Choline is similar to other vitamins and belongs to the B group, being called Vitamin B4. It is among the water soluble vitamins. It has a broad role in the body, but as an emulsifier of fat, choline promotes the utilization of fat regulating accumulation in the liver. During the 24-hour diet, it has an auxiliary function and protects the brain and improves memory. Affects the metabolism of fats and proteins in the body. If the amount of choline in the body is not enough, it can lead to weight gain.
Vitamin B4 participates in blood forming processes. It is important to note that alcohol, caffeine and sugar limit choline. It’s enemies are the destroyers and estrogen, or sulfamide drugs. Heat treatment also destroys it.
12 years ago, American scientist and biochemist R. Cowen announced the results of his research activities and observations in the field of dietetics. The paradoxical finding was that patients who want to lose weight and improve their health by giving up the use of eggs and meat products significantly gain weight and grow fatter.
It turned out that the culprit for this was the absence in the diet of vitamin B4 - choline. 10 years ago, it became clear that chronic fatigue syndrome is a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. This imbalance is the basis for the noting an absence of vitamin B4.
Vitamin B4 is discovered by a German, called Shtreker. Scholars derived it from bile (hence its name) in 1862, five years later, Russian Dyakonov releases choline from egg yolk, which shows that B4 is a component of lecithin (lecitios - yolk from English ). Lecithin is a lipid, discovered by French scientist M. Goblet as early as 1848
The idea of additive factors to our diet was formulated by N. Lukin, but it took another 70 years until the British published their data. He managed to avoid choline fatty infiltration of the liver, caused by the removal of the pancreas. With this discovery, a new medical term was born- "lipotropic" (lipus - fat), ie needed for fat metabolism.
Daily dose of Vitamin B4
Vitamin B4 is essential for our body. Therefore, part of it is synthesized independently in the human body with vitamins B9 and B12. This synthesis does not cover all the needs of our body, so we need it with food, which is important for the fact that it is necessary for normal growth and functioning of almost all living things. Interestingly, other vitamin dosages are determined in milligrams, and the daily dose for humans for B4 is 1, 5 grams to tens of grams for different loads and diseases.
Deficiency of Vitamin B4
It was found that choline deficiency resulted in fatigue, weakness, irritability, unexplained nervous breakdowns. Deficit of choline in children is typically observed with dissipation and low educational ability. As an important brain food, lack of choline in the diet of pregnant women and children during their first five years can have a detrimental effect on the mental capacity of a child.
It has been shown that the lack of intake of foods rich in choline, affects mainly the functioning of the liver. The result is tissue necrosis of the liver, development of cirrhosis and even malignant degeneration. Another result from a lack of Vitamin B4 is hardening of the arteries. Among the early symptoms of deficiency of B4 are headaches, high blood pressure and the onset of vertigo.
Overdose of vitamin B4
Too much vitamin B4 in the body can cause a decrease in blood pressure, weakening of the heart and dizziness.
Benefits of Vitamin B4
Main benefit for human health from choline is that it appears to be involved in lipid metabolism. It regulates the deposition in tissues. As an atsetiholin, B4 as the mediator in the transmission of nerve impulses in the peripheral nervous system. Development and the brain suffer in the absence of vitamin B4, because this vitamin helps the brain send impulses and stimulates memory.
Evidence from laboratory tests shows that Vitamin B4 increases the intelligence of the embryo. It supports the liver and helps to detoxify the body of drugs and poisons. Choline is a true healer of the liver, because it can help to reverse already existing damages.
Choline prevents the development of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta and the wall of the vessel, which is important in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. If you suffer from a deficiency of Vitamin B4, this may be a prerequisite for the development of coronary heart disease.
As mentioned, residual chlorine not only prevents but can liquidate damage to the liver. This is a prerequisite for B4 to be used mostly for prevention and treatment of liver diseases.
Additional vitamin B4 id recommended for intense physical activity, nerve exhaustion, stress effects and damage to the peripheral nervous system. This makes it often used for nervous disorders such as tics (dystonia), polyneuropathy, Alzheimer's and others.
Sources of vitamin B4
Vitamin B4 we find in foods of animal origin. It is found in large amounts in egg yolk, butter, milk, beef, liver, kidneys, as well as salmon and crab.
When it comes to herbal products, choline is found in green leafy vegetables, wheat germ of wheat grains, oats, barley and soybeans. Vitamin B4 can be found in a composition too.
Vitamin B4 is stored very well in water, so in processing large part of it goes into the broth. Be careful, because culinary processing at very high temperature destroys it. Choline can be destroyed under the influence of estrogen, alcohol and sulfonamides.
