Choline is an essential nutrient needed for the structural integrity and signaling functions of cell membranes; for normal cholinergic neurotransmission; for normal muscle function; for lipid transport from liver; and it is the major source of methyl groups in the diet. Choline is critical during fetal development, when it influences stem cell proliferation and apoptosis, thereby altering brain and spinal cord structure and function and influencing risk for neural tube defects and lifelong memory function. Choline is derived not only from the diet, but from de novo synthesis as well. Though many foods contain choline, there is at least a twofold variation in dietary intake in humans. When deprived of dietary choline, most men and postmenopausal women developed signs of organ dysfunction (fatty liver or muscle damage), while less than half of premenopausal women developed such signs. Aside from gender differences, there is significant variation in the dietary requirement for choline that can be explained by very common genetic polymorphisms.

中文翻译：

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胆碱：在成年人胎儿发育和饮食需求中的关键作用。

胆碱是细胞膜结构完整性和信号传导功能所需的必需营养素。用于正常的胆碱能神经传递；正常的肌肉功能；用于从肝脏转运脂质；它是饮食中甲基的主要来源。胆碱在胎儿发育过程中至关重要，它会影响干细胞的增殖和凋亡，从而改变大脑和脊髓的结构和功能，并影响神经管缺陷和终身记忆功能的风险。胆碱不仅来自饮食，而且还从头合成。尽管许多食物都含有胆碱，但人类的饮食摄入量至少有两倍的变化。剥夺饮食中的胆碱后，大多数男性和绝经后女性会出现器官功能障碍的迹象（脂肪肝或肌肉损伤），而绝经前妇女中只有不到一半出现了这种体征。除了性别差异外，胆碱的饮食需求也存在显着差异，这可以通过非常常见的遗传多态性来解释。