What are citicoline and citicoline sodium used for?
Citicoline is a brain nutrient that supports mental energy, focus, attention, and overall cognitive health. Experimental studies have revealed several mechanisms by which citicoline works. It acts by supporting phospholipid metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, mitochondrial function, and neuroplasticity.
Citicoline is available in 2 forms: citicoline and citicoline sodium, citicoline sodium is a prescription medication used to treatneuro logical disorders in numerous countries, whereas citicoline free-base has been available
as a dietary supplement in the United States for more than 3 decades.
Citicoline vs Choline
Citicoline is a source of choline and, therefore, provides all of the benefits of choline. Both choline and citicoline support phospholipid metabolism, acetylcholine production, and cell signaling. But citicoline is also a source of cytidine. It is the cytidine component that gives citicoline the advantage over choline. The cytidine component of citicoline converts to uridine before crossing the blood-brain barrier. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology demonstrated that the uridine component is required for the rate-limiting step of phosphatidylcholine production and that uridine also promotes neuronal growth. Uridine is the molecule responsible for increasing brain levels of norepinephrine and dopamine, improving mitochondrial function, and boosting energy production in the brain.
The differences of citicoline and citicoline sodium.
Product name | Citicoline(CDP-Choline) | Citicoline Sodium(CDP-Choline Na) |
CAS Number | 987-78-0 | 33818-15-4 |
Molecular formula | C14H27N4O11P2 | C14H25N4NaO11P2 |
Structural formula | | |
Appearance | White crystalline powder,odoress | White crystalline powder,odoress |
Purity | ≥99.0% | ≥98.0% |
Assay of sodium | 0% | 4.70% |
Effect difference | Biological activity and utilization Citicoline>Citicoline Sodium | |
Cost difference | Raw materials price Citicoline>Citicoline Sodium | |
market occupancy | Citicoline Sodium>Citicoline | |