Betaine: Benefits, Dosage, Contraindications
Other name(s)
TMG
Scientific name(s)
Trimethylglycine
Family or group:
Phytochemicals
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Homocystinuria ✪✪✪✪✪
Homocystinuria is a genetic disorder in which patients fail to convert homocysteine (an amino acid) into cysteine, resulting in the accumulation of homocysteine in the blood and urine. Betaine, in combination with vitamins B6, B9, and B12, is used to alleviate the symptoms of this rare disease. A maintenance dose of 3 grams of anhydrous betaine is typically taken twice daily. However, the dose can be individually increased based on plasma concentrations of homocysteine and methionine. Doses up to 20 grams per day may be necessary. For children under three years of age, the initial dose is 100 mg/kg per day, with a weekly dose increase of 50 mg/kg.
Posologie
Oral
6 - 20 g
powder
Synergies
Hyperhomocysteinemia ✪✪✪✪✪
Most clinical research shows that taking betaine 3 to 6 grams per day for 12 weeks can slightly reduce plasma homocysteine levels by 5.5% to 15% in individuals with normal or slightly elevated levels (<25 micromoles/L), and by 20% to 40% in individuals with elevated homocysteine levels.
Posologie
Oral
3 - 6 g
12 - weeks
powder
Long-term effect of betaine on risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome in healthy subjects.
Betaine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine concentrations but does not affect body weight, body composition, or resting energy expenditure in human subjects.
Orally administered betaine has an acute and dose-dependent effect on serum betaine and plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy humans.
Dietary and supplementary betaine: effects on betaine and homocysteine concentrations in males.
The effect of low doses of betaine on plasma homocysteine in healthy volunteers
Betaine supplementation lowers plasma homocysteine in healthy men and women.
Dry mouth ✪✪✪✪✪
Symptoms of dry mouth caused either by a pathological condition (such as Sjögren's syndrome) or by pharmaceuticals, appear to be significantly alleviated after applying a toothpaste containing 4% anhydrous betaine twice a day for 2 weeks.
Posologie
Oral
2 - weeks
toothpaste
Hepatic Steatosis ✪✪✪✪✪
Clinical research suggests that betaine may be useful for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (a condition affecting 20% of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, involving liver inflammation). Using 10 grams, twice daily, for 12 months can normalize liver enzymes and improve the degree of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis.
Posologie
Oral
20 g
12 - months
powder
Sports Performance ✪✪✪✪✪
Some clinical research suggests that betaine enhances certain factors associated with resistance training. Indeed, taking 2.5 grams of betaine per day for 2 weeks during resistance training improves work capacity and reduces post-exercise fatigue compared to placebo. Some studies suggest other benefits, including a reduction in fat mass in active, untrained women, and an improvement in sprint power in active women. In adolescent footballers, betaine improved muscle power, agility, and sprint time. Mechanism of action: Betaine may act as a methyl donor in creatine formation in the body (a natural amino acid derivative primarily found in muscle fibers and the brain), suggesting that it may enhance athletic performance and increase exercise tolerance and cardiac function in individuals with heart failure. Betaine may also increase overall oxygen consumption during physical training (anaerobic), although this is accompanied by increased work volume (which may be the causal factor).
Posologie
Oral
2.5 g
2 - weeks
powder
Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone.
Effect of 15 days of betaine ingestion on concentric and eccentric force outputs during isokinetic exercise.
Effects of Two-Week Betaine Supplementation on Apoptosis, Oxidative Stress, and Aerobic Capacity after Exhaustive Endurance Exercise
The effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance, skeletal muscle oxygen saturation and associated biochemical parameters in resistance trained men.
Betaine Supplementation Does Not Improve Muscle Hypertrophy or Strength Following 6 Weeks of Cross-Fit Training
Effects of Betaine Supplementation on Markers of Metabolic Flexibility, Body Composition, and Anaerobic Performance in Active College-Age Females
Properties
Metabolic
Betaine, through the enzyme betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), reduces homocysteine to methionine, one of the two pathways for homocysteine (the other being a folate-dependent mechanism). Deficiencies in choline or dietary betaine lead to an increased need for dietary folate to compensate. On the other hand, betaine is an "osmolyte" (a molecule that regulates the water balance of cells) that maintains normal cell volume and protects intracellular enzymes under osmotic stress conditions without interfering with cell function. Through this mechanism, it protects renal cells from high concentrations of electrolytes and urea.
Usages associés
Hepato-protective
Betaine attenuates alcoholic liver disease by reducing oxidative stress, increasing the synthesis of S-adenosyl methionine (a metabolite involved in methyl group transfer reactions) and glutathione (GSH) (involved in detoxification and elimination of reactive oxygen species), and decreasing hepatic homocysteine levels. It also triggers a cascade of events leading to the mobilization of liver triglycerides and simultaneously reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress responses (a cellular organelle that synthesizes proteins). Thus, it can act as a lipotropic agent, preventing or reducing fat accumulation in the liver.
Usages associés
Musculoskeletal Effects
Betaine plays a key role in converting homocysteine into methionine, an essential amino acid for the synthesis of compounds like creatine and carnitine, which are important for muscle growth and strength. Studies suggest that betaine consumption can positively influence muscle mass, particularly in middle-aged adults. These studies have revealed that those with high betaine consumption lose less skeletal muscle mass over a three-year period and may even see an increase in leg muscle mass compared to those with low consumption.
Safety dosage
Adult from 18 years: 1.5 g - 6 g (powder)
European health authorities (EFSA, European Food Safety Authority and the European Commission) state that products containing betaine can claim to contribute to normal homocysteine metabolism only if they contain at least 500 mg of betaine per serving, and if the labeling informs the consumer that a beneficial effect is only observed with a daily intake of 1.5 grams or more of betaine. To reduce homocysteine levels, a daily dose of 3 to 6 g is most often recommended. In healthy individuals, a daily dose of 1.5 to 3 g is recommended.
Child from 3 years: 1.5 g - 6 g (powder)
Betaine is most often used at doses of 3 grams twice a day in children aged at least 3 years to reduce homocysteine levels.
Precautions
Hypercholesterolemia: use with caution
Clinical research suggests that anhydrous betaine may increase total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in healthy individuals, obese patients, and patients with chronic kidney disease. European health authorities (EFSA, European Food Safety Authority and the European Commission) state that labeling must specify that a daily intake of betaine above 4 grams may increase blood cholesterol levels.
Pregnant women: avoid
Avoid the use of betaine in pregnant women due to lack of reliable and sufficient information.
Breastfeeding women: avoid
Avoid the use of betaine in breastfeeding women due to lack of reliable and sufficient information.
