May is Women’s Health Month, and there’s no better time to spotlight an often-overlooked nutrient that plays a critical role in women’s wellness: choline.

You’ve likely heard about the importance of folate, vitamin D, or iron for women, especially during pregnancy. But choline? It’s the underdog nutrient that deserves a place on the podium.

Despite its vital role in brain health, metabolism, energy production, and fetal development, most women simply aren’t getting enough choline from food alone.

The Choline Gap: What the Research Shows

A recent analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that women typically consume only 51% of the Daily Value for choline through their daily diet [1]. That means nearly half of what their bodies need is missing.

This is concerning given how many critical roles choline plays in the body, especially for women during key life stages.

What Is Choline, and Why Is It So Important?

Choline is an essential nutrient that supports:

• Brain and nervous system health
  

• Cell membrane integrity
  

• Liver function
  

• Muscle control
  

• Memory and cognition
  

• Fat metabolism
  

• Healthy homocysteine balance (linked to heart health)

Though your body can produce a small amount, you must get the majority of your choline from food or supplements. Rich sources include eggs, beef liver, salmon, chicken, and soybeans—but most women don’t consistently eat enough of these foods to meet the recommended daily intake.

Choline Across the Lifespan: Why Every Woman Needs It

Choline needs vary based on age and life stage, but they remain crucial throughout a woman’s life. Here's how:

Young Women (Ages 18–30): Choline for Energy, Hormones & Active Living

Young adult women need choline for:

• Estrogen metabolism
  

• Hormone balance
  

• Fat transport and liver detox
  

• Mental clarity and focus during busy days
  

A shortfall may contribute to fatigue, poor memory, or even liver dysfunction [2].

Quick Fact: In the brain, choline helps make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood, memory, and muscle function.

Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: Choline for Baby’s Brain and Mom’s Wellness

During pregnancy, choline needs skyrocket. Why?

Because choline:

• Supports fetal brain and spinal cord development
  

• Aids in the formation of the placenta
  

• May help reduce the risk of neural tube defects
  

• Supports healthy breast milk composition

In fact, a 2018 randomized controlled trial from Cornell University found that pregnant women who consumed 930 mg/day of choline had babies with better processing speed than those who consumed 480 mg/day [3].

Despite this, the vast majority of prenatal vitamins don’t include the full recommended amount of choline. That’s why many experts now recommend additional choline supplementation during pregnancy and lactation. Watch the 2 minute video below for the top tips on how Choline supports pregnant mothers.

Why Choline Matters During Pregnancy

Learn more about the role of Choline in fetal development here

Middle-Aged Women (Ages 40–60): Choline for Heart Health and Mood

During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal shifts can affect mood, memory, and cardiovascular health. Choline can help by:

• Supporting healthy homocysteine metabolism, a key marker of heart health
  

• Promoting positive mood and mental clarity
  

• Assisting in fat metabolism during hormonal weight fluctuations
  

One study found that higher dietary choline intake was associated with better homocysteine metabolism, an important measure of cardiovascular health in middle-aged women [4].

Mature Women (60+): Choline for Memory and Cognitive Function

As women age, maintaining brain health becomes even more critical.

Emerging research suggests choline may:

• Support cognitive function
  

• Help reduce the risk of age-related memory loss
  

• Assist in maintaining muscle function and coordination
  

In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, older adults with higher choline intake performed better on memory and cognitive tasks than those with lower intake [5].

Watch: “The Role of Choline in Brain Health” – Wellness by Nature

Why Is It So Hard to Get Enough Choline?

Here’s the catch: most popular foods women eat today are not high in choline. Even a healthy plant-based diet can be low in choline unless it’s specifically planned.

Common challenges:

• Low intake of eggs and organ meats
  

• Lack of choline in most multivitamins
  

• Higher needs during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or aging
  

That’s why many health professionals recommend a daily choline supplement, especially for women in high-need stages like pregnancy or menopause.

Endur™ Choline SR: Smarter Supplementation for Modern Wellness

To help close the nutritional gap many people face, Endurance Products Company created Endur™ Choline SR—a supplement designed to be both effective and easy on the body.*
Unlike conventional choline products, this sustained-release formula delivers choline gradually, which may:

• Improve absorption
  

• Promote steady acetylcholine production*
  

• Minimize the gastrointestinal discomfort or odor that standard choline supplements can cause*
  

It’s a thoughtful choice for health-minded women navigating busy lives—from parenting and professional goals to athletic pursuits and lifelong brain health.

And in case you missed it, Colorado just made Endur™ Choline SR even easier to access—now officially added to their formulary.

Bottom Line: Don’t Overlook This Essential Nutrient

Women are leading busy, dynamic lives—from fertility to fitness to brain health in the golden years. Choline is a silent workhorse that supports it all.

And yet, more than half of women fall short of the recommended daily intake.

Whether you're optimizing your diet, expecting a baby, navigating menopause, or investing in long-term brain health, now is the perfect time to prioritize your choline intake—especially during Women’s Health Month.

References

1. What We Eat in America, NHANES 2021–2023. USDA. https://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg

2. Zeisel SH, et al.. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009 Nov;67(11):615–23.
   

3. Caudill MA, et al. Choline intake during pregnancy improves child cognitive performance: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study. FASEB J. 2018;32(4):2172–80.
   

4. Konstantinova SV, et al. Dietary patterns and plasma choline and betaine in a Norwegian population. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008.
   

5. Poly C, et al. Association of dietary choline intake with cognitive performance and MRI measures of brain aging in healthy adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011.
   

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.