Tier 2 — strong

Low dose betaine supplementation leads to immediate and long term lowering of plasma homocysteine in healthy men and women

Margreet R Olthof, Trinette van Vliet, Esther Boelsma, Petra Verhoef
The Journal of nutrition 2003 133(12):4135-4138

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 14652361
DOI
10.1093/jn/133.12.4135
Funding
Funding was not specified in the indexed record or accessible funding metadata.
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration was not available in the indexed record or accessible disclosure metadata.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized controlled trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample76 healthy adults; four groups of 19
InterventionBetaine 1.5, 3 or 6 g/day versus placebo
Duration6 weeks
EndpointsHomocysteine; Dose response

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2003, this source examined homocysteine, methylation and vascular function. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Sample/model: 76 healthy adults; four groups of 19. The exposure or intervention was Betaine 1.5, 3 or 6 g/day versus placebo. Follow-up or treatment period: 6 weeks.

Fasting homocysteine was approximately 12%, 15% and 20% lower than placebo at increasing doses. The rise after a methionine challenge was also reduced.

Short biochemical study; cardiovascular events and longevity were not measured.

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Continue with TMG and Homocysteine: How Much Can Betaine Lower It?

Key findings

  • Fasting homocysteine was approximately 12%, 15% and 20% lower than placebo at increasing doses.
  • The rise after a methionine challenge was also reduced.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Homocysteine; Dose response.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Betaine 1.5, 3 or 6 g/day versus placebo; 6 weeks.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Short biochemical study; cardiovascular events and longevity were not measured.
  • An individual controlled trial must be interpreted alongside its comparator, sample size, endpoint selection and independent replication. It does not validate a different commercial formulation or a general longevity claim.
  • Source basis: Indexed abstract and bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Betaine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine in healthy adult participants: a meta-analysis
Marc P McRae et al. · Journal of chiropractic medicine · 2013
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Effects of betaine supplementation on cardiovascular markers: A systematic review and Meta-analysis
Damoon Ashtary-Larky et al. · Critical reviews in food science and nutrition · 2022
Tier 2
Effect of homocysteine-lowering nutrients on blood lipids: results from four randomised, placebo-controlled studies in healthy humans
Margreet R Olthof et al. · PLoS medicine · 2005
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Betaine supplementation lowers plasma homocysteine in healthy men and women
Gery R Steenge et al. · The Journal of nutrition · 2003

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology