Short answer: Citicoline is a nutrient that occurs naturally in the body, and it has been studied in healthy adults for focus and attention. In research, citicoline has generally been well tolerated, and the form MOSH® uses, Cognizin®, has self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for use in foods and beverages. As with any supplement ingredient, it is smart to check with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition. Below is what citicoline actually is, what it does, and how much is in a MOSH bar.
What is citicoline?
Citicoline (also called CDP-choline) is a compound your body makes on its own. It plays a role in producing phosphatidylcholine, a building block of healthy brain cell membranes, and it is involved in the pathways behind acetylcholine, one of the neurotransmitters tied to attention. In other words, it is a nutrient your brain already uses, which is part of why researchers have been interested in it as something you can also get from your diet.
What is Cognizin, and how is it different?
Cognizin is a patented, branded form of citicoline made through a fermentation process and standardized for purity. The reason it shows up in so much research is that the branded ingredient is what many clinical studies have actually tested, so the amounts and quality are consistent. When you see "Cognizin® Citicoline" on a MOSH wrapper, that is the studied form, not a generic stand-in. For more background, see our explainer on what Cognizin is and our overview of the role of citicoline as a nutrient for brain health.
Is citicoline safe?
For most healthy adults, citicoline has a reassuring track record. In clinical studies it has generally been well tolerated at the amounts tested, and Cognizin holds self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for use in foods and beverages. That said, "studied and well tolerated" is not the same as "right for everyone." If you are pregnant or nursing, buying for a child, or taking medication, talk with your healthcare provider first. MOSH bars are a food, not a treatment.
What does citicoline do?
Most of the interest in citicoline centers on focus and attention. In a randomized controlled trial, healthy women aged 40 to 60 who took Cognizin citicoline showed improvements on a measure of attention (McGlade et al., 2012), and researchers continue to study citicoline's relationship to attention in healthy adults. We are careful with our words here on purpose: research is encouraging, but a protein bar is not a medicine, and no single ingredient is a shortcut. Think of citicoline as one part of a bigger brain-healthy routine that also includes sleep, movement, and what is on your plate. For more on that, see what can help with brain fog and a roundup of functional foods for better brain health.
How much citicoline is in a MOSH bar?
Every MOSH bar contains 125mg of Cognizin® Citicoline. It is one of six functional ingredients in our Brain Blend, alongside Organic Lion's Mane, Ashwagandha (KSM-66®), Omega-3s from flaxseed, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D3. Our High Protein bars include all of those plus Creatine Monohydrate. We list the 125mg amount right on the label, because if an ingredient is worth putting on the front of the box, it is worth telling you how much you are getting.
How to get citicoline (the easy way)
You can find citicoline as a standalone supplement, but a lot of people would rather not add another pill to the morning. That is the whole idea behind MOSH: a snack you would actually reach for, with a studied amount of Cognizin Citicoline built in. It is brain and body fuel in one bar, with 11g to 20g of protein depending on the line, 4g of sugar or less, and a Brain Blend you can pronounce. Not sure where to start, our guide to which MOSH bar is right for you breaks down the difference between our Snack and High Protein lines.
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Frequently asked questions
Is citicoline safe?
For most healthy adults, citicoline has a reassuring track record and has generally been well tolerated at the amounts used in research. Cognizin, the branded form MOSH uses, holds self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for use in foods and beverages. If you are pregnant, nursing, buying for a child, or taking medication, talk with your healthcare provider first.
Is citicoline the same as choline?
Not quite. Citicoline (CDP-choline) is a compound that contributes to choline pathways in the body, but it is its own ingredient with its own research.
Does citicoline have caffeine?
No. Citicoline is not a stimulant and contains no caffeine. MOSH bars rely on the Brain Blend, not caffeine, for their brain-and-body angle.
How much citicoline is in a MOSH bar?
Every MOSH bar contains 125mg of Cognizin Citicoline.
Is Cognizin vegan?
The Cognizin ingredient is produced by fermentation. MOSH plant-based bars are vegan. Our whey and High Protein bars are made with a whey and milk protein blend and are not vegan.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Cognizin® is a registered trademark of KYOWA HAKKO BIO CO., LTD. KSM-66® is a registered trademark of Ixoreal Biomed.