Dietary choline requirements of women effects of estrogen and genetic variation

Background Choline is obtained from the diet and from the bio synthesis of phosphatidyloholine Phosphatidylcholine is catalyzed by the enzyme phosphatidylethanolamine N methyltransferase (PEMT) which is Induced by estrogen Because they have lower estrogen concentrations postmenopausal women are mole susceptible to the risk of organ dysfunction in response to a low-choline diet A common genetic polymorphism (rs12325817) in the PEMT gene can also increase this risk Objective The objective was to determine whether the risk of low choline related organ dysfunction increases with the number of alleles of rs12325817 in premenopausal women and whether postmenopausal women (with or without rs12325817) treated with estrogen are more resistant to developing such symptoms Design Premenopausal women (n = 27) consumed a choline sufficent diet followed by a very-low choline diet until they developed organ dysfunction (or for 42 d) which was followed by a high choline diet Postmenopausal women (n = 22) were placed on the same diets but were first randomly assigned to receive estrogen or a placebo The women wire monitored for organ dysfunction and plasma choline metabolites and were genotyped for rs12325817 Results A dose response effect of rs12325817 on the risk of choline related organ dysfunction was observed in premenopausal women 80% 43% and 13% of women with 2 1 at 0 alleles respectively developed organ dysfunction Among postmenopausal women 73% who received placebo but only 18% who received estrogen developed organ dysfunction during the low choline diet Conclusions Because of their lower estrogen concentrations postmenopausal women have a higher dietary requirement for choline than do premenopausal women Choline requirements for both groups of women are further increased by rs12325817 This trial was registered at clinicaltrials gov as NCT00065546 Am J Clin Nutr 2010 92 1113-9