Citicoline
Summary
Citicoline supplies choline and cytidine. In 100 healthy older adults with age-related memory complaints, 500 mg/day for 12 weeks improved episodic memory (grade C). A 2,298-patient stroke trial found no benefit and stopped for futility. Reviews of dementia and MCI studies report positive but small, mixed-quality evidence.
Key facts
- A choline-containing intermediate in phosphatidylcholine synthesis[1]
- 500 mg/day for 12 weeks improved memory scores, especially episodic memory (100 people)[1]
- No benefit in the ICTUS trial of 2,298 patients; stopped for futility[2]
- Seven studies reported positive effects, mostly small or observational[3]
- 2 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
ProposedCiticoline breaks down to cytidine and choline, which are used to rebuild phosphatidylcholine in neuronal membranes and to make acetylcholine.[1]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memory | Grade C | Improved | RCT · n = 100 · 2021 | 1 row |
| Stroke | No effect | No effect | RCT · n = 2,298 · 2012 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memory in healthy older adults with age-associated memory impairment | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 100 · 2021 Healthy men and women aged 50–85 with age-associated memory impairment Form: Citicoline (Cognizin) · Dose: 500 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks Overall memory, especially episodic memory, improved more than with placebo. | 33978188 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Recovery after acute ischaemic stroke | No effect | No effect | RCT · n = 2,298 · 2012 Adults with moderate to severe acute ischaemic stroke Form: Citicoline, intravenous then oral · Dose: 1,000 mg every 12 hours IV for 3 days, then oral, for 6 weeks · Duration: 6 weeks of treatment; 90-day outcome Citicoline was not better than placebo; the trial stopped for futility. | 22691567 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citicoline sodium (e.g. Cognizin) | Varies | No head-to-head human absorption data versus other choline sources in the sources cited here. | Safety measures did not raise concerns in the 12-week memory trial.[1] | Memory and stroke trials |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 500 mg/day orally for 12 weeks in healthy older adults to 2,000 mg/day (IV, then oral) for 6 weeks after stroke.[1][2]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Other supplements
- Other choline sourcesNIH fact sheetCiticoline contributes choline; total choline counts toward the 3,500 mg/day adult upper limit.[4]
Who should be careful
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- The trials cited here did not enrol pregnant or breastfeeding people.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Where to buy Citicoline
Products from brands we partner with that contain Citicoline. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkCDP Choline2 capsules: 500 mg Cognizin citicoline, the dose used in the 2021 memory trial above; 30 servingsShop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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Frequently asked questions
Does citicoline improve memory?
One 12-week trial in healthy older adults with memory complaints found better episodic memory at 500 mg/day.[1]
Does citicoline help after a stroke?
The large ICTUS trial found no benefit.[2]
Citicoline or alpha-GPC?
Both supply choline; they were tested in different groups and not head to head in the sources cited here.
How much choline does citicoline provide?
About 20% of citicoline sodium by weight is choline (104 of 510 g/mol), so 500 mg supplies roughly 100 mg.[5]
Sources
- [1]Citicoline and Memory Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.. J Nutr, 2021. RCT
- [2]Citicoline in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke: an international, randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled study (ICTUS trial).. Lancet, 2012. RCT
- [3]Is Citicoline Effective in Preventing and Slowing Down Dementia?-A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis.. Nutrients, 2023. systematic-review
- [4]Choline: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2022. fact-sheet
- [5]Citicoline (compound summary). PubChem, NIH National Library of Medicine, 2026. database
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, journal and year taken from the PubMed record) and each evidence row written from its PubMed abstract.