Betaine

Betaine is a quaternary ammonium compound with diverse biological activities.^1,2,3 It has been found in spinach and can be acquired through the diet or formed via oxidation of betaine aldehyde (Item No. 17270) during choline metabolism in the liver and kidney.^1,4 Betaine has roles in osmoregulation and serves as a methyl donor in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine.¹ Betaine (1.5% w/v in drinking water) reduces serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, increases serum HDL levels, decreases serum LDL levels, and reduces hepatic steatosis and inflammation in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a methionine- and choline-deficient diet.² It also reduces plasma levels of total homocysteine (tHcy), S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy; Item No. 13603), and cystathionine, and attenuates hypercoagulation in a mouse model of homocystinuria.³ Formulations containing betaine have been used in the treatment of homocystinuria.

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Ueland, P.M. Choline and betaine in health and disease. J. Inherit. Metab. Dis. 34(1), 3-15 (2011).

2. Veskovic, M., Mladenovic, D., Milenkovic, M., et al. Betaine modulates oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, and Akt/mTOR signaling in methionine-choline deficiency-induced fatty liver disease. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 848, 39-48 (2019).

3. Maclean, K.N., Sikora, J., Kožich, V., et al. A novel transgenic mouse model of CBS-deficient homocystinuria does not incur hepatic steatosis or fibrosis and exhibits a hypercoagulative phenotype that is ameliorated by betaine treatment. Mol. Genet. Metab. 101(2-3), 153-162 (2010).

4. Sakamoto, A., Nishimura, Y., Ono, H., et al. Betaine and homocysteine concentrations in foods. Pediatr. Int. 44(4), 409-413 (2002).