Tier 4 — mechanistic

Choline and betaine intake is inversely associated with breast cancer risk: a two-stage case-control study in China

Cai-Xia Zhang, Mei-Xia Pan, Bin Li, Lian Wang, Xiong-Fei Mo, Yu-Ming Chen, Fang-Yu Lin, Suzanne C Ho
Cancer science 2013 104(2):250-258

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 23140534
PubMed Central
PMC7657205
DOI
10.1111/cas.12064
Funding
Reported funding/support: National Natural Science Foundation of China81102188
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration was not available in the indexed record or accessible disclosure metadata.

Study snapshot

DesignTwo-stage case-control study
ModelHuman participants
Sample807 breast-cancer cases and 807 matched controls
InterventionHabitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationRetrospective dietary assessment
EndpointsBreast-cancer odds

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2013, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Two-stage case-control study. Sample/model: 807 breast-cancer cases and 807 matched controls. The exposure or intervention was Habitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Retrospective dietary assessment.

Higher betaine and choline intake was associated with lower breast-cancer odds in this population.

Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome. Diet recall, case selection or illness-related metabolite changes may introduce bias.

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Key findings

  • Higher betaine and choline intake was associated with lower breast-cancer odds in this population.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Breast-cancer odds.
  • The exposure was observed rather than assigned as an isolated supplement treatment.

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. Diet recall, case selection or illness-related metabolite changes may introduce bias.
  • Confounding, dietary patterns, illness, medication use and reverse causation can influence an association. Blood or dietary concentrations do not identify the effect of starting a capsule.
  • Source basis: Indexed abstract and bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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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