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The effects of chronic betaine supplementation on body composition and performance in collegiate females: a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial

Jason Michael Cholewa, Andrea Hudson, Taylor Cicholski, Amanda Cervenka, Karley Barreno, Kayla Broom, McKenzie Barch, Stuart A S Craig
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2018 15(1):37

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 30064450
PubMed Central
PMC6069865
DOI
10.1186/s12970-018-0243-x
Funding
Reported funding/support: DuPont Nutrition and HealthNA FundingDuPont Nutrition and Health (Wilmington, DE) provided the betaine and placebo capsules used in this study. No other funding was received.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE: The experimental procedures and potential risks were explained to the participants and a written informed consent was provided and signed prior to inclusion in the study. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Coastal Carolina University (IRB# 2016.52 approved on November 21, 2016). CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION: Not applicable COMPETING INTERESTS: Stuart Craig is an employee of DuPont Nutrition and Health. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement of any product by the authors or the JISSN. The authors declare that the results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized controlled trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample23 untrained collegiate women
InterventionBetaine 2.5 g/day versus placebo plus resistance training
Duration8 weeks
EndpointsBody composition; Strength; Training volume

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2018, this source examined exercise performance and body composition. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Sample/model: 23 untrained collegiate women. The exposure or intervention was Betaine 2.5 g/day versus placebo plus resistance training. Follow-up or treatment period: 8 weeks.

Fat mass and body-fat percentage decreased more with betaine. Strength, muscle thickness and lean-mass gains were not significantly greater than placebo.

Small study in previously untrained women; does not establish a general fat-loss effect without training.

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Key findings

  • Fat mass and body-fat percentage decreased more with betaine.
  • Strength, muscle thickness and lean-mass gains were not significantly greater than placebo.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Body composition; Strength; Training volume.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Betaine 2.5 g/day versus placebo plus resistance training; 8 weeks.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Small study in previously untrained women; does not establish a general fat-loss effect without training.
  • 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: Accessible full-text extract plus indexed bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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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