Tier 4 — mechanistic

Serum Trimethylamine N-oxide, Carnitine, Choline, and Betaine in Relation to Colorectal Cancer Risk in the Alpha Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study

Kristin A Guertin, Xinmin S Li, Barry I Graubard, Demetrius Albanes, Stephanie J Weinstein, James J Goedert, Zeneng Wang, Stanley L Hazen, Rashmi Sinha
Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 2017 26(6):945-952

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 28077427
PubMed Central
PMC5608021
DOI
10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0948
Funding
Indexed grant support: R01 DK106000 — NIDDK NIH HHS — United States; R01 HL103866 — NHLBI NIH HHS — United States; HHSN261201500005C — NCI NIH HHS — United States; R01 HL130819 — NHLBI NIH HHS — United States; Z01 CP010195 — Intramural NIH HHS — United States; R01 HL126827 — NHLBI NIH HHS — United States. The indexed list may not contain the complete funding declaration.
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration was not available in the indexed record or accessible disclosure metadata.

Study snapshot

DesignNested case-control study
ModelHuman participants
Sample644 colorectal-cancer cases and 644 controls; male smokers
InterventionMeasured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationProspective ATBC cohort sampling
EndpointsColorectal-cancer incidence

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2017, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Nested case-control study. Sample/model: 644 colorectal-cancer cases and 644 controls; male smokers. The exposure or intervention was Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Prospective ATBC cohort sampling.

Serum betaine was not significantly associated with colorectal-cancer risk; the positive association concerned choline.

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

  • Serum betaine was not significantly associated with colorectal-cancer risk; the positive association concerned choline.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Colorectal-cancer incidence.
  • 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