Tier 4 — mechanistic

Distinguishing benign and malignant thyroid nodules using plasma trimethylamine N-oxide, carnitine, choline and betaine

Liang Shi, Muhong Guo, Cuixiao Shi, Gu Gao, Xianghong Xu, Chuan Zhang, Jingjing Fu, Yudan Ni, Feng Wang, Xue Xue, Fei Yu
Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2024 150(3):142

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 38503944
PubMed Central
PMC10951046
DOI
10.1007/s00432-024-05666-w
Funding
Reported funding/support: The China Postdoctoral Science Foundation2023M741765ShiLiang Nanjing Health Science and Technology Development ProjectYKK22114ShiLiang National Natural Science Foundation of China8227203882003532WangFengYuFei Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Discipline Cultivation UnitJSDW202247WangFeng Jiangsu Province Research Hospital Cultivation UnitYJXYYJSDW1WangFeng Medical Science and Technology Program of NanjingJQX22006XueXue
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Study snapshot

DesignCase-control diagnostic study
ModelHuman participants
Sample215 thyroid-cancer patients, 63 benign-nodule patients and 148 controls
InterventionMeasured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationCross-sectional blood sampling
EndpointsThyroid nodules; Metabolite diagnosis

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2024, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Case-control diagnostic study. Sample/model: 215 thyroid-cancer patients, 63 benign-nodule patients and 148 controls. The exposure or intervention was Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Cross-sectional blood sampling.

Betaine and related metabolites differed across diagnostic groups; a combined panel showed preliminary discriminatory value.

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

  • Betaine and related metabolites differed across diagnostic groups; a combined panel showed preliminary discriminatory value.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Thyroid nodules; Metabolite diagnosis.
  • 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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Elham Sharifi-Zahabi et al. · Journal of diabetes research · 2026
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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
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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

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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