The Benefits of Choline for Children

Many parents are aware of such vitamins as C, D, calcium and iron on children's health. However, not many have heard about the essential nutrient choline and what it's about. 

It's not surprising, though, as it was only acknowledged as a required nutrient recently - since 1998. Generally grouped with the B vitamins, choline is essential for brain development early in life (specifically in memory and learning functions) and impacts the healthy function of the liver, nervous system, and metabolism.

The biggest benefit for children is their brain development. Choline is so good for the brain that evidence suggests that children with ADHD and learning disabilities will greatly benefit from additional choline, and preclinical studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have demonstrated that supplementation can lessen the severity of alcohol-related cognitive impairments.  

Although the body can make small amounts via the liver, it doesn't meet our daily requirements, and most of us are not getting enough.  

Research around Adequate Intake (AI) for choline is relatively light compared to other essential nutrients. Still, the latest research suggests that over 70% of one-year-olds and over 50% of two-year-olds are currently not meeting the recommended AI for choline. It's also been found that vegetarians and vegans are particularly at risk as most good sources are generally from animal-derived foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs. 

As research around this essential nutrient is still in the early stages, there's no definitive guide on how much your children should be getting. The general guideline is to encourage choline-rich foods like eggs, dairy products, nuts, cauliflower and broccoli and try to ensure that your children are exposed to as wide a variety of foods as possible. You can supplement your kids' diet with Childlife Essentials Omega-3 DHA + Choline Softmelts.