Heart/Performance/Weight

Betaine

Methyl donor compound that lowers homocysteine and may modestly support liver and exercise markers in adults.

Betaine

Methyl donor compound that lowers homocysteine and may modestly support liver and exercise markers in adults.

score

evidence

Caution

risk

Proven Benefits

01Lowers homocysteine

02May improve power output

03May improve body composition

04May improve liver fat markers

Chemical Forms

Recommended

Betaine anhydrous
Trimethylglycine (TMG)

Avoid

Betaine HCl (not equivalent to TMG for homocysteine or performance goals)

Expert Note

Nearly all homocysteine, methylation, and exercise studies use betaine anhydrous/TMG. Betaine HCl is marketed for stomach acid support and does not have the same evidence base for cardiovascular or performance outcomes.

Protocol

Amount

1.5-3 g

Frequency

Once daily or split into 2 doses

When

With meals to reduce GI upset; consistency matters more than timing.

Condition-Based Dosing

Fasting homocysteine above the lab reference range

3 g twice daily for 6-12 weeks— Check folate, B12, and lipid status; do not use as a substitute for correcting vitamin deficiency.

General self-experimentation in healthy adults

1.5-3 g daily— Higher doses are more likely to cause GI upset and may raise LDL in some users.

Resistance-training studies

2.5 g daily for 2-6 weeks— Effects are small and inconsistent outside structured training.

Safety & Limits

Upper Safe Limit

6 g/day (highest commonly studied adult dose; no official UL established)

Cycling

Safe for continuous use

Contraindications

Pregnancy or breastfeeding — insufficient safety data at supplemental doses unless prescribed

Uncontrolled hyperlipidemia — betaine can raise LDL cholesterol in some users

Trimethylaminuria — may worsen fishy body odor symptoms

Synergies

Folate

Folate supports parallel remethylation pathways, so correcting low folate can improve the overall homocysteine-lowering response.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is required for methionine synthase activity, and low B12 can leave homocysteine elevated despite betaine use.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 supports transsulfuration of homocysteine, complementing betaine's remethylation pathway.

Avoid Combining With

✕Low folate, B12, or B6 intake (blunts full homocysteine lowering)
✕Heavy alcohol use (impairs methylation and can raise homocysteine)

Updated Invalid Date