Tier 2 — strong

Acute effect of folic acid, betaine, and serine supplements on flow-mediated dilation after methionine loading: a randomized trial

Margreet R Olthof, Michiel L Bots, Martijn B Katan, Petra Verhoef
PLoS clinical trials 2006 1(1):e4

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 16871326
PubMed Central
PMC1488894
DOI
10.1371/journal.pctr.0010004
Funding
Funding was not specified in the indexed record or accessible funding metadata.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized crossover controlled trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample39 adults aged 50-70 years
InterventionBetaine 3 g, folic acid 10 mg, serine 5 g or placebo with a methionine load
DurationAcute 6-hour assessment; repeated treatment days
EndpointsHomocysteine; Flow-mediated dilation

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2006, this source examined homocysteine, methylation and vascular function. Design: Randomized crossover controlled trial. Sample/model: 39 adults aged 50-70 years. The exposure or intervention was Betaine 3 g, folic acid 10 mg, serine 5 g or placebo with a methionine load. Follow-up or treatment period: Acute 6-hour assessment; repeated treatment days.

Betaine reduced the induced rise in homocysteine but did not improve brachial artery flow-mediated dilation compared with placebo.

A vascular surrogate measured over hours; results do not resolve long-term effects in people with vascular disease.

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

Key findings

  • Betaine reduced the induced rise in homocysteine but did not improve brachial artery flow-mediated dilation compared with placebo.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Homocysteine; Flow-mediated dilation.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Betaine 3 g, folic acid 10 mg, serine 5 g or placebo with a methionine load; Acute 6-hour assessment; repeated treatment days.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • A vascular surrogate measured over hours; results do not resolve long-term effects in people with vascular disease.
  • 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: Accessible full-text extract plus indexed bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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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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Low dose betaine supplementation leads to immediate and long term lowering of plasma homocysteine in healthy men and women
Margreet R Olthof et al. · The Journal of nutrition · 2003

Editorial review

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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