Betaine — answers to trimethylglycine (TMG)
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A compound related to choline metabolism, found naturally in foods such as beets, spinach, and whole grains, and manufactured for use in supplements.
Why it’s used
Taken to support homocysteine metabolism, and sometimes used for exercise performance or body composition.
What the evidence is for
exercise performance and body-composition measures in small trials.
What the evidence says
NIH ODS material on choline discusses betaine's role in homocysteine metabolism. High-dose betaine is also used as a prescription treatment for a rare inherited metabolic disorder under medical supervision, which is a different use case from general supplementation. Evidence for exercise-performance or body-composition benefits from supplemental betaine is suggestive but rests on a limited number of small trials.
Dose studied
2.5–6 g — doses used in exercise-performance and body-composition trials.
Context
Exercise-related trials have generally used doses of roughly 2.5 to 6 grams per day for several weeks; the medically supervised use for the rare metabolic disorder involves much higher, individually managed doses not comparable to supplement-label amounts.
Educational information, not medical or safety advice. Consult a professional for allergies or medical concerns.