Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Betaine supplementation significantly lowers post-methionine load total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations, with a stronger effect observed in individuals not receiving folic acid supplementation.
If you are not taking folic acid supplements, betaine supplementation (550mg) can help lower homocysteine levels, especially after a protein load. If you already take folic acid, betaine adds little extra benefit for homocysteine reduction.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The effect of betaine on lowering post-methionine load tHcy is stronger than its effect on fasting tHcy [41]. The tHcy-lowering effect of betaine is higher in individuals not receiving folic acid.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple human studies cited (e.g., [41], [42]) showing dose-dependent effects, though the paper is a review.
Source
The Metabolic Burden of Methyl Donor Deficiency with Focus on the Betaine Homocysteine Methyltransferase Pathway
Rima Obeid · Nutrients · 2013
DOI 10.3390/nu5093481
narrative_reviewCited 278×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →