Tier 2 — strong

Consumption of wheat aleurone-rich foods increases fasting plasma betaine and modestly decreases fasting homocysteine and LDL-cholesterol in adults

Ruth K Price, Edel M Keaveney, Lesley L Hamill, Julie M W Wallace, Mary Ward, Per M Ueland, Helene McNulty, J J Strain, Michael J Parker, Robert W Welch
The Journal of nutrition 2010 140(12):2153-2157

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 20980654
DOI
10.3945/jn.110.126961
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 food intervention
ModelHuman participants
Sample79 adults aged 45-65 with BMI at least 25
InterventionAleurone-rich cereal foods providing 27 g aleurone and about 279 mg additional betaine/day versus matched foods
Duration4 weeks
EndpointsBetaine status; Homocysteine; LDL cholesterol

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2010, this source examined food sources, absorption and nutrient metabolism. Design: Randomized food intervention. Sample/model: 79 adults aged 45-65 with BMI at least 25. The exposure or intervention was Aleurone-rich cereal foods providing 27 g aleurone and about 279 mg additional betaine/day versus matched foods. Follow-up or treatment period: 4 weeks.

Blood betaine increased and homocysteine fell modestly; LDL cholesterol also decreased.

Whole foods provide several active components, so the lipid and homocysteine effects cannot be assigned to betaine alone.

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Key findings

  • Blood betaine increased and homocysteine fell modestly; LDL cholesterol also decreased.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Betaine status; Homocysteine; LDL cholesterol.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Aleurone-rich cereal foods providing 27 g aleurone and about 279 mg additional betaine/day versus matched foods; 4 weeks.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Whole foods provide several active components, so the lipid and homocysteine effects cannot be assigned to betaine alone.
  • 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