Comparing the Properties of Choline, Citicholine & Alpha GPC


Choline has become a popular supplement both as a nootropic usually taken as part of smart drug stacks, and also for other health and wellness purposes. As choline supplementation steadily gains more proponents by the day, it seems natural to those who are new to this practice to ask which among the available choline supplements works best. The most common forms of choline supplements are choline itself in bitartrate, citrate, and lecithin forms; Alpha GPC, and Citicholine (CDP Choline).  Each one of these choline supplement forms has a different effect, mechanism of action, and market price.

Being an essential nutrient, choline needs to be supplemented from outside sources since the body can’t make it on its own. While it may be available in varying quantities in food, choline supplementation is still the best way to go when it comes to raising the choline levels in your system. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of choline without having to worry about dietary health issues such as calories, trans fat, sodium, cholesterol, and even pathogens.

Supplementing with choline has been proven to help in the treatment and management of atherosclerosis and diseases of the liver. It has shown to be very effective treatment against fatty liver. This is also perhaps the same reason why it has found its way to weight loss supplements, although there is no evidence as of this publishing that it helps in the metabolism of stored body fat.

Choline is also highly regarded as a nootropic, often considered by cognitive enhancement proponents as an indispensable component of smart drug stacks. Choline is a precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter believed to be responsible for the cognitive processes in the brain such as memory formation, retention, and recall; logical reasoning skills, learning abilities, and verbal fluency.

To compare the top three supplemental choline forms, let us examine their properties, benefits, and disadvantages.

CHOLINE (Bitartrate and Citrate Forms)

CHOLINECompared to the two other choline supplements that will be discussed here, Choline Bitartrate and Choline Citrate forms are by far the cheapest commercially choline supplements you can get your hands on. These two forms are estimated to be around 8 to 10 times cheaper compared to Alpha GPC and Citicholine in current market prices.


  1. It is cheap.
  2. It is the practical go-to choline supplement for liver health.
  3. It can be added to nootropic stacks.
  4. It may have other health benefits.


  1. It is not the best option for cognitive enhancing purposes as it can’t effectively raise the choline levels in the brain.
  2. It can leave you smelling like a fish (fish-odor syndrome).
  3. It tastes really bad.


citicholineCiticholine is not a form of choline, but it is a prodrug of both choline and uridine. It has the ability to raise the choline levels in the body, including the central nervous system region where it will be needed for acetylcholine synthesis. It has a stimulatory effect and was also observed to have neuroprotective abilities.


  1. It is very effective at raising the body’s choline levels.
  2. It can protect the brain from neurodegeneration.
  3. It has a stimulatory effect making it an ideal addition to pre-workout supplements.
  4. It may also have dopaminergic properties.


  1. It is way more expensive that choline bitartrate and citrate forms.
  2. It can disrupt your sleep patterns.
  3. Its dopaminergic abilities may cause you to be addicted to its effect or lead to dopamine crash.


ALPHA-GPCThis supplement form is widely regarded as the best supplement when it comes to raising choline levels. Just like Citicholine, Alpha GPC is also a precursor of choline and is regarded as being more effective than Citicholine when it comes to increasing the choline levels in the brain. This compound has been studied and has been proven to be very effective for nootropic purposes.


  1. Believed to be the best supplement for raising choline levels in the brain.
  2. It is better than Citicholine.
  3. Its effectiveness has been proven in actual studies.
  4. It is the best choice to complement smart drug stacks.


  1. It is the most expensive choline form to date.
  2. It has a sedating effect.
  3. It has an abuse potential.


Choline bitartrate and citrate forms will be practical supplement for other purposes but not as a smart drug. Citicholine will be an ideal choice if you are looking for a quality supplement but can’t pay as much for the best choline supplement which is Alpha GPC.

The recommended dosage for Choline citrate and bitartrate is set at 600 to 3,000 mg daily. Citicholine daily dosages are at 200 to 2,000 milligrams daily and Alpha GPC doses are at 300 to 1,200 milligrams daily.

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