How Many Days Can You Use Citicoline? A Guide to Treatment Duration

October 6, 2025 •

3 min read

According to WebMD, citicoline is generally considered possibly safe for oral use for up to 12 weeks, with some studies suggesting safe use for specific conditions for much longer. The appropriate duration of citicoline use depends heavily on the condition being addressed and should always be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Quick Summary

The safe and effective duration for citicoline use varies, ranging from several weeks for general cognitive support to over a year for post-stroke recovery or glaucoma treatment. Safety is generally favorable, with mild and infrequent side effects reported in clinical trials.

Key Points

Duration Varies by Condition: Citicoline usage time is not fixed and depends on the specific medical issue, ranging from weeks for cognitive enhancement to over a year for stroke recovery.
Short-Term Use (3 Months): For general cognitive support and age-related memory decline, oral citicoline is often considered safe for up to 12 weeks or 90 days.
Long-Term Use (1+ Year): For specific conditions like post-stroke cognitive impairment or glaucoma, long-term administration for 12 months or more has been found to be safe and effective in clinical studies.
Generally Well-Tolerated: Citicoline has a favorable safety profile with few and mild side effects, such as headaches or digestive issues, reported even in multi-year trials.
Consult a Healthcare Professional: It is crucial to consult a doctor to determine the appropriate duration for your individual needs and health context.
Formulation Matters: The duration can also be influenced by the method of administration (oral, eye drops, or IV).

Understanding the Recommended Duration for Citicoline

Citicoline, also known as CDP-choline, is a naturally occurring compound that plays a vital role in brain health by supporting the formation of cell membranes and increasing neurotransmitter levels. As a dietary supplement, it is widely used for its potential cognitive benefits. However, the question of "how many days can you use citicoline?" has no single answer, as the optimal treatment duration is highly dependent on the medical condition and treatment context.

Short-Term Use: Weeks to Months

For general cognitive enhancement and age-related memory issues, studies and clinical reviews often cite short-term usage periods. This typically spans from a few weeks up to three months. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that healthy older adults with age-associated memory impairment showed improved memory function after taking citicoline for 12 weeks. For dietary supplementation, some sources note that oral citicoline is considered possibly safe when used short-term, with one source specifying up to 90 days. During this period, side effects are rare and generally mild, such as digestive upset or headaches.

Long-Term Use: Months to Years

For more serious medical conditions, such as post-stroke recovery or glaucoma, long-term citicoline administration has been investigated in clinical trials. A study involving patients with first-ever ischemic stroke showed that treatment with citicoline for 12 months was safe and effective in improving post-stroke cognitive decline. Other research indicates that treatment can continue for up to two years to improve cognitive status and quality of life in stroke patients. In ophthalmology, specifically for conditions like glaucoma, citicoline 2% eye drops were found to be possibly safe when used for up to 3 years, with some long-term oral treatment studies lasting 2-8 years showing positive results. This prolonged administration is often necessary to see sustained neuroprotective and reparative effects, supporting the brain's plasticity over time.

Factors Influencing Treatment Duration

Medical Condition: The primary condition being treated is the most significant factor. Acute issues like a recent stroke may require an initial short course followed by a prolonged maintenance period, whereas chronic conditions like glaucoma may warrant multi-year treatment.
Administration: The method of administration, which can be orally (pills, solutions), intravenously, or via eye drops, each may have a different optimal usage timeframe depending on the condition.
Individual Response: A patient's unique response, including the presence of side effects or lack of efficacy, will inform a doctor's decision to continue, alter, or discontinue treatment. Citicoline has a favorable safety profile, with comparable adverse events to placebo in many trials.

Duration of Citicoline Use by Condition: A Comparison


Condition	Typical Duration	Notes
Age-Related Memory Impairment	12 weeks	Study in healthy older adults showed benefits in memory function after this period.
Dietary Supplementation	Up to 90 days / 12 weeks	Often used in short-term cycles for cognitive support, though long-term safety isn't definitively established for general use.
Post-Ischemic Stroke	12 months or longer	Studies show improved cognitive and functional outcomes with long-term use in patients with post-stroke cognitive decline.
Glaucoma (Eye Drops)	Up to 3 years	Clinical trials have demonstrated safety and potential benefits for up to three years of use.
Glaucoma (Oral)	2 to 8 years	Some long-term observational studies suggest benefits with oral administration over many years.
Traumatic Brain Injury	Up to 60 days (oral) or 21 days (IV)	Some trials have used shorter durations to investigate effects after moderate to severe head injury.
Methamphetamine Dependence	8 weeks	Clinical studies investigating addiction have used this duration.

Conclusion: Tailoring Treatment to Individual Needs

To answer the question, "how many days can you use citicoline?", the most accurate response is to consult a healthcare professional. While short-term usage is common for mild cognitive support, the duration can be extended significantly for specific chronic conditions like post-stroke cognitive decline and glaucoma. Clinical trials have established that even prolonged use of citicoline is remarkably safe and well-tolerated, with side effects being infrequent and mild. The extended treatment periods studied in chronic conditions indicate that citicoline's benefits, particularly its neurorepair effects, are most pronounced over time.

It is essential to follow the guidance of a doctor who can recommend a safe duration based on your specific health profile and the condition being treated. This ensures that the use of citicoline is both safe and effective for achieving desired health outcomes.

Visit the NIH website for more authoritative information on clinical trial outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

For general cognitive support in healthy adults, citicoline is often used short-term. Studies have investigated its use for up to 12 weeks and found it to be safe and beneficial for memory.

Yes, for specific conditions like post-stroke recovery and glaucoma, clinical studies have shown that long-term citicoline treatment, extending up to 12 months or even several years, is safe and well-tolerated.

There is no evidence suggesting negative effects from stopping citicoline abruptly. The benefits gained during treatment, particularly for chronic conditions, may decline over time after cessation.

Long-term citicoline use has a good safety record, with a low incidence of mild side effects such as headaches, nausea, or digestive issues. Serious adverse events have not been widely reported in clinical trials.

For stroke patients, the duration is typically long-term to support recovery and reduce cognitive decline. Studies have used durations of 12 months or more, with improvements in cognitive function continuing over time.

Citicoline use in children should only occur under the guidance of a healthcare provider. Some sources indicate it may be possibly safe for up to one year in children under 13, but there is limited data.

The duration can vary by administration method. For instance, citicoline eye drops for glaucoma have been used for up to 3 years in studies, whereas oral supplementation might have shorter or longer durations depending on the condition being treated.