Phosphatidylcholine vs. Choline Citrate
Among 574 on-market choline products with an identifiable primary form, 81.7% use Phosphatidylcholine (469 products) and 18.3% use Choline Citrate (105).
| Phosphatidylcholine | Choline Citrate | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality tier | Tier 1 | Tier 2 |
| Choline by weight | — | — |
| Share of market | 81.7% | 18.3% |
| On-market products | 469 | 105 |
| Median declared dose | 180 mg middle half: 50–420 | 25 mg middle half: 10–50 |
| Most common brands | Life Extension, Douglas Laboratories, Bluebonnet | Thorne, Freeda, Kirkman |
Doses are declared per serving in mg. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).
Why Phosphatidylcholine is tier 1
Same RCT found phospholipid-bound (natural) choline significantly more bioavailable than the synthetic bitartrate salt in humans.
Source: Smolders L et al. 2019, PMID 31766273
Why Choline Citrate is tier 2
No dedicated comparative bioavailability study of choline citrate specifically was found; assumed provisionally similar to other simple choline salts pending confirmation.
Source: uncertain -- needs review
Tiers summarize published comparative bioavailability or outcome evidence for each form (see methodology).
This page describes the market; it is not a recommendation to take either form. Talk to a clinician about what's right for you.