Tier 4 — mechanistic

Associations between dietary intake of choline and betaine and lung cancer risk

Jun Ying, Mohammad H Rahbar, D Michael Hallman, Ladia M Hernandez, Margret R Spitz, Michele R Forman, Olga Y Gorlova
PloS one 2013 8(2):e54561

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 23383301
PubMed Central
PMC3562321
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0054561
Funding
Reported funding/support: The study was supported in part by the NIH RO1 CA149462 and FAMRI Young Clinical Scientist Award (YCSA) to OYG and RO1 CA55769 and CA127219 to MRS, as well as by the NIH Centers for Translational Science Award (NIH CTSA) grant (UL1 RR024148), awarded to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2006 by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: Competing Interests: The authors confirm that Dr. Olga Gorlova being a PLOS ONE Editorial Board member does not alter their adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Study snapshot

DesignCase-control study
ModelHuman participants
Sample2821 lung-cancer cases and 2923 controls
InterventionHabitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationRetrospective dietary assessment
EndpointsLung-cancer odds; Smoking interaction

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2013, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Case-control study. Sample/model: 2821 lung-cancer cases and 2923 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 intake was associated with lower lung-cancer odds among current or former smokers, but not never-smokers.

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 intake was associated with lower lung-cancer odds among current or former smokers, but not never-smokers.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Lung-cancer odds; Smoking interaction.
  • 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: Accessible full-text extract plus indexed 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