Tier 4 — mechanistic

Elevated plasma B12 and betaine levels in women with anorexia nervosa: possible role in illness pathophysiology and epigenetic regulation

Howard Steiger, Kevin F Casey, Jessica Burdo, Valerie Marcil, Maegan Harvison, Juliana Meyerfreund, Édith Breton, Zsofia Nemoda, Lea Thaler, Annie St-Hilaire, Mimi Israel, Chloe Paquin-Hodge, Luis B Agellon, Véronique Bélanger, Linda Booij
Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN 2025 50(2):E85-E91

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 40037661
PubMed Central
PMC11882200
DOI
10.1503/jpn.240155
Funding
Reported funding/support: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, awarded to Howard Steiger and Linda BooijMOP-142717FRN-156050
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: Competing interests:: None declared.

Study snapshot

DesignCase-control biomarker study
ModelHuman participants
Sample64 active-anorexia, 49 remitted and 49 never-affected women
InterventionMeasured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationCross-sectional assessment
EndpointsAnorexia nervosa; Betaine; DNA methylation

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2025, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Case-control biomarker study. Sample/model: 64 active-anorexia, 49 remitted and 49 never-affected women. The exposure or intervention was Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Cross-sectional assessment.

Betaine was elevated in active anorexia nervosa; nutrient and methylation associations differed among groups.

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 was elevated in active anorexia nervosa; nutrient and methylation associations differed among groups.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Anorexia nervosa; Betaine; DNA methylation.
  • 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

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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