Phosphatidyl Choline 420 mg by Thorne

If you’re looking for a phosphatidylcholine supplement because your liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT) run high or your diet is light on choline-rich foods like eggs and liver, this is a sensible starting dose. It also fits people with fatty liver patterns and elevated triglycerides who want to nudge bile flow and fat handling while they work on diet. Vegans and light meat eaters often run low on choline; checking Homocysteine and a dietary choline estimate can help decide if you need more than food alone.

Phosphatidylcholine is the main building block of cell membranes and a key ingredient in bile, the fluid that helps you digest and absorb fats. Your liver also needs it to assemble VLDL particles (the carriers that move triglycerides out of the liver), which is one reason ALT and AST sometimes improve within 4 to 12 weeks. Because it supplies choline, it also feeds acetylcholine (a nerve signal involved in memory and attention), though for cognition many clinicians prefer citicoline (CDP‑choline) or alpha‑GPC at lower doses.

Thorne suggests one gelcap two to three times daily. Take with meals for better absorption and to minimize burps. This totals 840–1,260 mg per day, which is a maintenance‑level intake; clinical repletion for liver health often uses gram‑level dosing under supervision. Recheck ALT, AST, and GGT after 8 to 12 weeks to judge response. If you primarily want cognitive effects, compare with citicoline or alpha‑GPC, which reach the brain at lower choline doses.

Skip this if you have a soy allergy; this phosphatidylcholine is soy‑derived. If you’ve had trimethylaminuria (fish‑odor syndrome) or notice a fishy smell at higher choline intakes, use a lower dose and discuss alternatives. Pregnancy and breastfeeding raise choline needs, but dosing should be individualized with your clinician. If your triglycerides or liver enzymes stay high despite consistent use, you likely need a higher dose or a different approach.

Does it lower liver enzymes? In many patients with fatty liver patterns, ALT and AST ease within 4 to 12 weeks when paired with diet changes. Is soy lecithin the same? Lecithin is a mixture; this is a standardized phosphatidylcholine fraction. Can it affect cholesterol? By improving bile flow and fat export, it sometimes helps triglycerides; LDL and HDL shifts are modest and variable.