title: The effect of low doses of betaine on plasma homocysteine in healthy volunteers.
abstract: Homocysteine is a risk factor for vascular diseases, and lowering of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) may be beneficial for health. Homocysteine can be remethylated to methionine by betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase using betaine (2(N,N,N-trimethyl)glycine) as methyl donor. A dose of 6 g betaine/d has been used in the treatment of homocystinuria, but data on the dose-response are scarce. Thirty-four healthy men and women were supplied with doses of 1, 3 and 6 g betaine and then with 6 g betaine+1 mg folic acid for four consecutive 1-week periods. The mean plasma tHcy concentration decreased by 1.1 (NS), 10.0 and 14.0 % (P<0.001) after supplementation with 1, 3 and 6 g betaine respectively. A further decrease in plasma tHcy by 5 % (P<0.01) was achieved by combining 1 mg folic acid with the 6 g betaine dose. Plasma betaine increased from 31 (sd 13) to 255 (sd 136) mumol/l in a dose-dependent manner (R(2) 0.97). We conclude that plasma tHcy is lowered rapidly and significantly by 3 or 6 g betaine/d in healthy men and women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute (KTL), Helsinki, Finland. georg.alfthan@ktl.fi
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alfthan
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tapani
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nissinen
authors.forename: Janna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saarela
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001622:Betaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008082:Lipotropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D008082:Lipotropic Agents; D006710:Homocysteine; D001622:Betaine; D005492:Folic Acid