Citicoline Benefits: What It Does, Dosage, Side Effects and When to Take It

Citicoline is used as a supplement to support memory and brain energy. In a 12-week trial of healthy adults aged 50 to 85, 500 mg a day improved episodic memory more than placebo, and a 6-week study raised energy markers in the front of the brain. Your cells use it to build brain cell membranes, and it supplies choline, the raw material for acetylcholine. This guide covers citicoline benefits, studies, dosage, timing and side effects.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• What it is: citicoline, also called CDP-choline, is a natural metabolite found in all living cells. Once swallowed, it breaks down into choline and cytidine.
• What it does: choline feeds acetylcholine and the phospholipids that make up brain cell membranes; cytidine is turned into uridine, which supports the formation of synaptic membranes.
• Memory: in a 12-week trial of 100 healthy adults aged 50 to 85 with everyday memory complaints, 500 mg a day improved episodic memory more than placebo.
• Brain energy: in healthy adults with an average age of 47, 6 weeks of citicoline raised energy markers in the front of the brain.
• Dose: 500 mg a day is the most studied amount in healthy adults.

Citicoline at a Glance

Question	Short answer
Other name	CDP-choline (cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine)
What it is	A natural metabolite found in all living cells
What it breaks down into	Choline, for acetylcholine and brain cell membranes, and cytidine, which becomes uridine
Choline per 500 mg	About 100 mg (citicoline is about 20 percent choline)
Most studied amount	500 mg a day
Study length	6 to 12 weeks of daily use
Stimulant?	No, and it contains no caffeine
Limit to know	3,500 mg of choline a day from all sources for adults

Benefits build with consistent daily use: the brain energy results came after 6 weeks and the memory results after 12 weeks, so plan on about 3 months of steady use. Our Brain Energy Capsules, planned with citicoline 500 mg plus PQQ 20 mg and L-ergothioneine 25 mg per serving, are coming soon. Available now, our Clarity Capsules are a daily nootropic blend that supports memory, recall and mental clarity. For habits that support recall alongside any supplement, see how to improve memory, and for the bigger picture on fuzzy thinking, our guide to brain fog.

What Is Citicoline?

Citicoline is the generic name for CDP-choline (cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine), a natural metabolite present in all living cells. When you take it, it breaks down into two parts, choline and cytidine, which join the body's normal pathways (Świątkiewicz and Grieb, 2023):

• Choline is used to make acetylcholine, a messenger central to learning and memory, and phospholipids, the building blocks of brain cell membranes and myelin.
• Cytidine is readily converted to uridine in humans, which supports the formation of synaptic membranes.

Citicoline is about 20 percent choline by weight, so a 500 mg serving supplies roughly 100 mg of choline. For how it compares with the other popular choline supplement, see citicoline vs alpha GPC and our alpha GPC ingredient page. If you are deciding between citicoline and plain choline, our guide to citicoline vs choline compares the two side by side.

How Citicoline Works

Citicoline raises the building blocks the brain uses. In a study of 12 adults who took single doses of 500, 2,000 and 4,000 mg or placebo, blood choline rose with each dose and stayed up for 5 to 10 hours, and blood uridine rose by as much as 70 to 90 percent after 500 mg (Wurtman et al., 2000).

Choline matters for memory because acetylcholine is one of the brain's main signals for attention and learning. For more on that system, see acetylcholine for memory. For how the brain changes as you learn, see neuroplasticity and learning.

Citicoline Benefits: What Human Studies Show

Memory in older adults

In a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 100 healthy men and women aged 50 to 85 with age-associated memory complaints took 500 mg of citicoline a day or a placebo. Those taking citicoline improved more on episodic memory, the memory of events and details, and on a composite memory score. Ninety-nine of the 100 finished the study, and the researchers, who tracked adverse events, blood pressure and blood tests, concluded that regular citicoline may be safe (Nakazaki et al., 2021).

A 2023 review of the research described randomized, placebo-controlled trials in cognitively normal middle-aged and older adults that found positive effects of citicoline on memory (Świątkiewicz and Grieb, 2023).

Brain energy

In 16 healthy adults with an average age of 47, taking 500 mg or 2,000 mg of citicoline a day for 6 weeks raised phosphocreatine by 7 percent and ATP-related compounds by 14 percent in the front of the brain, measured by brain scans, and changed the phospholipids that make up cell membranes. The changes tended to be larger in the lower dose group (Silveri et al., 2008).

Brain energy is also where two other ingredients come in: PQQ, which is linked to making new mitochondria (PQQ benefits), and ergothioneine, an antioxidant the body stores in cells (ergothioneine benefits).

Acetylcholine is made from choline plus an acetyl group, and acetyl-L-carnitine is one compound that can supply that acetyl group; see our acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) guide.

Citicoline Dosage: How Much to Take

Study	Who	Amount a day	How long
Memory trial	100 healthy adults, 50 to 85	500 mg	12 weeks
Brain energy scans	16 healthy adults, average age 47	500 mg or 2,000 mg	6 weeks
Blood levels	12 adults	500, 2,000 or 4,000 mg, single doses	One day each

Sources: Nakazaki et al., 2021, Silveri et al., 2008 and Wurtman et al., 2000. Most people follow 500 mg a day, the amount used in the longest trial in healthy adults. Follow your product label.

Across these studies, the citicoline dosage per day ranged from 500 mg to 2,000 mg for daily use over 6 to 12 weeks, with single doses of up to 4,000 mg in the blood level study. Because citicoline is about 20 percent choline, 2,000 mg supplies roughly 400 mg of choline. Count that toward the adult upper limit of 3,500 mg of choline a day from all sources (NIH ODS: Choline).

When to Take Citicoline

The trials gave citicoline once a day without testing a best time. In the blood level study, a single morning dose kept blood choline raised for 5 to 10 hours (Wurtman et al., 2000), which is one reason many people take it in the morning or early in the day. The memory benefits in the trials came from taking it every day for weeks, so consistency matters more than the hour.

For how citicoline compares with other choline sources, from bitartrate to lecithin, see our guide to choline supplements.

How Long Does Citicoline Take to Work?

It depends on what is being measured. The studies in this guide took their measurements at three points:

• Hours: in the blood level study, a single dose raised blood choline for 5 to 10 hours, and 500 mg raised blood uridine by as much as 70 to 90 percent (Wurtman et al., 2000).
• 6 weeks: after 6 weeks of daily citicoline, brain scans showed phosphocreatine 7 percent higher and ATP-related compounds 14 percent higher in the front of the brain in healthy adults (Silveri et al., 2008).
• 12 weeks: the memory results came after 12 weeks of 500 mg a day in healthy adults aged 50 to 85 (Nakazaki et al., 2021).

Both the brain energy and memory results came from taking citicoline every day, so a steady daily routine matches what the studies tested.

Citicoline Side Effects and What to Avoid

• At studied amounts: in the 12-week trial of 500 mg a day, the researchers tracked adverse events, blood pressure and blood tests and concluded regular citicoline may be safe (Nakazaki et al., 2021).
• Too much choline: very high choline intakes are linked to a fishy body odor, vomiting, heavy sweating and salivation, low blood pressure and liver toxicity. The adult upper limit is 3,500 mg of choline a day from food and supplements (NIH ODS: Choline).
• Stacking choline sources: if you take citicoline with alpha GPC or another choline supplement, add up the choline from each label.
• Check first with your clinician if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take prescription medicine, or are being treated for a medical condition.

Citicoline and PQQ Together

Citicoline and PQQ are often paired because they support brain energy from two different directions. Citicoline supplies building blocks: choline for acetylcholine and brain cell membranes, and cytidine, which becomes uridine. PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a compound found naturally in foods and studied for its antioxidant activity and its role in mitochondria, the energy makers inside cells. Each has its own human trial:

	Citicoline	PQQ
What it does	Supplies choline and cytidine for acetylcholine and cell membranes	Supports mitochondria and acts as an antioxidant
Studied amount	500 mg a day for 12 weeks	21.5 mg a day for 12 weeks
Who took part	100 healthy adults aged 50 to 85 with everyday memory complaints	64 healthy adults aged 40 to 80 who felt they had become more forgetful
What improved	Episodic memory and a composite memory score	Memory, attention, reaction time and cognitive flexibility scores
Source	Nakazaki et al., 2021	Shiojima et al., 2022

No adverse events were reported in the PQQ group (Shiojima et al., 2022). A third ingredient often added is ergothioneine, an antioxidant the body stores in its cells; see ergothioneine benefits and PQQ benefits. This trio is the formula of our planned Brain Energy Capsules, described below.

Does Citicoline Help Brain Fog?

Brain fog is a description, not something the citicoline trials measured. What they measured was memory in older adults and energy markers in the brain, both of which improved with daily citicoline. If brain fog is your main concern, look at sleep, stress and your whole routine too; see best supplements for energy and focus and best supplements for focus and concentration, and our cognitive health hub.

Coming soon from Synchronicity: our Brain Energy Capsules are planned with citicoline 500 mg, the amount used in the 12-week memory trial, plus PQQ 20 mg and L-ergothioneine 25 mg per serving, with no caffeine. Join the waitlist on the product page to hear when they launch; no payment is taken.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does citicoline do?

It breaks down into choline and cytidine. Choline is used to make acetylcholine and brain cell membranes; cytidine becomes uridine, which supports synaptic membranes.

Is citicoline the same as CDP-choline?

Yes. Citicoline is the generic name for CDP-choline, short for cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine.

How much citicoline should I take?

The longest trial in healthy adults used 500 mg a day for 12 weeks. A 6-week brain scan study used 500 or 2,000 mg a day. Follow your product label.

When is the best time of day to take citicoline?

The trials did not test a best time. Many people take it in the morning, since a single dose raised blood choline for 5 to 10 hours. Taking it every day matters most.

How long does citicoline take to work?

The memory trial measured results after 12 weeks, and the brain energy study after 6 weeks, so think in weeks, not hours.

What are the side effects of citicoline?

At 500 mg a day for 12 weeks, the trial researchers concluded citicoline may be safe. Very high choline intakes can cause a fishy body odor, sweating, stomach upset and low blood pressure.

What should you avoid when taking citicoline?

Avoid stacking several choline supplements without adding up the choline, and stay within the adult upper limit of 3,500 mg of choline a day. Check with your clinician if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.

Can I take citicoline with alpha GPC?

Some focus stacks combine them. Count the choline from both. See citicoline vs alpha GPC for how they differ.

What is citicoline used for?

Citicoline is used as a supplement to support memory and brain energy. In a 12-week trial of 100 healthy adults aged 50 to 85 with everyday memory complaints, 500 mg a day improved episodic memory more than placebo, and in a 6-week study of healthy adults it raised energy markers in the front of the brain. It also supplies choline for acetylcholine and brain cell membranes.

What is the difference between citicoline and choline?

Choline is a nutrient. Citicoline is a compound that breaks down into choline plus cytidine, which the body converts to uridine, a building block for synaptic membranes. Citicoline is about 20 percent choline by weight, so a 500 mg serving supplies roughly 100 mg of choline along with the cytidine.

Is it safe to take citicoline every day?

In the 12-week trial, 100 healthy adults took 500 mg or a placebo every day. Ninety-nine finished, and the researchers, who tracked adverse events, blood pressure and blood tests, concluded regular citicoline may be safe. Stay within the adult upper limit of 3,500 mg of choline a day from all sources, and check with your clinician if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take medication.

Can I take citicoline with PQQ?

Yes, they are often combined. In separate 12-week trials, citicoline was taken at 500 mg a day and PQQ at 21.5 mg a day. Check with your clinician if you take prescription medicine.

Is citicoline a stimulant?

No. Citicoline is a choline compound, not a stimulant, and it contains no caffeine, so it can sit alongside your usual coffee or tea.

What is a good citicoline stack?

Common pairings are PQQ and ergothioneine for brain energy, or a choline-aware stack with alpha GPC; if you combine choline sources, add up the choline from each label.

Is citicoline natural?

Yes. Citicoline is a natural metabolite present in all living cells. Taken as a supplement, it breaks down into choline and cytidine, which join the body's normal pathways.

Does citicoline give you energy right away?

It is not a stimulant and contains no caffeine, so it does not work like coffee. A single dose raised blood choline for 5 to 10 hours, but the brain energy markers rose after 6 weeks of daily use.

Who has citicoline been studied in?

The studies in this guide were in healthy adults: 100 adults aged 50 to 85 with everyday memory complaints over 12 weeks, 16 adults with an average age of 47 over 6 weeks, and 12 adults in a single-dose blood level study.

Sources

• Nakazaki E, et al. Citicoline and Memory Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. J Nutr. 2021. PubMed 33978188
• Silveri MM, et al. Citicoline enhances frontal lobe bioenergetics as measured by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. NMR Biomed. 2008. PubMed 18816480
• Wurtman RJ, et al. Effect of oral CDP-choline on plasma choline and uridine levels in humans. Biochem Pharmacol. 2000. PubMed 10974208
• Świątkiewicz M, Grieb P. Citicoline for Supporting Memory in Aging Humans. Aging Dis. 2023. PubMed 37196134
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Choline: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
• Shiojima Y, et al. Effect of Dietary Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt on Cognitive Function in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2022. PubMed 34415830

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.