Data published in Nutrients indicated that choline increased functional connectivity within the working memory network to help optimize brain efficiency just three hours after consumption of a 1,650 mg dose.
“Changes in gonadal steroid availability after menopause are associated with physiologic changes that can have profound clinical implications,” wrote scientists from the University of Vermont. “It has been hypothesized that menopause has detrimental effects on cognition greater than that expected to be seen with normal aging, though evidence for this has been equivocal.”
They noted that neurobiological processes underlying individual differences in cognition after menopause remain unclear and that their study is the first to show that choline, a nutrient found in food and available as supplement, show can modulate brain function in women in a low-estrogen state.
Choline
Interest in choline and its cognitive health benefits has increased over the past several years, particularly around maternal and infant health: In mid-2017, the American Medical Association called for higher choline levels in prenatal vitamins.
Such calls are particularly important in the context of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that shows that 90% of children, adults and pregnant women are not getting enough choline. The Adequate Intake (AI) for adults is 425 mg/day for women and 550 mg/day of choline for men.
The new study supports the lifelong importance of the nutrient by exploring the link between estrogen and choline in post-menopausal women and their impact on cognitive function.
“Estrogen is a key driver of choline production in the body, so when levels of the hormone drop during menopause, women are at increased risk of choline deficiency,” said Professor Julie Dumas, lead author of the study. “This is important because choline is needed to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in cognitive functions such as mood, memory and attention.
“Previous choline research has commonly relied on self-reported scores or assessments from participants, but what makes this study unique is that it utilized functional MRI scans and working memory exercises to capture an objective view of how brain networks respond to choline intake after menopause, gaining valuable insights into how targeted supplementation may support a pivotal moment of women’s life.”
Study details
The Vermont-based scientists recruited 20 post-menopausal women between the ages of 50 and 65 to participate in two separate study days. The women were randomly assigned to receive either 1,650 grams of oral choline bitartrate (VitaCholine) or placebo. Three hours later they underwent a functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan while performing a working memory task.
The data showed that, compared to placebo, choline intake had a rapid effect on the brain, significantly increasing functional connectivity within the working memory network. However, no differences between the groups were found for working memory performance.
“We propose that choline may increase brain functional efficiency in low estrogenic conditions like menopause, but further studies are needed,” the researchers wrote.
Those additional studies are already underway, said Eric Ciappio, PhD, RD, senior manager of nutrition science at Balchem HNH.
“Investing in women’s health research is something we feel very strongly about at Balchem,” he said. “In the past, so much of nutrition science was largely shaped by male-centric studies and the assumption that these findings were also applicable to women’s health.
“This study is part of an essential shift towards a greater understanding of women’s specific nutritional needs and how we as an industry can better support them at every stage of life. VitaCholine is our premium, high-quality choline ingredient with a robust clinical track record, and it continues to be at the heart of pioneering research. We’re excited about these preliminary results and are already building on them with further research underway.”
Source: Nutrients, 2026, 18(3), 459; doi: 10.3390/nu18030459. “Oral Choline Reduced Working Memory-Related Brain Activation in Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Study”. Authors: J.A. Dumas, et al.
