove waste products from our blood • Keeps cell membranes working efficiently • Vital in DNA repair and gene expression

We know it’s also effective for mum’s memory too. It is a fact that choline requirements increase in early life and it is secreted in breastmilk and passed to the baby. It is recommended to be taken whilst breastfeeding.

Sources of Dietary Choline - Could we be overlooking a potential choline crisis in the United Kingdom? Nutritional Insight 2019, Emma Derbyshire

The evidence speaks for itself. Choline is a vital supplement that can help optimise the health of the unborn child with proven effects throughout life. We shouldn’t be without it!!! That’s why we formulated a PurerMama pregnancy supplement - the only one on the UK market to contain the recommended amount of choline - the essence capsule! We also created the choline capsule to ensure all women have access to the right supplements for healthy brain formation for their baby.

It’s vital that women understand all supplements are not the same and they may be missing out on a critical nutrient needed by their baby. You can purchase these online at www.purermama.co.uk or via our Instagram store @purermama which has essential tips.

You can also join our free quarterly Purermama pregnancy nutrition class by registering on our website to understand about other vital nutrients in pregnancy, breastfeeding and stages of life.

A study in Canada showed only 10% of breastfeeding mothers and 23% of pregnant mothers met the recommended dietary intake of choline. This may be because choline is found in animal protein, eggs, whole milk all of which are consumed less as many people move towards plant based diets.

CHOLINE - SUMMARY TABLE

Produces long term cognitive benefits for the offspring.

Protect against chronic disease.

It helps your baby's brain and spinal cord develop properly and may protect your baby against neural tube defects.

Critical in fetal brain development.

Most people are deficient 55-75%

Choline is required to help the baby to respond to stress including infection.

It also enhances brain processing speed.

It is important in placental growth and function.

Recommended by the US Institute of medicine and European Food Safety Authority. Women should take 550mg per day for breastfeeding and pregnancy

CHOLINE IS A MUST IN PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING

Recommended AI values of Choline for different stages of life Breastfeeding women: 550 mg per day Pregnant women: 930 mg per day

mg per 100g weight

450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

431

Beef Liver, cooked

226

Egg, Hard boiled

130

Human milk

104 90.4 78.2 61.8 52.5

Beef steak, cooked Salmon, cooked Porked chops, cooked Chicken breast, cooked

Nuts, almonds

40.1 31.1 16.5

Broccoli, cooked Beans baked, canned Milk, 2% fat

2.1

Wite rice, cooked

*European Food Safety Authority. Dietary reference values for choline. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) EFSA Journal 2016;14.