Citicoline · Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline)
Choline-donor form with the deepest human trial base of the cognitive choline sources.
Short answer
Citicoline (Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline)) is a cognitive with evidence grade B, meaning it is supported by human RCTs. We track 1 produkter containing Citicoline. Typical doses range from 250.0 to 250.0 mg per portion. The top-ranked product scores 8.0 out of 10 on our composite scale (dose, evidence, price, testing, transparency). Prices range up to $29.99 per månad.
Top Citicoline produkter
| Product | Varumärke | Dose | Pris/mo | 3rd-party tested | Poäng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognizin Citicoline Capsules | 250.0 mg | $29.99 | Yes | 8.0 |
Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard. Se how we score.
What it is
A choline compound your body converts into two building blocks, cytidine and choline, that get reassembled into phosphatidylcholine for brain cell membranes and into acetylcholine for signalling.
Why people take it
Decades of trials in stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment show measurable benefit; healthy-adult attention and memory data is thinner but consistent in direction at typical doses.
Our verdict
One of the better-evidenced nootropic choline sources. Branded Cognizin® is the material most trials actually used.
Structure & class
CDP-choline; hydrolysed in the gut to choline and cytidine, resynthesised as CDP-choline intracellularly (Kennedy pathway) to support phosphatidylcholine and acetylcholine synthesis.
Mechanism & clinical data
Cotroneo et al. 2013 and Secades' pooled stroke-recovery data show functional benefit; Cognizin-branded trials in healthy adults report modest attention and impulsivity improvements at 250 to 500mg/day.
Pharmacokinetics
Multi-hour; largely recycled into membrane and neurotransmitter pools.
Dose & forms
What to watch out for
Some people report mild headache or GI upset at higher doses; separate from choline bitartrate, which is a different (cheaper, less-studied for cognition) choline source.
Where this dose comes from
The trial dose above is our editorial pick from the published human trials for this ingredient. We choose the dose that the best-available studies used on the endpoint most relevant to longevity. The range shows the lowest and highest doses tested in published trials. The landmark studies below are the papers we read to set it. You can click through and check our work.
When new trials publish, our automated sweeps flag them. If a new study materially changes the dose, we update it through editorial review and record the old dose, new dose, and the triggering study in every affected product's recommendation history. The dose is never changed automatically.
Regelverk status
Timeline
Regelverk events, evidence grade changes, and key research milestones for Citicoline, most recent first. Every entry links to its primär source.
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EU Court sharpens the bar for botanical health claimsA Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in april 2025 further tightened the requirements for how botanical ingredients (herbs, plant extracts) can be marketed with health claims in the EU, effectively removing much of the flexibility of the on-hold list.
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EU report identifies 117 supplement substances as potential health risksThe HoA Working Group on Food Supplements (26 European countries) published its first report evaluating 117 substances used in food supplements. Of these, 65 were assessed as likely novel foods, 6 were already regulated, 34 had insufficient data, and 12 were prioritized for Article 8 restriction under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. The 12 priority substances include ashwagandha, curcumin, melatonin, piperine, St. John's wort, coumarin, p-synephrine, maca, holy basil, Melaleuca, black cohosh, and L-tryptophan. The report drew on 1,500 RASFF alerts reviewed between 2017 and mid-2022.
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Cotroneo et al. 2013 (IDEALE study)Citicoline held MMSE scores stable over 9 months in mild vascular cognitive impairment while the untreated control group declined.
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EU Health Claims Regulation adoptedRegulation (EC) No 1924/2006 laid down harmonised rules for nutrition and health claims made on foods, including supplements. Only claims listed in the EU Register of authorised claims can be used. Rejected botanical claims are held in a separate on-hold list.
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EU introduces the Novel Food RegulationRegulation (EC) No 258/97 required any food or food ingredient without a history of consumption in the EU before 15 maj 1997 to be authorised before being placed on the market. This is the framework that captures NMN, spermidine as a supplement ingredient, urolithin A, and many other longevity actives.
Citicoline has one of the largest human trial bases of any nootropic, but EFSA's 2024 scientific review rejected a formal memory health claim, finding the benefit does not replicate consistently across studies.
Verified 2026-06-21. We update this section as new peer-reviewed trials land.
Best-supported claim
Citicoline has the most robust clinical trial history among common nootropics. The Cochrane review by Fioravanti and Yanagi pooling 14 RCTs and 884 patients with cognitive impairment from chronic cerebral disorders or stroke found citicoline improved memory and behavior versus placebo (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15846601/). In healthy older adults with mild memory complaints, Nakazaki et al.'s 2021 randomized, dubbelblind, placebokontrollerad trial in 100 participants found 500 mg/day of citicoline for 12 weeks significantly improved episodic memory scores versus placebo, with the effect more pronounced in women (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7257735/).
Not supported by the evidence base
Citicoline is marketed as a reliable memory booster for healthy adults, but the European Food Säkerhet Authority's 2024 scientific opinion reviewed the human evidence and rejected a formal memory health claim. Of three relevant healthy-population studies, only one (500 mg/day for 12 weeks) showed a benefit on episodic memory; a second study at 1 g/day for 3 months found no such effect, and data from dementia patients at 1 g/day for 12 weeks to 12 months did not support the claim either, leading EFSA to conclude no cause-and-effect relationship was established (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38966137/). A 2025 network metaanalys in stroke patients similarly found no single citicoline dose was clearly best across mortality, neurological recovery, and daily-living outcomes, undercutting simple 'more is better' dosing claims (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12006040/).
Typical dose
250-1000 mg/day, with 500 mg/day the most studied dose in healthy older adults
Säkerhet
Citicoline has a well-established safety profile across decades of clinical use in stroke and cognitive impairment, with the Cochrane review finding it as well tolerated as placebo (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15846601/). Mild gastrointestinal upset, headache, or insomnia have been reported infrequently. A 2025 network metaanalys found adverse-effect rates varied by dose, with 500 mg and 2,000 mg doses showing somewhat higher adverse-effect rates than 1,000 mg in stroke patients, though the authors called this finding uncertain given limited original studies (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12006040/). Personer taking levodopa for Parkinson's disease should be aware citicoline may enhance levodopa's effects, requiring dose monitoring by a physician (https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/citicoline-with-levodopa-3325-0-1456-0.html).
Interactions worth flagging
- maj enhance the effects of levodopa in Parkinson's disease treatment, requiring physician-guided dose adjustment
- Theoretical additive effect with other cholinergic drugs or supplements
Three recent studies to know
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Citicoline in Ischemic Stroke, a Randomized Trial
Completed 800-patient randomized trial compared 2000 mg/day versus 1000 mg/day citicoline for 12 months after acute ischemic stroke, tracking cognitive (MoCA) and disability (mRS) outcomes at 6 and 12 months.
Läs studie → -
'Citicoline' and support of the memory function: Evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
EFSA concluded that a cause-and-effect relationship between citicoline and improved memory in middle-aged or elderly adults with subjective memory impairment has not been established, since the benefit did not replicate across all reviewed studies.
Läs studie → -
The efficacy of different doses of citicoline in improving the prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke based on network metaanalys
Network metaanalys of 13 studies found 500 mg and 2,000 mg citicoline doses ranked best for neurological recovery and daily-living outcomes in stroke patients, but no single dose was superior across all outcomes including mortality and adverse effects.
Läs studie →
Landmark studies
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Cotroneo et al. 2013 (IDEALE study)
Citicoline held MMSE scores stable over 9 months in mild vascular cognitive impairment while the untreated control group declined.
Läs studie →
Found in these produkter (1)
Alla produkter in our catalog that contain Citicoline, ranked by our overall score. Ranking is editorial, never paid.
Buying guides and comparisons
Related ingredients
Se alla in Cognitive →Molekyler in the same class, plus the actives most often formulated alongside Citicoline in our catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
What is Citicoline?
A choline compound your body converts into two building blocks, cytidine and choline, that get reassembled into phosphatidylcholine for brain cell membranes and into acetylcholine for signalling.
What dose of Citicoline should I take?
The trial dose in published human studies is 250 mg per dag, with a range of 250 to 1000 mg per dag. Always consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement.
Is Citicoline safe?
Some people report mild headache or GI upset at higher doses; separate from choline bitartrate, which is a different (cheaper, less-studied for cognition) choline source.
What is the best Citicoline supplement?
We track 1 produkter containing Citicoline. The top-ranked product scores 8.0 out of 10 on our composite scale, which evaluates dose, evidence, price, third-party testing, and transparency. See the comparison table above. Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard.
What is the evidence grade for Citicoline?
Citicoline has evidence grade B, meaning it is supported by human RCTs. Grade A means replicated human RCTs with hard endpoints. Grade B means human RCTs with biomarker outcomes. Grade C means mixed or small human trials. See our evidence grading methodology.
Data verification
Bevisning grades are reviewed when new human RCTs are published. Product counts update automatically as new produkter are added. Dose ranges reflect published trial data, not brand recommendations. Read how we verify.