Choline is an important part of prenatal nutrition and a vital component of neurotransmitters and myelin in the developing brain. Currently, the Adequate Intake (AI) is 450 milligrams per day for pregnant women; however, the effects of higher dose supplementation on childhood outcomes is unknown. Authors of a new report present data supporting a relationship between greater choline supplementation during pregnancy and better sustained attention in children at seven years of age.

Choline is an essential nutrient found in foods such as egg yolks, dairy, peanuts, soy, and broccoli and in some vitamin supplements. Maternal choline supplementation is protective against a wide array neurological disorders including fetal alcohol exposure, autism, down syndrome, cognitive aging, and [Alzheimer’s disease)[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26391046/]. Unfortunately, at the time the current AI was calculated, the necessary research regarding long-term outcomes of choline supplementation had not been conducted.

The authors of the current study collected long-term follow-up data from families who participated in an earlier trial, during which the researchers gave women either 480 or 950 milligrams of choline per day during the third trimester of pregnancy. The participants consumed only meals prepared by the research staff during the study so the investigators could very accurately measure the total amount of choline consumed. Children born to these participants completed cognitive and behavioral testing at seven years of age.

Children born to mothers in the higher dose group performed significantly better on a challenging sustained attention task than children born to mothers in the lower dose group. Specifically, higher dose choline supplementation seemed to improve childrens' ability to sustain attention mechanisms that amplify visual signals, even from low-quality images. These children were also less likely to make mistakes during the behavioral test as the session went on, another marker of better attention.

These results demonstrate that greater choline supplementation (930 milligrams per day) during the third trimester of pregnancy produces better sustained attention in children seven years into childhood. Although further testing is needed to support a change in the AI for choline, this research provides important insight on the need to reevaluate recommendations. For a tasty choline-rich dessert, check out this recipe video featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick

• Link to full publication.