Tier 2 — strong

High intakes of choline and betaine reduce breast cancer mortality in a population-based study

Xinran Xu, Marilie D Gammon, Steven H Zeisel, Patrick T Bradshaw, James G Wetmur, Susan L Teitelbaum, Alfred I Neugut, Regina M Santella, Jia Chen
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 2009 23(11):4022-4028

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 19635752
PubMed Central
PMC2775010
DOI
10.1096/fj.09-136507
Funding
Indexed grant support: P30 ES010126 — NIEHS NIH HHS — United States; DK55865 — NIDDK NIH HHS — United States; R01 DK055865 — NIDDK NIH HHS — United States; UO1CA/ES66572 — NCI NIH HHS — United States; CA109753 — NCI NIH HHS — United States; P30ES009089 — NIEHS NIH HHS — United States; P30 DK056350 — NIDDK NIH HHS — United States; R01 CA109753 — NCI NIH HHS — United States; P30ES10126 — NIEHS NIH HHS — United States; U01 CA066572 — NCI NIH HHS — United States; DK56350 — NIDDK NIH HHS — United States; UO1CA66572 — NCI NIH HHS — United States; P30 ES009089 — NIEHS NIH HHS — United States. The indexed list may not contain the complete funding declaration.
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration was not available in the indexed record or accessible disclosure metadata.

Study snapshot

DesignPopulation-based cancer survival study
ModelHuman participants
Sample1508 women with breast cancer; 308 deaths
InterventionHabitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationFollow-up through December 2005
EndpointsBreast-cancer mortality

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2009, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Population-based cancer survival study. Sample/model: 1508 women with breast cancer; 308 deaths. The exposure or intervention was Habitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Follow-up through December 2005.

Higher betaine and selected choline intakes were associated with lower mortality after breast-cancer diagnosis.

Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome.

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Key findings

  • Higher betaine and selected choline intakes were associated with lower mortality after breast-cancer diagnosis.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Breast-cancer mortality.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Habitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment; Follow-up through December 2005.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome.
  • 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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Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

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