Diurnal pattern of choline concentrations in serum of pigs as influenced by dietary choline or lecithin intake (Diurnaler Verlauf des Serumcholinspiegels beim Schwein nach oraler Applikation von Cholinchlorid oder Lecithin)

Abstract

Athletes especially experience a significant decrease in plasma choline concentrations during exercise which can be compensated in part by consumption of lecithin, a natural source of choline. In addition, the effect of lecithin on plasma choline concentrations in humans is obviously considerably greater and more prolonged than that of an equivalent amount of choline salts. Serum choline acts as a precursor for the synthesis of acetylcholine, which, in turn, acts as a neurotransmitter. The effect of dietary choline derived from either choline chloride or lecithin on the diurnal pattern of free choline concentrations in serum was studied using the pig as a potential model for humans. Six barrows, average initial body weight 120 kg, were fitted with permanent catheters in the jugular vein to determine the diurnal pattern of serum choline concentrations as affected by dietary choline or lecithin intake. The pigs were fed two semi-purified diets twice daily (1,500 g each meal) that contained corn, casein and a mineral-vitamin premix supplemented with equal amounts of choline (480 mg/kg) from either choline chloride or lecithin (BIOFOSFATIN). The diets supplemented with choline were fed at 08.00 h in the morning and the experiment was carried out according to a 3 x 2 cross-over design. All pigs received the basal diet that contained 450 mg/kg choline at the evening feeding (20.00 h). Following an adaptation period of 6 d, blood was collected on d 7; 0.5 h before the morning feeding and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h postprandially. The determination of serum choline concentrations was carried out by tandem-mass spectroscopy. There were no differences (p > 0.05) between the two diurnal patterns of the serum choline concentrations. Both diurnal patterns showed a postprandial peak at 0.5 h (2.71 mg/l for choline chloride and 2.35 mg/l for lecithin supplementation) and decreased after 2 h postprandially to the preprandial concentrations. In conclusion, there were no differences (p > 0.05) in the diurnal patterns of serum choline concentrations in pigs after consumption of dietary choline chloride or lecithin, which is in contrast to corresponding studies in humans.

Moderate Perinatal Choline Deficiency Elicits Altered Physiology and Metabolomic Profiles in the Piglet

“…Experimental gestation diets were provided until 48 h after farrowing. Prior to provision of experimental diets (d 50 of gestation) and again within 48 h after giving farrowing, blood was collected from sows via jugular venipuncture into heparinized tubes between 1300 and 1500 when post-prandial plasma choline concentrations had stabilized [ 23 ]. Blood was centrifuged at 1,300 × g for 10 min at 4°C and plasma stored at -80°C until analyzed.…”