VeggieBoards banner

Choline Supplement

1K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  angelluzita 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm interested in using supplements to help induce lucid dreaming.

Acetylcholine (Ach) is the main neurotransmitter responsible for sustained concentration. As such it correlates to REM sleep. Ach esterase is an enzyme that inhibits Ach. So one option for increasing waking concentration and REM sleep is to take an Ach esterase inhibitor, like Galantamine, which also contains choline. It stands to reason that boosting Ach at the same time you suppress its inhibitor would have a double effect. These substances do boost concentration and REM.

The problem is that choline isn't well understood. Eggs are the richest source of choline and a large study found that men who ate 2.5+ eggs per week had an 81% increase in prostate cancer compared to those who ate < 1/2 egg per week.

Richman EL, Kenfield SA, Stampfer MJ, et al: Choline intake and risk of lethal prostate cancer: incidence and survival. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96:855-863

Fuhrman draws the conclusion that choline intake should be limited, but I wonder. An extra 2 eggs/week only adds up to an extra 300mg of choline, when the RDA for men is 550mg. We also know that correlation isn't causation. Eggs are also high in cholesterol and sulfur compounds, plus most Americans get them from toxic factory-farms.

Does anyone here take choline? What are your thoughts on it?
 
See less See more
#3 ·
I used to take choline. Twice daily, 250 mg. At the time I was reading ULTRAMIND solution. I wasn't eating eggs, so I opted to take the supplement (cheap BTW). I was also interested in choline as a nootropic. Coincidentally, I was also interested in lucid dreaming since I had been having lucid dreams (not intentionally). I have used choline on and off for years, mostly during times that I didn't have lucid dreams. So... no actual advice or insight on choline and lucid dreaming. If I had to guess, I'd guess that supplemental choline didn't affect me either way - having or not having lucid dreams.

As you stated, beware correlation and causality. The 2.5+ eggs per week and 81% increase in prostate cancer raises an eyebrow. I didn't read the article. The obvious consideration would be - what else does the man who eats 2.5+ eggs per week also do?

Choline is water soluble. At least in the short term, I'd guess supplementation would be harmless. For that matter, eating a couple eggs per week wouldn't wreck your health.

When I had the most lucid dreams (about 9 years ago), I had a few seizures. No previous epilepsy. Related or not? Don't know.

This is interesting. I'd like to know if you tried choline and how it worked (didn't work?).

dood
 
#5 ·
I used to take choline. Twice daily, 250 mg...I have used choline on and off for years, mostly during times that I didn't have lucid dreams....This is interesting. I'd like to know if you tried choline and how it worked (didn't work?).

dood
Thanks for sharing your experience. I input my diet into Cronometer and my only deficiencies were in B3 (60% RDA) and choline (10% RDA). Since I started taking a 500mg capsule of choline daily, I've had excellent concentration and much longer & more detailed dreams. However none of them were lucid or really crazy. Maybe choline didn't affect your dreams b/c you were already getting plenty, and your body just discarded the excess.

I'm curious, do you have a vivid imagination when you're awake? When you read a novel do you see it happening and hear the characters talking? With some people its like watching a movie in their head, and with others its just reading words on a page. For me its the latter, so I suspect that my limited success in lucid dreaming is due to the fact that I don't have a sensory imagination. I'm much more left-brained & analytical.
 
#4 ·
I personally dont like taking pills unless is really necesary, so why not doing it the hard and long way? Haha meditating ^^, it increases concentration and control over brain, and maybe doing some tips for astral trips, before going to sleep, can lead you to eventually have more lucid dreams, well thats what i do sometimes, but its a long process for it to work, im still not quite there xD
 
#7 ·
Hmm... words on a page. Once I took a left brain/right brain test, and scored equal for both sides. But I'm really a left brain guy. More reflective, post-experience opposed to in the moment. usually the picture on the book cover sets the scene for me.

Musically I 'd say have decent imagination.

I have no idea if my choline levels are adequate. When I do have lucid dreams, they aren't exactly "amazing." Either I feel like I am about to wake up, or I'm merely a character with no real control, or I wasn't completely certain I was in a dream. For example, during one lucid dream, I realized it (mostly), and thought I would try to run through a wall, but I chickened out. Guess I wasn't 100% convinced.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top