Citicoline (CDP-Choline)
An RCT in healthy older adults (Spiers et al., 1996) found 1000mg/day improved delayed verbal recall in people with relatively inefficient memory, with 2000mg/day improving immediate and delayed recall. A 2023 meta-analysis found a positive effect on cognitive status in MCI and dementia, but rated study quality poor with a high risk of bias. The 2005 Cochrane review found benefit on memory and behaviour in older adults with chronic cerebral disorders but no evidence of benefit on attention. In acute ischemic stroke, a dose-response RCT (Clark 1997) found better functional outcomes, with 500mg the optimal dose.
エビデンス確認日:
作用機序
Citicoline (cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine) is a precursor to both acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine. It boosts acetylcholine synthesis in the brain — the neurotransmitter central to attention, learning, and memory encoding. It also supports neuronal membrane integrity by replenishing phospholipids.
臨床エビデンスの概要
An RCT in healthy older adults (Spiers et al., 1996) found 1000mg/day improved delayed verbal recall in people with relatively inefficient memory, with 2000mg/day improving immediate and delayed recall. A 2023 meta-analysis found a positive effect on cognitive status in MCI and dementia, but rated study quality poor with a high risk of bias. The 2005 Cochrane review found benefit on memory and behaviour in older adults with chronic cerebral disorders but no evidence of benefit on attention. In acute ischemic stroke, a dose-response RCT (Clark 1997) found better functional outcomes, with 500mg the optimal dose.
ヒト効果マトリクス
Based on human clinical trials only. Animal and in-vitro data excluded.
| 効果 | エビデンス | 効果の大きさ | 研究数 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attention & Focus | mixed | 小 | 2 |
| Working Memory | moderate | 中 | 2 |
| Neuroprotection | moderate | 中 | 1 |
Evidence key: Strong = multiple consistent RCTs · Moderate = smaller/fewer RCTs · Preliminary = early trials or small n · Mixed = conflicting results
実証された効果
- Verbal memory in older adults with weaker memory
- Cognitive status in MCI and dementia (low-quality evidence)
- Functional recovery after ischemic stroke (one RCT)
副作用と注意事項
- Very well tolerated — no drug-related serious adverse events in the stroke dose-response RCT
- Rare: headache at very high doses
- Insomnia if taken late in the day
摂取方法
スタッキングの推奨
Citicoline (CDP-Choline)と相性の良い成分とその理由。
Citicoline handles acute attention and acetylcholine; Bacopa covers long-term memory consolidation. The combination addresses both short-term focus and long-term memory in one stack.
Citicoline provides cognitive activation; L-Theanine takes the edge off overstimulation. Together they produce alert, focused calm without the jitteriness some people experience from citicoline alone.
Complementary timeframes: citicoline works acutely on acetylcholine; Lion's Mane works long-term on NGF. No mechanism overlap — a clean combination.
よくある質問
Citicoline vs choline bitartrate — what is the difference?
Citicoline is significantly superior. It crosses the blood-brain barrier more efficiently and provides two active components: choline (for acetylcholine) and cytidine (which converts to uridine, a brain membrane building block). Choline bitartrate provides choline only and crosses the BBB poorly.
Should I split my dose?
At 250mg, a single morning dose is fine. At 500mg, some people split it into 250mg morning and 250mg early afternoon for smoother coverage. Avoid any dose after 2–3pm as the mildly activating effect can delay sleep onset.
I got a headache after taking citicoline — is this normal?
A headache from citicoline at standard doses (250–500mg) is unusual and may indicate you are sensitive to cholinergic compounds or already getting significant choline from diet/other supplements. Try reducing to 250mg and do not combine with Alpha-GPC or other choline sources on the same day.
Cognizin vs generic CDP-Choline — does the brand matter?
Cognizin is the most clinically validated form and is tested for purity. Generic CDP-Choline can be fine if sourced from reputable suppliers, but quality varies more. For critical cognitive work, the premium branded form is worth the marginal cost increase.
Top stacks containing Citicoline (CDP-Choline)
Citicoline (CDP-Choline) in Japan
Citicoline sits on the pharmaceutical side of Japan's records. It is not an entry in either half of MHLW's food-drug demarcation list, 「食薬区分における成分本質（原材料）の取扱いの例示」 — neither the list of ingredients treated exclusively as pharmaceuticals nor the list of ingredients not judged pharmaceutical when no drug-like claim is made — while citicoline appears in Japan's NHI drug-price code records as an injectable prescription item: a September 2025 MHLW notice lists code 620004406 シチコリン注５００ｍｇ／２ｍＬ「日医工」 ２５％ among transitional-measure products being removed from the price list from October 2025. A buyer in Japan should therefore treat citicoline as a prescription-drug ingredient in the domestic system, not as a notified functional food ingredient.
Citicoline's place in Japan's food-drug divide
MHLW maintains two linked lists under 「食薬区分における成分本質（原材料）の取扱いの例示」: 別添１「専ら医薬品として使用される成分本質（原材料）リスト」 for ingredients treated exclusively as drugs, and 別添２「医薬品的効能効果を標ぼうしない限り医薬品と判断しない成分本質（原材料）リスト」 for ingredients not automatically drug-classified absent a drug-like claim. The consolidated text of both lists, as amended through the 令和5年2月17日 notification, carries no entry for citicoline under any of its names. What Japan's records do document is citicoline's presence in the NHI drug-price code records as an injectable pharmaceutical item — the form in which citicoline has been used in Japanese medicine — including a 2025 notice removing one such product code from the price list.
Products in Japan
Consumer Affairs Agency (FFC)
Is citicoline a notified functional food ingredient in Japan?
Citicoline does not appear in either half of MHLW's food-drug ingredient lists, and what Japan's records document instead is citicoline as an injectable prescription item in the NHI drug-price code records ("シチコリン注５００ｍｇ／２ｍＬ"). An imported citicoline supplement has no domestic food-side classification to point to.
What does citicoline's absence from MHLW's ingredient lists mean?
The 食薬区分 lists record ingredients whose status MHLW has set out; an ingredient that is not on either list has no published food-side determination. Combined with citicoline's documented presence in the NHI drug-price code records as an injectable pharmaceutical item, that leaves citicoline in Japan as a prescription-drug ingredient rather than a food ingredient with a notified claim.
Sources: MHLW — 食薬区分における成分本質（原材料）の取扱いの例示の一部改正について (令和5年2月17日薬生監麻発第217001号) · MHLW 診療報酬情報提供サービス — 医薬品コード 省略漢字名称変更のお知らせ（令和7年10月診療分から適用）
Regulatory note
本ページは教育目的の編集コンテンツであり、医学的助言を構成するものではありません。日本国内で販売される機能性表示食品（FFC）および特定保健用食品（FOSHU）は、消費者庁への届出または許可を必要とします。届出のない輸入品については、日本の薬機法（旧薬事法）の下で疾病治療を示唆する表現は規制されます。サプリメントを開始する前に、必ず資格のある医療専門家にご相談ください。This page is editorial and not medical advice. Foods with Function Claims (FFC) and Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) sold in Japan require notification or approval from the Consumer Affairs Agency. Imported products without notification cannot make disease-treatment claims under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (PMD) Act. Note: In July 2026, the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) opened a public comment period (Notice No. 235080088, closes 30 July 2026) on proposed revisions to permitted claim wording for FFC-notified ingredients including DHA, phosphatidylserine, and NMN; compliant claim language may require updating once the final Cabinet Office Order is published. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement.
出典 (6)展開
- PMID 15846601Cytidinediphosphocholine (CDP-choline) for cognitive and behavioural disturbances associated with chronic cerebral disorders in the elderly (2005)
- PMID 36678257Is Citicoline Effective in Preventing and Slowing Down Dementia? – A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis (2023)
- PMID 8624220Citicoline improves verbal memory in aging (1996)
- PMID 9305321A randomized dose-response trial of citicoline in acute ischemic stroke patients (1997)
- PMID 25046515Improvements in concentration, working memory and sustained attention following consumption of a natural citicoline-caffeine beverage (2014)
- PMID 41754112The Real-World Early Neuroprotective Effects of Oral Citicoline Combination in Prodromal Dementia (2026)