Tier 2 — strong

Betaine supplementation improves CrossFit performance and increases testosterone levels, but has no influence on Wingate power: randomized crossover trial

Emilia Zawieja, Krzysztof Durkalec-Michalski, Marcin Sadowski, Natalia Główka, Agata Chmurzynska
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2023 20(1):2231411

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 37409757
PubMed Central
PMC10327519
DOI
10.1080/15502783.2023.2231411
Funding
Reported funding/support: funded by 2017/27/N/NZ9/00750The present research was funded by the Polish National Science Centre under Grant no. 2017/27/N/NZ9/00750.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized crossover controlled trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample43 CrossFit practitioners completing the protocol
InterventionBetaine 2.5 or 5 g/day versus placebo
Duration3 weeks per treatment
EndpointsCrossFit performance; Wingate power; Testosterone; Body composition

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2023, this source examined exercise performance and body composition. Design: Randomized crossover controlled trial. Sample/model: 43 CrossFit practitioners completing the protocol. The exposure or intervention was Betaine 2.5 or 5 g/day versus placebo. Follow-up or treatment period: 3 weeks per treatment.

Fight Gone Bad performance improved during betaine treatment. Wingate power and body composition did not; no clear dose or MTHFR-genotype interaction emerged.

The testosterone signal was modest and outcome-specific. This paper shares the registered cohort with related cardiometabolic and amino-acid reports. Related reports from the same research program may share participants. Read trial registration and linked companion reports before counting independent studies.

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Key findings

  • Fight Gone Bad performance improved during betaine treatment.
  • Wingate power and body composition did not; no clear dose or MTHFR-genotype interaction emerged.
  • The recorded outcome domains were CrossFit performance; Wingate power; Testosterone; Body composition.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Betaine 2.5 or 5 g/day versus placebo; 3 weeks per treatment.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • The testosterone signal was modest and outcome-specific. This paper shares the registered cohort with related cardiometabolic and amino-acid reports. Related reports from the same research program may share participants. Read trial registration and linked companion reports before counting independent studies.
  • 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