The Effects of Choline Supplementation on Physical Performance
Abstract
It has been reported that plasma choline levels decrease following certain types of strenuous exercise. Preliminary findings also suggest that a drop in plasma choline may limit physical performance, while choline supplementation may delay fatigue during prolonged efforts. A double-blind crossover design was used to determine the relationship between plasma choline and performance during and after 4 hr of strenuous exercise. Volunteers (N = 14) received either a placebo or treatment beverage (8.425 g choline citrate) prior to and midway through a 4-hr load carriage treadmill exercise (3% grade at 5.6 km/h × 20 km) carrying a total load of 34.1 kg. Following the treadmill test, run time-to-exhaustion and squat tests were performed, and perceived exertion, plasma choline, glycerophosphocholine, and phosphatidylcholine were measured. Plasma choline levels increased 128% after the run-to-exhaustion with the choline supplemented beverage but remained unchanged with the placebo beverage. No significant effects were seen with choline supplementation on any outcome performance measure. Consequently, soldiers conditioned to carry heavy loads over long distances do not deplete plasma choline as a result of a prolonged exhaustive exercise under a placebo beverage, nor do they benefit from choline supplementation to delay fatigue under the same conditions.
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After 4 h of strenuous exercise, 8.4 g choline citrate had no effect on run time to exhaustion or squat tests.
“However, it has been reported that after 4 h of strenuous exercise with either 8.4 g choline citrate (administered prior to and midway through exercise) or placebo there was no effect for either run time to exhaustion or squat tests [3].”
From Evaluation of the effects of two doses of alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine on physical and psychomotor performance (2017) · cites this paper as [3]
Increasing plasma levels of choline could improve production of acetylcholine, increase muscular contraction, and possibly delay fatigue in endurance exercise.
“Increasing plasma levels of choline could improve the production of acetylcholine, increase muscular contraction, and possibly delay fatigue in endurance exercise [282].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Probiotics (2019) · cites this paper as [282]
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- Authors
- Warber, J. P., Patton, J. F., Tharion, W. J., Zeisel, S. H., Mello, R. P., Kemnitz, C. P., & Lieberman, H. R.
- Affiliations
- Womack Army Medical Center (US)
- U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (US)
- Venue
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2000-06
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 170-181
- ISSN
- 1526-484X (ISSN-L)
- 1543-2742
- OpenAlex
- W2165166119
- Cited by
- 47
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 1.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Keywords
- choline supplementation, plasma choline, physical performance, fatigue, endurance exercise, load carriage, phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine, military personnel, perceived exertion
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Analysis of Variance, Anthropometry, Choline, Double-Blind Method, Physical Exertion, Georgia, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Military Personnel, Oxygen Consumption, Sports, Diet Records, Ergometry, Cross-Over Studies
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