Deanol
Deanol

Background

Deanol is a chemical that can be converted into choline. Choline is involved in a series of reactions that form acetylcholine, a chemical that is found in the brain and other areas of the body. Acetylcholine is a "neurotransmitter" that helps nerve cells communicate.

Deanol is used for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer disease, autism, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Deanol was previously sold by Riker Laboratories as the prescription drug Deaner. It was prescribed for the management of children with behavior problems and learning difficulties. Deanol is not an approved food additive in the U.S., nor is it an orphan drug, as some advertising suggests.
When taken by mouth: Deanol is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken short-term. Most people do not experience side effects. But deanol might cause constipation, diarrhea, itching, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, vivid dreams, confusion, mood changes, or increased blood pressure.

When applied to the skin: Deanol is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the skin, short-term.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if deanol is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Depression: Deanol might make depression worse.

Schizophrenia: Deanol might make schizophrenia symptoms worse.

Tonic-clonic seizures: Deanol should not be used by people with tonic-clonic seizure disorders.

Effectiveness

NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Likely effective Effectiveness definitions
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
Likely ineffective Effectiveness definitions
  • Alzheimer disease. Deanol does not seem to improve Alzheimer disease.
  • A movement disorder often caused by antipsychotic drugs (tardive dyskinesia). Deanol does not seem to improve tardive dyskinesia.
Possibly ineffective Effectiveness definitions
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions
  • Athletic performance. Early research shows that taking deanol along with ginseng, vitamins, and minerals for 6 weeks might improve athletic performance in some people. However, it's unclear if taking deanol by itself improves athletic performance.
  • Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research on the use of deanol for ADHD-like symptoms is mixed. Some early research shows that taking deanol daily for up to 3 months might improve some ADHD symptoms, but other research suggests that deanol does not treat ADHD in children. The children in these studies were not diagnosed with ADHD using current guidelines. It is not clear how deanol would work in children diagnosed with ADHD.
  • Memory.
  • Aging skin.
  • Extending life span.
  • Autism.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of deanol for these uses.

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of deanol depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for deanol. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

Interactions with pharmaceuticals

Drying medications (Anticholinergic drugs)

Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.

Some drying medications are called anticholinergic drugs. Deanol might increase chemicals that can decrease the effects of these drying medications.

Some drying medications include atropine, scopolamine, and some medications used for allergies (antihistamines), and for depression (antidepressants).

Various medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, and other conditions (Cholinergic drugs)

Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.

Deanol might increase a chemical in the body called acetylcholine. This chemical is similar to some medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, and other conditions. Taking deanol with these medications might increase the chance of side effects.

Some of these medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, and other conditions include pilocarpine (Pilocar and others), donepezil (Aricept), tacrine (Cognex), and others.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.

Action

Deanol is needed to build the chemical choline. Having more choline in the body might increase the production of acetylcholine, which is involved in brain and nervous system function.
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This monograph was last reviewed on 16/11/2023 11:00:00 and last updated on 03/09/2020 02:40:19. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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