Published May 2026 | Source: UC Davis Health / Molecular Psychiatry
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Key Finding: People with anxiety disorders have choline levels approximately 8% lower than those without anxiety — most notably in the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for emotional regulation and decision-making.
If you live with anxiety, your brain chemistry may look measurably different from someone who doesn’t — and a newly highlighted nutrient deficit could be part of the reason why.
Researchers at UC Davis Health analyzed data from 25 previous brain imaging studies, comparing neurometabolite levels in 370 people diagnosed with anxiety disorders against 342 people without anxiety. They found a consistent, significant pattern: people with anxiety disorders had notably lower levels of choline — an essential nutrient — in key brain regions involved in stress and emotional control. The findings were published in Molecular Psychiatry, a Nature journal.
What is choline and why does it matter?
Choline is an essential nutrient your body needs for healthy cell membranes, nerve signaling, memory, and mood regulation. Most of what you need must come from food — top sources include eggs, liver, salmon, soybeans, and shiitake mushrooms. In the brain, choline is involved in producing acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays a direct role in regulating mood, attention, and the stress response. This is closely related to how neurotransmitters drive anxiety more broadly.
Where the deficit showed up
The most consistent finding was in the prefrontal cortex — the area of the brain that helps you think clearly, regulate emotions, and make decisions under pressure. This is precisely the region that feels most compromised during anxiety: the overthinking — something many people experience as anxiety-related brain fog, the difficulty staying calm, the inability to talk yourself down from a spiral of worry.
An important caveat
The study cannot confirm whether low choline causes anxiety or whether anxiety depletes choline over time — chronic stress increases the body’s demand for many nutrients. Larger prospective studies are needed. But the discovery gives researchers a clearer chemical target and gives the rest of us a reason to pay closer attention to choline intake.
What this means for you
Two whole eggs provide roughly 300mg of choline — close to the adequate daily intake for most adults. For those who don’t eat animal products, sunflower seeds, soybeans, and fortified foods are plant-based alternatives. You can also explore our guide to reading anxiety supplement labels before purchasing. Choline supplements are also available, though discussing dosage with a healthcare provider is advisable as very high doses can have side effects.
Source: Maddock RJ, Smucny J. Molecular Psychiatry, 2025. UC Davis Health.
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