Learn more about intestinal failure, PN, and choline
What is intestinal failure?
Intestinal failure means that the intestines cannot absorb enough water and nutrients from food. This means the body does not get enough energy and nutrients to carry out its functions.
Many diseases and conditions can cause intestinal failure.
People with intestinal failure often can only get lifesaving nutrition through parenteral nutrition (PN).
What is parenteral nutrition (PN)?
PN means being fed through a vein (intravenously), often in the arm, groin, neck, or chest. Parenteral means outside of the digestive tract. People need PN when their intestines cannot absorb enough nutrients.
PN comes as bags of liquid that contain protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. However, it often does not contain enough of an essential nutrient called choline. Most people with intestinal failure get at least one bag of PN 3 to 7 days per week.
What is choline and why is it important?
Choline is an essential nutrient, like vitamins. Your body needs choline to work as it should. Choline plays a key role in:
Liver health, including to help your liver break down and remove fat, like cholesterol. Your liver is a large organ inside your abdomen that helps to digest food, stores energy, and removes waste from your body.
Brain health, including memory, thinking, and mood. Your body uses choline to make acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) that carries messages from your brain to your body through nerve cells.
Muscle and bone health, including to help your muscles tighten (contract). It helps muscle cells control how they burn fat and protein for energy. It also helps keep higher levels of minerals in your bones.
Choline supports your overall energy, focus, and well-being.
Most of the choline in your body comes from the food you eat.
Because PN does not have enough choline in it, and people on PN may not be able to raise their choline level by taking a pill or eating food, people on PN often have low levels of choline.
How can low levels of choline cause health problems in people on PN?
Past studies have shown that almost 8 out of 10 people on PN have low levels of choline.
Low levels of choline can affect the liver, the brain and nerves, and muscle and bones.
Low levels of choline can cause the liver to stop removing certain fats. Over time, fats build up in the liver and damage it. If the damage is severe, it can cause symptoms including:
• Abdominal pain
• Feeling weak and tired
Low levels of choline can cause the brain and nerves to not message each other as well as they should. This can cause:
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Memory problems
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Mood issues
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Brain fog and confusion
Low levels of choline can lead to:
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Problems with muscle control
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Muscles that get weaker over time
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Weak bones (low bone density)
Ensuring your body gets enough choline can help keep your liver, brain, nerves, muscles, and bones healthy.