A study has found that eating choline-rich foods daily, such as eggs, fish, and broccoli, may lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The research, conducted by researchers in Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., found that dietary choline intake is associated with improved cognitive function and reduced dementia risk in older adults.
Choline is an essential micronutrient found in various foods, including poultry, dairy products, cruciferous vegetables, beans, and some fish, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study focused on participants averaging 81 years of age who did not have Alzheimer’s. They completed dietary questionnaires and underwent annual neurological exams. After an eight-year follow-up, researchers determined that consuming about 350 milligrams of choline per day was associated with the lowest risk of clinical Alzheimer’s diagnoses in older adults.
Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein has also supported the impact of choline on brain health, citing a 2024 China-based study that found higher choline intake improves cognitive function, particularly among women. She noted that her personal experience with memory decline inspired her to start supplementing choline.
Muhlstein emphasized that choline intake should be tailored to individual needs, referencing guidance from Harvard School of Public Health. She also mentioned that premenopausal women may have lower dietary choline requirements due to higher estrogen levels stimulating choline production. Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist and brain imaging doctor, highlighted the importance of nutrition for brain health, recommending foods like walnuts, wild salmon, blueberries, and green leafy vegetables as brain-boosting staples.
He advised that if one had a salad with blueberries, salmon, walnuts, lemon, and olive oil, it would make for an ideal brain-boosting lunch. Additionally, he suggested supplements like vitamin D, omega-3 or fish oil, and a daily multi-vitamin for maintaining brain health. The study researchers have not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.