Side Effects Of Choline

As with any diet supplement, too much of a good thing can have a negative effect on the body. This is true for choline supplementation as well. Although it is hard to overdose on choline, too much can cause undesirable side effects.

The most common side effect of consuming too much choline is body odor. It is extremely difficult to accomplish this through diet alone. There is a rare medical condition that will cause this and it is due to the body's inability to process choline. However, most of us do not fall into this category. So, over supplementation of choline is almost always the cause. You will know if you are overdoing the supplementing of choline if you notice a fishy body odor. This is the main and most common side effect of choline. The good news is that this situation is easily corrected. You can stop taking or reduce consumption of the choline supplements and you should notice an improvement very quickly. The cause of this odor is the byproduct of choline metabolism by the body. As soon as you reduce the amount of choline you are taking, you will notice an improvement.

Additional side effects from choline can include excessive sweating, increased salivation, upset stomach and deceased appetite. Although not life threatening, these side effects are undesirable and you may want to discontinue or reduce the amount of choline you are taking if you experience any of these symptoms. Furthermore, if you think you are having an allergic reaction to choline the stop taking it immediately. An allergic reaction can include swelling of the throat or tongue, shortness of breath, rash, or hives. If this is the case, stop taking your choline supplement immediately and consult your physician about your reaction.

Another point to consider is drug interaction. If you are taking any prescription medications, especially for heart, liver, or neurological disorders consult with your physician prior to starting choline supplementation. These drugs could interact with choline in a way you did not expect.

Choline supplementation is considered safe. However there is always the change that you may experience some of the side effects of choline. Sometimes these side effects are not always a negative thing. Many supplements for losing weight contain choline as they are counting on it causing a reduction in appetite in addition to its health benefits. Only you can determine if the side effects of choline are not acceptable in your situation.