Choline supplementation does not have an impact on blood lipids - A systematic review on the effects of oral supplemental choline on blood lipid profile

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this project is to systematically summarize and review evidence from randomized controlled trials on the potential effect of choline supplementation on blood lipids low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol (TC). Methods: The literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Scopus databases in January 2023. The outcome measures were LDL, HDL, and TC. The intervention group was assigned dietary supplements with choline and the control group was assigned a placebo. The criteria for inclusion were individuals aged 18 and above, and in the studies considered, choline was solely administered orally. The criteria for exclusion comprised individuals under the age of 18, studies that were not RCTs, studies employing a control method other than a placebo, and studies written in languages other than Swedish or English. Studies that met the selected criteria were quality-reviewed according to the SBU’s template “assessment of randomized studies (effect of being assigned an intervention (ITT))” and evidence-graded according to GRADE. Results: The literature search resulted in 266 matches. Fourteen articles were read in full text, out of which two were included in this systematic review. The two included studies constituted a study population of a total of 83 people and were assessed to have a low as well as moderate risk of bias. The interventions spanned a duration of eight to twelve weeks. No statistically significant effects were observed for the outcome measures LDL, HDL, nor TC. The result consistently showed that oral supplementation of choline has no effect on these outcome measures in adults over 18 years. Conclusion: There is high certainty (++++) evidence to suggest that oral supplementation of choline has no effect on LDL, HDL, or TC.