HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Olthof, M. R Articles by Verhoef, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Olthof, M. R Articles by Verhoef, P. Agricola Articles by Olthof, M. R Articles by Verhoef, P.

Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcholine decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men^1,2,3

¹ From the Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences and the Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands (MRO, MBK, and PV), and the Department of Physiological Sciences, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) Quality of Life, Zeist, Netherlands (EJB)

Background: A high homocysteine concentration is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease that can be reduced through betaine supplementation. Choline is the precursor for betaine, but the effects of choline supplementation on plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in healthy humans are unknown.

Objective: The objective was to investigate whether supplementation with phosphatidylcholine, the form in which choline occurs in foods, reduces fasting and postmethionine-loading concentrations of plasma tHcy in healthy men with mildly elevated plasma tHcy concentrations.

Design: In a crossover study, 26 men ingested 2.6 g choline/d (as phosphatidylcholine) or a placebo oil mixture for 2 wk in random order. Fatty acid composition and fat content were similar for both treatments. A methionine-loading test was performed on the first and last days of each supplementation period.

Results: Phosphatidylcholine supplementation for 2 wk decreased mean fasting plasma tHcy by 18% (–3.0 µmol/L; 95% CI: –3.9, –2.1 µmol/L). On the first day of supplementation, a single dose of phosphatidylcholine containing 1.5 g choline reduced the postmethionine-loading increase in tHcy by 15% (–4.8 µmol/L; 95% CI: –6.8, –2.8 µmol/L). Phosphatidylcholine supplementation for 2 wk reduced the postmethionine-loading increase in tHcy by 29% (–9.2 µmol/L; 95% CI: –11.3, –7.2 µmol/L). All changes were relative to placebo.

Conclusions: A high daily dose of choline, supplemented as phosphatidylcholine, lowers fasting as well as postmethionine-loading plasma tHcy concentrations in healthy men with mildly elevated tHcy concentrations. If high homocysteine concentrations indeed cause cardiovascular disease, choline intake may reduce cardiovascular disease risk in humans.

Key Words: Choline • phosphatidylcholine • methionine loading • homocysteine • humans

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. V Konstantinova, G. S Tell, S. E Vollset, A. Ulvik, C. A Drevon, and P. M Ueland Dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients as predictors of plasma choline and betaine in middle-aged and elderly men and women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2008; 88(6): 1663 - 1669. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Atkinson, J. Elmslie, M. Lever, S. T Chambers, and P. M George Dietary and supplementary betaine: acute effects on plasma betaine and homocysteine concentrations under standard and postmethionine load conditions in healthy male subjects Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2008; 87(3): 577 - 585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. H Zeisel Is there a new component of the Mediterranean diet that reduces inflammation? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2008; 87(2): 277 - 278. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Wallace, M. P Bonham, J. Strain, E. M Duffy, P. J Robson, M. Ward, H. McNulty, P. W Davidson, G. J Myers, C. F Shamlaye, et al. Homocysteine concentration, related B vitamins, and betaine in pregnant women recruited to the Seychelles Child Development Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2008; 87(2): 391 - 397. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Detopoulou, D. B Panagiotakos, S. Antonopoulou, C. Pitsavos, and C. Stefanadis Dietary choline and betaine intakes in relation to concentrations of inflammatory markers in healthy adults: the ATTICA study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2008; 87(2): 424 - 430. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Solis, K. Veenema, A. A. Ivanov, S. Tran, R. Li, W. Wang, D. J. Moriarty, C. V. Maletz, and M. A. Caudill Folate Intake at RDA Levels Is Inadequate for Mexican American Men with the Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase 677TT Genotype J. Nutr., January 1, 2008; 138(1): 67 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E Chiuve, E. L Giovannucci, S. E Hankinson, S. H Zeisel, L. W Dougherty, W. C Willett, and E. B Rimm The association between betaine and choline intakes and the plasma concentrations of homocysteine in women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2007; 86(4): 1073 - 1081. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Cho, W. C. Willett, G. A. Colditz, C. S. Fuchs, K. Wu, A. T. Chan, S. H. Zeisel, and E. L. Giovannucci Dietary Choline and Betaine and the Risk of Distal Colorectal Adenoma in Women J Natl Cancer Inst, August 15, 2007; 99(16): 1224 - 1231. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Berstad, S. V Konstantinova, H. Refsum, E. Nurk, S. E. Vollset, G. S Tell, P. M Ueland, C. A Drevon, and G. Ursin Dietary fat and plasma total homocysteine concentrations in 2 adult age groups: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2007; 85(6): 1598 - 1605. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. M Fischer, K. A. daCosta, L. Kwock, P. W Stewart, T.-S. Lu, S. P Stabler, R. H Allen, and S. H Zeisel Sex and menopausal status influence human dietary requirements for the nutrient choline Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2007; 85(5): 1275 - 1285. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Buchman, M. E. Ament, D. J. Jenden, and C. Ahn Choline Deficiency Is Associated With Increased Risk for Venous Catheter Thrombosis JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, July 1, 2006; 30(4): 317 - 320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Collinsova, J. Strakova, J. Jiracek, and T. A. Garrow Inhibition of Betaine-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase Causes Hyperhomocysteinemia in Mice J. Nutr., June 1, 2006; 136(6): 1493 - 1497. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. K. Fukagawa Sparing of Methionine Requirements: Evaluation of Human Data Takes Sulfur Amino Acids Beyond Protein J. Nutr., June 1, 2006; 136(6): 1676S - 1681S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Cho, S. H Zeisel, P. Jacques, J. Selhub, L. Dougherty, G. A Colditz, and W. C Willett Dietary choline and betaine assessed by food-frequency questionnaire in relation to plasma total homocysteine concentration in the Framingham Offspring Study. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2006; 83(4): 905 - 911. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]