BS: choline - how essential is it?

Subject: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 04:53 AM

Just read a recent article in the New Scientist about choline. (Choline is a necessary nutrient for humans and many other animals)

Basically the message is without it in your diet it can coat you liver in a fatty layer which, depending on your genetics/lifestyle, can be a long term life risk.

Easily consumed from meat, rarely and poorly found in vegetable fodder. The human body can make some, but not sufficiently, again down to variations in genetics.

Like vitamin B₁₂ - vegans should be aware of the gamble. "Not many people will succumb" is small comfort for the few who have wrong genes that science haven't identified yet.

Happy Holiday everyone!

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 06:48 AM

It's been widely used in the animal feed business for decades. I was throwing sacks of it into a mixer in a New Zealand chickenfeed factory in the early 1970s.

Nutritional medicine is often more advanced for animals than it is for people. Battery farming makes it more obvious what the implications are. If it catches on for humans, Amazon workers will probably be the first to have it added to their lunches to improve their performance in parcel handling.

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Iains
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 07:13 AM

Amazon workers will probably be the first to have it added to their lunches to improve their performance in parcel handling.
Probably cheaper to robotize the entire operation. However looking at the way it cam impact behaviour, perhaps remainiacs could use it as a food additive.

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 08:22 AM

That's most interesting Mr Red. My niece is a strict Vegan and has recently had problems with her stomach and liver. I wonder if choline deficiency could be one of the causes.
I see from your article that hen's eggs are a rich source of choline, which is good news as I like eggs and eat two or three a week.
I do feel we were meant to be ominivores (our dentition and digestive enzymes would indicate this)

I now have that Dolly Parton song playing in my head: "Choline! Choline! Choline! Choliiiiine!"

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 09:00 AM

Vegan sources are okay for a sanely planned vegan diet. Look at the figures here.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 09:44 AM

We *are* omnivores.

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 09:56 AM

For this nutrient that's irrelevant. You're only likely to be deficient if you have both a grimly restricted diet and idiosyncratic metabolism. Moderate supplementation won't hurt though.

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Dec 19 - 04:55 AM

The New Scientist article lists Almonds, Broccili, and Baked Beans as significant non-meat/dairy foods. Wiki on Broccoli lists %DV (Daily Value) as 4% per 100gms, Baked Beans are not that much less - but eating 3Kg of the stuff a day?
Sen tell your niece to concentrate on some of those products, not sure about Brussel Sprouts or Cauli, but being related might be almost as good alternatives.

I posed this question to a vegetarian, who said she took Vitamin B₁₂ supplements. I left her with the task of doing her own research, maybe she will. We all choose our own route to purgatory.

This is about knowledge not statistics of the likelihood of problems. If you are the one in 10,000 it is not irrelevant, though it may be ignored until.................

I well remember my dear ex-GF, vegetarian for 20 years. Until she was diagnosed with cancer (& secondaries), then the smell of bacon could no longer be resisted. She asked me to be with her when visiting the oncologist. Geeeeze if I can help just one someone it might ease that memory.

Subject: RE: BS: choline - how essential is it?
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Dec 19 - 09:33 AM

Our family (the Irish side) has a bit of a history of pernicious anaemia, which I understand as being connected to inability to absorb Vitamin B12. My grandmother was made to eat raw liver (which actually I adore, being a bit weird!) but it did no good.
I do think that vegetarians/vegans ought to be aware of the problems caused by deficiencies of essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients.
My niece won't take any supplements derived from animal products though, which I respect.