Choline Bitartrate
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Choline Bitartrate (Choline hydrogen tartrate) is a dietary supplement with 8 published peer-reviewed studies involving 1,250 participants, researched for Cognitive Function, Liver Health, Muscle Function and 1 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Cognitive Function
StrongLiver Health
ModerateMuscle Function
ModeratePregnancy & Fetal Development
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Cognitive Function
To evaluate choline supplementation on cognitive performance and memory in older adults.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate choline supplementation on cognitive performance and memory in older adults.
Dose
1,000 mg/day choline bitartrate
Participants
235 healthy adults aged 50-70
Duration
6 months
Results
Choline supplementation significantly improved verbal memory and sustained attention compared to placebo. Improvements were most pronounced in adults with lower baseline choline intake.
How They Measured It
Cognitive battery (verbal memory, working memory, attention), reaction time
To examine dietary choline intake and cognitive decline in ageing populations.
Study Type
Prospective cohort
Purpose
To examine dietary choline intake and cognitive decline in ageing populations.
Dose
Dietary intake (high vs low tertile)
Participants
1,321 adults aged 36-83
Duration
7-year follow-up
Results
Higher dietary choline intake was associated with significantly better performance on cognitive tests, including verbal memory and visual memory. The protective effect persisted after adjusting for confounders.
How They Measured It
Cognitive assessments over time, dietary recall
Liver Health
To assess choline supplementation on liver fat content in patients with NAFLD.
Study Type
Randomised, controlled trial
Purpose
To assess choline supplementation on liver fat content in patients with NAFLD.
Dose
930 mg/day choline
Participants
60 adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Duration
16 weeks
Results
Choline supplementation significantly reduced liver fat content compared to control. Liver enzymes (ALT, AST) also improved, suggesting reduced hepatic inflammation.
How They Measured It
MRI liver fat quantification, liver enzyme panel, NASH activity score
To examine the association between dietary choline intake and liver fibrosis in NAFLD.
Study Type
Prospective cohort
Purpose
To examine the association between dietary choline intake and liver fibrosis in NAFLD.
Dose
Dietary choline intake
Participants
664 adults with NAFLD
Duration
Observational
Results
Higher choline intake was independently associated with lower odds of liver fibrosis and NASH. Choline's role in VLDL secretion and phosphatidylcholine synthesis is critical for hepatic fat export.
How They Measured It
FibroScan, liver biopsy, dietary choline assessment
Muscle Function
To determine whether choline supplementation reduces exercise-induced muscle damage and enhances recovery.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To determine whether choline supplementation reduces exercise-induced muscle damage and enhances recovery.
Dose
500 mg/day choline bitartrate
Participants
24 trained male cyclists
Duration
2 weeks (supplementation before exercise test)
Results
Choline supplementation attenuated exercise-induced reductions in plasma choline and was associated with slightly lower creatine kinase levels post-exercise, suggesting modest muscle-protective effects.
How They Measured It
Creatine kinase, DOMS scores, muscle function tests
Pregnancy & Fetal Development
To evaluate the effect of maternal choline supplementation on infant cognitive development.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate the effect of maternal choline supplementation on infant cognitive development.
Dose
930 mg/day choline during pregnancy
Participants
99 pregnant women in third trimester
Duration
Third trimester through 3 months postpartum; infant follow-up to 13 months
Results
Maternal choline supplementation was associated with significantly higher information processing speed in infants at 7 and 13 months. Choline supports fetal hippocampal development.
How They Measured It
Infant cognitive development scores at 7 and 13 months
To evaluate the evidence for choline in pregnancy outcomes and fetal brain development.
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To evaluate the evidence for choline in pregnancy outcomes and fetal brain development.
Dose
Various (450-930 mg/day)
Participants
Multiple study populations
Duration
Various
Results
Evidence consistently supports choline's role in neural tube development, fetal brain development, and infant cognitive outcomes. Most pregnant women do not meet the adequate intake (450 mg/day) for choline.
How They Measured It
Review of RCTs and observational studies on choline in pregnancy
To investigate prenatal choline availability on hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial memory in offspring.
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To investigate prenatal choline availability on hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial memory in offspring.
Dose
Choline-supplemented diet vs choline-deficient diet
Participants
Sprague-Dawley rats (mothers and offspring)
Duration
Gestational days 11-17
Results
Offspring of choline-supplemented mothers showed enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis and superior spatial memory performance. Prenatal choline deficiency had long-lasting negative effects on offspring cognitive function.
How They Measured It
Hippocampal cell proliferation markers, spatial memory tasks
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Choline Bitartrate research
There are currently 9 peer-reviewed studies on Choline Bitartrate (Choline hydrogen tartrate), involving 1,250 total participants. Research covers Cognitive function, Liver health, Muscle function and 1 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (7 human studies, 1 animal study), and reported outcomes.
Choline Bitartrate has been researched for: Cognitive function, Liver health, Muscle function, Pregnancy & fetal development. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 7 out of 9 studies are human trials. The remaining 1 is an animal study. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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