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Merchient’s ingredient library

What can you say about choline in your ads and on your site?

The library supports 3 wordings for choline; the strongest is “Supports normal liver function” (strong, 27-1,000 mg a day). Avoid wording that names or implies a disease, a drug or a treatment, such as “Treats fatty liver disease (NAFLD)”.

Reviewed

Not legal advice. This guide shows the wording that published evidence supports at a daily dose, from the sources linked below; it is not a ruling on any claim. Your own product, its form and dose, and your own evidence still need to match the wording you use.

Supported wordings

What you can say.

Strong evidenceWording 1

Claims Facts

“Supports normal liver function.”

Daily dose27-1,000 mg a day
SupportHealth Canada lists liver function, and the EU authorizes maintenance of normal liver function after EFSA review.
Dose detailsHealth Canada: 27-1,000 mg a day for ages 14 and older (19-1,000 mg for children 1 to 13), counted as choline itself, not the weight of the salt. EU: the food must contain at least 82.5 mg of choline per 100 g, 100 ml or single portion. 3,500 mg a day is the ODS upper limit for adults.
FormCholine from choline bitartrate, chloride, citrate or another listed salt, counted as choline
SourcesHealth Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Moderate evidenceWording 2

Claims Facts

“Supports normal lipid metabolism.”

Daily dose82.5-3,500 mg a day
SupportAuthorized in the EU after EFSA review; Health Canada does not list it.
Dose detailsEU: the food must contain at least 82.5 mg of choline per 100 g, 100 ml or single portion. 3,500 mg a day is the ODS upper limit for adults.
FormCholine from choline bitartrate, chloride, citrate or another listed salt, counted as choline
SourceCommission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Moderate evidenceWording 3

Claims Facts

“Supports normal homocysteine metabolism.”

Daily dose82.5-3,500 mg a day
SupportAuthorized in the EU after EFSA review; Health Canada does not list it.
Dose detailsEU: the food must contain at least 82.5 mg of choline per 100 g, 100 ml or single portion. 3,500 mg a day is the ODS upper limit for adults.
FormCholine from choline bitartrate, chloride, citrate or another listed salt, counted as choline
SourceCommission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

How strong the evidence is

Strong evidence
At least two listed sources support it independently at a comparable dose and form, and none disagrees.
Moderate evidence
One listed source supports it as an evidence-based use at that dose, and no listed source disagrees.
Limited evidence
The only support is traditional use, the sources disagree, or the source itself calls the evidence weak.

Wordings to avoid

What to leave out.

Claims Facts

Ingredient: Choline

Wording to avoidReason
“Treats fatty liver disease (NAFLD)”Names a disease; the supported wording is normal liver function.Disease
“Detoxes or cleanses the liver”Implies removing damage or toxins from an organ; the supported wording is normal liver function.Treatment
“Prevents dementia or Alzheimer’s disease”Names diseases; no listed source supports brain or memory wording for choline.Disease

Disease: names or implies a disease. Drug: names a drug or presents the product as one. Treatment: promises to treat, cure or prevent a condition.

Sources

Where this comes from.

All ingredient guides

Check the claims on your own site. Free.

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