Tier 2 — strong

Betaine: a potential agent for the treatment of hepatopathy associated with short bowel syndrome

Guilherme Teixeira Araújo, Fernanda Domenici, Jorge Elias, Hélio Vannucchi
Nutricion hospitalaria 2014 29(6):1366-1371

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 24972476
DOI
10.3305/nh.2014.29.6.7378
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

DesignUncontrolled prospective trial
ModelHuman participants
SamplePatients with short bowel syndrome; total not specified in the abstract
InterventionBetaine anhydrous 10 g/day in two doses
Duration3 months
EndpointsLiver fat; Liver enzymes; Tolerability

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2014, this source examined metabolic health and liver trials. Design: Uncontrolled prospective trial. Sample/model: Patients with short bowel syndrome; total not specified in the abstract. The exposure or intervention was Betaine anhydrous 10 g/day in two doses. Follow-up or treatment period: 3 months.

MRI-measured liver fat decreased, while liver-injury markers, inflammation and homocysteine did not significantly improve. Diarrhea or nausea was common.

No placebo group, disease-specific population and several null laboratory outcomes.

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Key findings

  • MRI-measured liver fat decreased, while liver-injury markers, inflammation and homocysteine did not significantly improve.
  • Diarrhea or nausea was common.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Liver fat; Liver enzymes; Tolerability.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Betaine anhydrous 10 g/day in two doses; 3 months.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • No placebo group, disease-specific population and several null laboratory outcomes.
  • Without a sufficiently blinded concurrent control, time effects, expectations, co-interventions and regression toward the mean can explain part of an apparent improvement.
  • Source basis: Indexed abstract and bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Betaine for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: results of a randomized placebo-controlled trial
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Andrew S Lim et al. · Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) · 2026
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Metabolic Effects of Betaine: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Betaine Supplementation in Prediabetes
Ana Maria Grizales et al. · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2018
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Betaine in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Potential
Tatjana Radosavljevic et al. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
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Betaine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine concentrations but does not affect body weight, body composition, or resting energy expenditure in human subjects
Ursula Schwab et al. · The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2002

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