Choline Intake Calculator (Daily Needs by Age, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding)
Find your daily choline Adequate Intake (AI) and upper limit by age and sex, including pregnancy (450 mg) and breastfeeding (550 mg), and see how much of the target you already get.
How it works
Target = Adequate Intake (AI) for the life stage · Share of target = intake ÷ AI × 100 · Status compares intake with the AI and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
The US National Academies set an Adequate Intake (AI) for choline in 1998: 425 mg a day for adult women and 550 mg for men, rising to 450 mg in pregnancy and 550 mg while breastfeeding, because choline supports fetal brain and neural-tube development and passes into breast milk. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 3,500 mg a day for adults; above it, choline can cause a fishy body odour, sweating and low blood pressure. Eggs (about 147 mg in a large egg), liver, meat, fish and soybeans are the richest sources, and most prenatal vitamins contain little or none.
Worked example
A woman aged 19–50, not pregnant or breastfeeding, eats about 300 mg of choline a day. Her daily target (AI) is 425 mg, so she covers 300 ÷ 425 = 71% and still needs about 125 mg — roughly one large egg.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Choline fact sheet for health professionals · Institute of Medicine (1998) Dietary Reference Intakes for thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin and choline
Frequently asked questions
How much choline do I need when pregnant?
The AI in pregnancy is 450 mg a day, and 550 mg while breastfeeding. Surveys show most pregnant women get less than this, so check whether your prenatal vitamin contains choline and include eggs, meat or fish.
What foods are high in choline?
Beef liver is the richest common food, followed by eggs (about 147 mg per large egg), beef, chicken, fish, soybeans, wheat germ, potatoes and milk. Plant-based eaters can use soy foods, legumes, quinoa and cruciferous vegetables.
Can you take too much choline?
Yes. The adult upper limit is 3,500 mg a day from food and supplements combined. Very high intakes cause a fishy body odour, sweating, vomiting and low blood pressure.
Why is it an AI and not an RDA?
There was not enough evidence to set an Estimated Average Requirement, so the National Academies set an Adequate Intake — the level assumed to be adequate for almost everyone in the group.
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This calculator gives general nutrition estimates for education only and is not medical advice. Needs differ with illness, medication, pregnancy and growth — follow your doctor or a registered dietitian, especially for children and anyone with a medical condition.