Vegans may be missing out on nutrient that is vital for brain health

VEGANS and vegetarians may be denying themselves an important nutrient that is crucial for brain health, a diet expert has warned.

Choline is important for memory, mood, muscle control and may even fend off mental decline in later life. But the body does not produce enough in the liver to meet daily requirements and the best dietary sources are beef, eggs, dairy products, pork, chicken and salmon.

Writing in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, Dr Emma Derbyshire, a nutritional consultant, warned that many people already fail to take in the recommended levels of choline and the rise of plant-based diets could make the problem worse.

“Physiologically, choline is critical for a number of functions across the life cycle, with choline deficiency being linked to liver disease and offspring cognitive function.

“The mounting evidence of choline’s importance makes it essential that it does not continue to be overlooked in the UK. This is now more important than ever given that accelerated food trends towards plant-based diets.”

Choline plays a critical role in many biological functions, such as keeping cell walls intact. It also speeds up the creation and release of a protein called acetylcholine which carries signals between brain cells. The brains of people with Alzheimer’s have been found to have low levels of acetylcholine.

Dr Derbyshire has called on the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to add choline into dietary guidance.

Prof Tom Sanders, professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, said it is possible to gain enough choline from other foods.

“Choline can be made in the body and it is also abundant in many plant foods including soybeans,” he said.

“There is no justification for suggesting that plant-based diets risk damaging brain development.”