Tier 2 — strong

Higher serum concentrations of betaine rather than choline is associated with better profiles of DXA-derived body fat and fat distribution in Chinese adults

Y-M Chen, Y Liu, Y-H Liu, X Wang, K Guan, H-L Zhu
International journal of obesity (2005) 2015 39(3):465-471

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 25152241
DOI
10.1038/ijo.2014.158
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

DesignProspective community study
ModelHuman participants
Sample1996 recruited adults; 1623 with later DXA measurements
InterventionMeasured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationMean 3.2 years
EndpointsBody fat; Fat distribution

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2015, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Prospective community study. Sample/model: 1996 recruited adults; 1623 with later DXA measurements. The exposure or intervention was Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Mean 3.2 years.

Higher serum betaine was associated with lower total and central adiposity, with stronger findings in men.

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 serum betaine was associated with lower total and central adiposity, with stronger findings in men.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Body fat; Fat distribution.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment; Mean 3.2 years.

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.

Related papers in the corpus

Tier 4
Dietary Choline and Betaine and Risk of CVD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies
Katie A Meyer et al. · Nutrients · 2017
Tier 4
Dietary Choline and Betaine Are Not Associated With the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Elham Sharifi-Zahabi et al. · Journal of diabetes research · 2026
Tier 4
Association of choline and betaine with the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: Meta-analysis
Qinglin Yang et al. · European journal of clinical investigation · 2023
Tier 4
Association of choline and betaine levels with cancer incidence and survival: A meta-analysis
Jiyoung Youn et al. · Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2019

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