A recent BMC Public Health study examines data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database to elucidate the association between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and dietary choline. Study: An inverse association of dietary choline with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among US adults: a cross-sectional NHANES analysis . Image Credit: Danijela Maksimovic / Shutterstock.
com Choline is an essential nutrient that is a precursor for several important biological molecules, including acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter involved in memory, mood, and muscle control. Choline is also a precursor for phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, both of which are major phospholipids present within cell membranes. Choline has limited endogenous synthesis; therefore, it is crucial to consume dietary sources of choline to meet all physiological needs.
Choline is concentrated in high-protein foods, including beef, fish, milk, eggs, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Existing evidence on the relationship between choline and ASCVD is unclear. For example, some studies have shown that choline influences the trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) pathway, thereby increasing the risk of cardiac dysfunction, stroke, and heart failure.
Comparatively, other studies have reported the beneficial role of choline in mitigating cardiac hypertrophy by regulating of metabolic remodeling. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), which describes a cluster of conditions in.
