Choline is an essential water-soluble nutrient that is often grouped in with the B vitamins for its similar qualities. It is found in foods such as liver, muscle meats, fish, nuts and eggs and it is one of the most underrated nutrients. And the fact that it is underrated has only been highlighted by a recent study, which has revealed that when choline is taken as a dietary supplement in the last two trimesters of pregnancy and in early infancy, it can produce a lower rate of physiological schizophrenic risk factors in infants.
The study has broken new ground on these potentially therapeutic findings and in its strategy to target markers of schizophrenia with plenty of time before the illness itself appears. Choline is also being studied for its potential benefits in treating liver disease, including chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, depression and forms of memory loss such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
It is well know that there are lots of genes associated with schizophrenia and that means that prevention has to be applied to the entire population, and it has to be safe. Basic research indicates that taking choline supplements during pregnancy can facilitate cognitive development in infants
Half of the pregnant women in this study took 3,600 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine each morning and 2,700 milligrams each evening, while the other half were the control group and were given a placebo. After delivery, the infants of these women received 100 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine per day or placebo. 86 percent of infants exposed to pre- and postnatal choline supplementation, compared to 43 percent of unexposed infants showed a lower risk factor of developing schizophrenia.
These are very encouraging results as it shows that there could be a method of preventing schizophrenia very early on in people’s lives. The authors of the study said they were very pleased with the results and that the next stage of the research could prove crucial.
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