Talk:Choline

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Contents 1 Acetylcholine 2 Pharmaceutical uses 3 Reply to Pharmaceutical uses 4 Choline as an essential nutrient

[edit] Acetylcholine

The neurotransmitter acetylcholine is converted into choline and acetic acid by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase.

Isn't choline converted into acetylcholine? Crusadeonilliteracy 13:14, 16 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Acetylcholine is built from its components within neurons, but once released into the synaptic cleft it is digested by the esterase so that the signal it is relaying is stopped quickly. Both (catabolic and anabolic) processes are happening continually.

On a different topic: The chemical formula on this page isn't very helpful in discerning structure. In fact, it has confused the hell out of me. Anyone got a diagram?

Here's a trick – type 'choline' into images.google.com. It gave me this right away. You've got three methyls and a C2H4OH all bound to N⁺. It's ionicly bound to X^– where X can be OH or anything else that forms a negative ion. Anybody want to take a crack at a better diagram? David.Throop 00:29, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pharmaceutical uses

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. This article has been tagged since January 2007.

I notice a lot of health stores and online pharmacies are selling choline tablets. Perhaps someone with the requisite knowledge could add to this article an explanation of what it's used for. —Psychonaut 14:21, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Reply to Pharmaceutical uses

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. This article has been tagged since January 2007.

Using choline as a supplement is (by now) supported by some human studies, where choline deficiency associates with birth deffects. However, ther are not enough human studies to really demonstrate that choline supplementation could really solve this problem, nor if over-supplementation is clean of any side-effects (as it happens for instance with Vitamin A). User:Mdnic 15 May 2006

I'd heard that Choline mobilises fat deposits and this is why it is in health supplements. Haven't got a reference though...

Choline is also used a lot as a 'smart drug', because of the central role that acetylcholine plays in a lot of cognitive systems. I've added a reference to this to the article, but my neuropsychology isn't too hot these days (never was to be honest) so I can't give as many details as this would merit. There's a lot of info out there if anyone is inclined to sift through it... User:SupernautRemix 62.6.249.131 15:28, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Choline as an essential nutrient

To all authors on Choline,

   I have just erased the introductory phrase. Choline is not essential for cardiovascular

function (if so, please send me the reference). Acetylcholine is essential for neuronal and neuro-muscular transmission of the impulse, but this is covered by another article. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Mdnic (talk • contribs) 23:54, 27 March 2007 (UTC).