title: Betaine metabolism in human neonates and developing rats.
abstract: Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to demonstrate the presence of high concentrations of betaine (up to 0.75 mol/mol creatinine) in the urine of normal healthy human neonates. Betaine is not normally excreted in adults. Excretion of betaine from birth to 7 days old was monitored. The excretion of betaine in rats from 21 days after birth to 40-45 days old was also monitored. A peak in excretion in the rats of 1.5-3 mol/mol creatinine occurred between days 30-35. The presence of a high concentration of betaine in the urine is unlikely to be caused by a relative lack of betaine homocysteine methyl transferase activity compared with adults but may relate to the disposal of dietary choline during development.
authors.affiliation: Medical Unit (Section of Metabolism and Endocrinology), London Hospital Medical College, Whitechapel.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Chalmers
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Iles
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000652:urine; D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D005998:Glycine / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000652:urine*; D007773:Lactates / Q000652:urine; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D001622:Betaine; D000409:Alanine; D005998:Glycine