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Betaine Supplementation Does Not Improve Muscle Hypertrophy or Strength Following 6 Weeks of Cross-Fit Training

Tatiana Moro, Francesca Badiali, Iader Fabbri, Antonio Paoli
Nutrients 2020 12(6):1688

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 32516959
PubMed Central
PMC7352895
DOI
10.3390/nu12061688
Funding
Funding was not specified in the indexed record or accessible funding metadata.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized controlled trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample29 trained CrossFit participants
InterventionBetaine versus placebo alongside CrossFit training
Duration6 weeks
EndpointsStrength; Body composition; CrossFit performance

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2020, this source examined exercise performance and body composition. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Sample/model: 29 trained CrossFit participants. The exposure or intervention was Betaine versus placebo alongside CrossFit training. Follow-up or treatment period: 6 weeks.

No significant between-group improvement was found in strength, body composition, hydration or CrossFit-specific aerobic and anaerobic tests.

An improvement within the betaine group alone does not demonstrate superiority to placebo. Modest sample and short duration.

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Key findings

  • No significant between-group improvement was found in strength, body composition, hydration or CrossFit-specific aerobic and anaerobic tests.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Strength; Body composition; CrossFit performance.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Betaine versus placebo alongside CrossFit training; 6 weeks.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • An improvement within the betaine group alone does not demonstrate superiority to placebo. Modest sample and short duration.
  • 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