Department of Nutrition at the Nutrition Research Institute, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
Nutr Rev. 2009 Nov;67(11):615-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00246.x.
Choline was officially recognized as an essential nutrient by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1998. There is significant variation in the dietary requirement for choline that can be explained by common genetic polymorphisms. Because of its wide-ranging roles in human metabolism, from cell structure to neurotransmitter synthesis, choline-deficiency is now thought to have an impact on diseases such as liver disease, atherosclerosis, and, possibly, neurological disorders. Choline is found in a wide variety of foods. Eggs and meats are rich sources of choline in the North American diet, providing up to 430 milligrams per 100 grams. Mean choline intakes for older children, men, women, and pregnant women are far below the adequate intake level established by the IOM. Given the importance of choline in a wide range of critical functions in the human body, coupled with less-than-optimal intakes among the population, dietary guidance should be developed to encourage the intake of choline-rich foods.
胆碱于 1998 年被医学研究所（IOM）正式认定为必需营养素。由于常见的遗传多态性，人们对胆碱的饮食需求存在显著差异。由于胆碱在人类新陈代谢中发挥着广泛的作用，从细胞结构到神经递质合成，现在人们认为胆碱缺乏会对肝脏疾病、动脉粥样硬化等疾病产生影响，而且可能还会对神经紊乱产生影响。胆碱存在于各种食物中。鸡蛋和肉类是北美饮食中胆碱的丰富来源，每 100 克可提供高达 430 毫克的胆碱。对于年龄较大的儿童、男性、女性和孕妇来说，平均胆碱摄入量远低于 IOM 确定的充足摄入量。鉴于胆碱在人体中广泛的关键功能中的重要性，加上人群中摄入量不理想，应制定饮食指导方针，鼓励摄入富含胆碱的食物。
