Even people who aren't getting enough choline -- perhaps they avoid eggs or have a very low-fat diet -- shouldn't expect an instant pick-me-up from supplements, Zeisel says. "I don't think they would notice more energy or a better mood."
But for pregnant women, the benefits of extra choline could go far deeper than a mood lift, says Marie Caudill, an associate professor of nutritional sciences and genomics at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Like folic acid, choline seems to help prevent neural-tube defects in developing fetuses, and it may also help prevent cleft palates. There's also intriguing evidence that choline can supercharge developing brains. When researchers give pregnant rats extra choline, the pups showed impressive memory skills throughout their entire lives.
Caudill says it's too early to say if pregnant women who get extra choline can expect extra-smart children. Still, she says, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should try to get plenty of the nutrient every day. "My first inclination would be to recommend foods that are high in choline."
Mothers aren't the only ones who could potentially benefit from choline. The nutrient might also help nourish growing brain cells in young children, Zeisel says, although the amount found in Flintstones Complete may be too small to make much difference. High levels of choline in adults may help reduce homocysteine, a compound that can increase the risk of heart disease. A shortfall of choline can cause liver damage known as fatty liver. (On the flip side, exceeding 3,500 milligrams daily -- the highest a person can consume without risk -- could result in a fishy body odor and an unsafe drop in blood pressure.)
Despite these potential benefits, Zeisel doesn't believe that supplements are always in order. "I would try to get my diet in good shape first," he says. If that's not possible, he says, choline supplements could be a valuable addition.
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