UC Davis study ties lower brain choline to anxiety
UC Davis Health researchers synthesized 25 MRI spectroscopy studies comparing 370 people with anxiety disorders to 342 controls and found about 8% lower choline levels in brain regions tied to cognition and emotion among those with certain anxiety disorders. Authors and outside experts cautioned the association does not prove causation and said it is too early to recommend choline supplementation, though the pattern could guide future research into nutrition–brain chemistry links.
📌 Key Facts
- Meta-analysis pooled 25 prior studies using noninvasive MRI spectroscopy
- Sample: 370 with anxiety disorders vs 342 without; ~8% lower choline in key regions
- Researchers: Richard Maddock (senior author) and Jason Smucny; both warn against assuming causality or taking high-dose supplements
📊 Relevant Data
In 2019, 16.6 percent of non-Hispanic White adults in the United States reported anxiety symptoms in the past two weeks, compared to 8.5 percent of non-Hispanic Black adults and 12.8 percent of Hispanic adults. The U.S. population is approximately 58% non-Hispanic White, 13% non-Hispanic Black, and 19% Hispanic.
Share of adults with anxiety symptoms by ethnicity and severity U.S. 2019 — Statista
Mean dietary choline intake was 404.1 mg/day for Blacks, 362.0 mg/day for Whites, and 296.8 mg/day for Chinese Americans in a study of U.S. adults. The recommended adequate intake for choline is 550 mg/day for men and 425 mg/day for women.
Associations of choline-related nutrients with cardiometabolic and inflammatory biomarkers: findings from the cross-sectional Nutrition, Aging, and Memory in Elders (NAME) study — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Functional genetic variants in choline metabolism pathways occur at disparate frequencies across racial and ethnic groups, potentially influencing dietary choline requirements.
Common genetic polymorphisms define one-carbon metabolite responses to suboptimal nutrient intake: a narrative scoping review — Frontiers in Nutrition