Orthomolecular - Betaine / TMG Flashcards
Betaine / TMG
The chemical form of betaine is trimethyl glycine (TMG) and it occurs naturally in the body. TMG can be formed from choline (tetramethyl glycine).
* TMG serves as a methyl donor, facilitating the conversion of homocysteine to methionine.
* Elevated homocysteine is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so betaine can be used therapeutically to support vascular endothelial health and prevent atherosclerosis.
tri = three, tetra = four
homocysteine = a non-protein amino acid
Homocysteine:
- A biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk, and an indicator of how well an individual is methylating.
- Optimal blood levels are below 9 μmol / L
- Excess of 14 μmol / L is linked to a high risk of health concerns.
Betaine food sources:
- Plant sources: Beets (1–2 cups per day i.e. 250–500 ml per day), wheat bran, quinoa, spinach, sweet potato.
- Animal sources: Seafood, turkey.
Cardiovascular health
Functions:
* Homocysteine can be remethylated to methionine by betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT). This enzyme uses betaine as a methyl donor.
Therapeutic uses:
* Cardiovascular disease (i.e. atherosclerosis).
* Alzheimer’s.
* Osteoporosis (high homocysteine increase risk due to inflammation)
* Dosage: 6 g daily (3 g twice per day).
* For best results pair with 1 mg of folate daily and B12.
Exercise: Research different supplements that would support methylation.
Adequate amounts of:
* Folate and B12: Re-methylation of homocysteine to methionine
* B6: Convert homocysteine to cysteine
Skeletal muscle performance
Therapeutic Uses:
* Reduces fat mass and increases muscle mass.
* Improves muscle endurance, body composition, arm size and bench-press work capacity.
* Dosage: 2.5 g daily.
Fatty liver disease
- Betaine has shown that it can improve liver function in those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- This has been shown by a reduction in liver enzymes, liver size and abdominal pain.
- Dosage: 3g twice daily.
