Brain Health
Forgetfulness and mental fog may signal deficiencies in choline and iron. These two nutrients are fundamental for optimal brain function—from neurotransmitter synthesis to energy production.
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Are you forgetful? Do you struggle to remember simple things or find yourself frequently pausing to think things through? Does cognition feel like loading a YouTube video on a poor internet connection—the wheel keeps spinning but nothing seems to happen?
This sensation could be exactly what choline and iron deficiencies feel like. These two nutrients are fundamental to good brain function. That's why they don't just prevent cognitive decline—they help your brain operate at its best.
Choline performs three major roles in the brain:
Acetylcholine enables the transfer of information between synapses in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is essentially your brain's learning centre—where new information is processed and transferred into long-term memory.
Moreover, acetylcholine is the most important neurotransmitter outside the central nervous system, enabling communication between nerve cells and muscle fibres. In other words, acetylcholine is what makes movement possible.
The myelin sheath surrounds nerve cells and ensures smooth and rapid signal transmission. Breakdown of this protective layer is characteristic of multiple sclerosis—with well-known consequences.
Furthermore, landmark experiments by Richard Wurtman at MIT demonstrated that choline massively accelerates synapse formation.1 The more synapses we have, the better communication flows between nerve cells.
These are essential for regulating gene expression. In other words, methylation turns genes on or off—including genes critical for learning, memory, and cognitive function.
Bottom line: choline is brain rocket fuel!
Let's take a brief detour into the ocean: As we know, seafood is especially rich in valuable omega-3 fatty acids—specifically the two highly unsaturated fats DHA and EPA.
These are particularly important for your brain. They keep nerve cell membranes beautifully fluid and flexible. That's why DHA is found in especially high concentrations in key brain structures: the cerebral cortex (your "higher centres"), the prefrontal cortex (intelligent decision-making!), the retina (vision!), and the hippocampus (learning centre!).
Overall, DHA makes up approximately 20% of all fats in the brain. But DHA still needs to cross the blood-brain barrier. Research shows that DHA bound to phosphatidylcholine (referred to as PC-DHA) crosses into the brain particularly efficiently.2
Seafood contains plenty of this form—up to 50% of its omega-3s appear as PC-DHA.3 Behind this complicated name is simply a combination of choline and the essential omega-3 fatty acid DHA.
There's even evidence suggesting that phosphatidylcholine-DHA may prevent the development and progression of a genetically-linked form of Alzheimer's disease. Carriers of the ApoE4 gene variant seem unable to absorb free DHA adequately, yet phosphatidylcholine-bound DHA crosses the blood-brain barrier with ease.
Once there, DHA could reduce the formation of characteristic plaques, improve glucose uptake, and potentially offer Alzheimer's protection.4
But wait—there's more!
The next powerhouse nutrient for your brain is iron. As a highly metabolically active tissue, your brain relies heavily on good oxygen supply. Special oxygen transporters accomplish this task, binding O₂ with the help of iron and transporting it throughout the brain.
Mental clarity depends significantly on iron. Beyond its role in oxygen transport—particularly critical for the brain's high energy demands—iron is also required for synthesizing the neurotransmitters noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin.
Dopamine is why we find life attractive: great conversations, beautiful people, wonderful holidays, parties, good food—dopamine generates this sense of pleasure.
Noradrenaline creates "drive". Thanks to noradrenaline, we push through intense exam periods and our daily work. Serotonin generates inner contentment, and melatonin enables us to sleep well.
Without iron, brain energy production falters too. The protein complexes in mitochondria that generate ATP—the universal energy currency—depend on iron as a cofactor.
No iron means no energy. No energy means no efficient thinking.
And that's far from all. Iron is also directly involved in proper myelination of our nerve cells and is therefore essential for good signal transmission—something you might notice in daily life as improved mental clarity and inner calm.
To boost your brain performance, ensure adequate intake of choline, DHA, and iron. This can happen through supplementation or—more deliciously—through eggs, wild salmon, or quality grass-fed steak.
There's a reason animal products, especially fish, were historically associated with massive growth in our brain volume.5,6 If you want to achieve this differently today, you'll need to put in a little more effort—for example, through supplementation.
Wurtman (2014): A nutrient combination that can affect synapse formation
Hachem & Nacir (2022): Emerging Role of Phospholipids and Lysophospholipids for Improving Brain Docosahexaenoic Acid as Potential Preventive and Therapeutic Strategies for Neurological Diseases
Lordan et al. (2014): Phospholipids of Animal and Marine Origin: Structure, Function, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Patrick (2018): Role of phosphatidylcholine-DHA in preventing APOE4-associated Alzheimer's disease
Crawford et al. (1998): Rift Valley lake fish and shellfish provided brain-specific nutrition for early Homo
Pobiner (2013): Evidence for Meat-Eating by Early Humans
