Our Daily Essentials Pack includes choline, a little-known but important nutritional supplement that not only benefits the body directly, but improves the effects of other supplements. Choline supplementation helps you get the most out of your B-complex vitamins.

Choline is a methyl group source. These are hydrocarbons that mediate nutrient absorption. They do it by reducing water solubility and increasing a nutrient’s ability to transfer into fat. (They won’t make you fat, but fat is one of your body’s natural nutrient storage and regulation mechanisms.) This is how choline improves your ability to absorb folic acid along with Vitamins B6 and B12.

Folic acid, B6 and B12 all play a vital function in heart health because they help control homocysteine levels. Don’t confuse homocysteine with its health-promoting molecular “relative” cysteine, found in our Immunocal/HMS-90 supplement. Homocysteine actually weakens the cysteine bonds in your body’s structural proteins – the stuff your heart, blood vessels and more are made of. If your homocysteine’s too high, your risks for cardiovascular diseases (including heart attack and stroke) go up. Fortunately, there’s evidence that by reining in homocysteine, proper supplementation has a long term, protective effect.

Choline has other potent benefits. It’s the chemical precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that controls muscle function, short term memory and learning. Reduced acetylcholine is linked to fatigue, bipolar disorder and Alzheimer’s disease. If you consume more choline, your brain can make more acetylcholine.

Choline’s role demonstrates the importance of holistic nutrition. Basic vitamins don’t work too well, because your body functions through intricately connected chemical processes. A smart supplement supports the entire chain of cause and effect – not just one step on the path to health. This is just one reason why the Daily Essentials Pack covers a wide range of vitamins and nutrients.

You’ve probably heard of turmeric before. It’s a popular spice that’s known for its vibrant yellow color and the warmth it gives curries and other dishes. People have harvested turmeric from the roots of the curcuma longa plant for at least 5,000 years. It’s long been used in traditional medicine, but Western medical research has just begun to investigate turmeric for health benefits. Studies indicate that turmeric’s active ingredient – curcurmin – has antioxidant, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Curcurmin may also promote higher concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): a protein that encourages neuron growth and survival in the hippocampus, cortex and forebrain. BDNF deficiency is associated with anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and some eating disorders.

These aren’t turmeric’s only benefits. This Scientific American article rounds up recent research, while Wikipedia’s articles on turmeric and curcurmin explore their medical effects in detail.

Do you need to eat curry every day to experience turmeric’s health benefits? No – though there’s nothing wrong with a good curry! Immunotec’s Daily Essentials Pack includes turmeric, along with an array of additional vitamins and dietary supplements.