02/02/2026
Despite being essential for health, choline is one of the most overlooked nutrients. Your body can produce some of its own, but the majority comes from food - primarily animal sources such as meat, fish, and liver, with eggs being one of the richest sources, providing around 150 mg of choline per egg.
Choline is vital for brain function, memory, mood, liver health, fat metabolism and cell communication. For many women, brain fog, anxiety and low energy start appearing around perimenopause. Could choline deficiency be playing a part?
Oestrogen activates a gene called PEMT, which allows the liver to produce choline. As oestrogen drops in perimenopause and menopause, PEMT activity decreases, meaning your body makes less choline and you need to get more from your diet. If you have a PEMT gene variant, your ability to produce choline is already reduced, and declining oestrogen will only worsen this. This is especially important if you’re vegan, as plant foods contain much lower amounts of choline.
🧬 Knowledge is power! Understanding your PEMT status allows you to adjust your diet and consider supplementation, particularly through perimenopause and menopause, to support brain health and energy. If you’d like to explore your PEMT gene and discover how your genetics might be contributing to your menopausal symptoms, get in touch to learn more about my genetic testing options.