Heart/Performance/Digestion

TMG (Trimethylglycine)

Amino acid derivative from beets that lowers homocysteine and supports methylation, mainly for adults with elevated cardiovascular risk markers.

TMG (Trimethylglycine)

Amino acid derivative from beets that lowers homocysteine and supports methylation, mainly for adults with elevated cardiovascular risk markers.

score

evidence

Caution

risk

Proven Benefits

01Lowers homocysteine

02Reduces liver fat

03Improves strength/power

04May improve body composition

Chemical Forms

Recommended

Betaine anhydrous

Avoid

Betaine HCl (used for stomach acid support, delivers lower betaine dose and added hydrochloric acid)

Expert Note

Betaine anhydrous provides the free methyl donor used in homocysteine and liver studies. Betaine HCl is formulated to release hydrochloric acid for digestive support and does not deliver equivalent anhydrous betaine doses for methylation goals.

Protocol

Amount

1.5-3 g

Frequency

Once or twice daily

When

With meals to improve tolerability and mimic dietary intake patterns.

Condition-Based Dosing

Elevated homocysteine >10 µmol/L

3-6 g daily in divided doses— Retest homocysteine after 8-12 weeks; most maintenance protocols use lower doses once normalized.

General methylation support

500 mg - 1.5 g daily— Often paired with methylfolate and methylcobalamin for synergistic homocysteine reduction.

Athletic performance or body composition

1.5-2.5 g daily— Effects are modest and mixed across studies; discontinue if no benefit after 8 weeks.

Safety & Limits

Upper Safe Limit

6 g/day (highest dose studied long-term without serious adverse effects; no official UL established)

Cycling

Safe for continuous use

Contraindications

High cholesterol or familial hypercholesterolemia — may increase LDL cholesterol in some trials at 3-6 g/day

Pregnancy or breastfeeding — insufficient safety data; avoid unless directed by a clinician

Kidney disease — use only under medical supervision due to metabolite handling

Synergies

Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin)

B12 is required alongside folate in the primary homocysteine remethylation pathway; combining with TMG targets both BHMT and methionine synthase routes.

Methylfolate

Methylfolate provides the methyl group for the methionine synthase pathway, complementing TMG's BHMT-mediated remethylation of homocysteine.

Choline

Choline can be oxidized to betaine in vivo, serving as an endogenous precursor that supports the same methylation pool.

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