Some Smart Drug enthusiasts I knew in the cyberdelic early 90s raved about the cognitive effects of the nutrient choline. A new study at Duke University Medical Center seems to support their claims. In the study, pregnant rats were given three to four times their normal intake of choline. Apparently, their offspring boasted bigger neurons that fired faster and for longer than the control group.
According to a New Scientist article, “behavioural studies have shown giving choline to pregnant rats improves learning and memory in their offspring.” This latest study though “is the first time anyone has shown that prenatal choline supplementation actually changes the anatomy and physiology of single brain cells,” one of the researchers said.
Still, another scientist adds, pregnant women should continue to avoid certain foods like liver, swordfish, and tuna that are rich in choline but may be bad news for other reasons.
Time to belly up to the Smart Bar? Link