Nowadays, every sports nutrition company seems to have some sort of secret ingredient that will revolutionize your performance. In reality, many of these supplements are untested and there's no guarantee they'll work.
WHAT IS BETAINE?
BEET-uh-een
Betaine (betaine anhydrous) is a (chemical/substance/molecule) found naturally in microorganisms, plants, and animals like wheat, spinach, beets, and shellfish. The name actually comes from its origin in sugar beets. It's also found naturally in our bodies, though not quite to the same level. Betaine’s ammonium compound trimethylglycine can also be called lysine or oxyneurine.
On a chemical level, Betaine is the amino acid glycine with three methyl groups attached to it. Betaine performs two major functions in the body. It acts as both a methyl donor and an osmolyte.
WHAT ARE METHYL DONORS AND OSMOLYTES?
Alright here is the science part. Bear with us, we won’t get too complicated but we want you to be informed on what’s really happening with this supplement and your muscle cells.
Betaine has carbon and hydrogen molecules that are called methyl groups when combined . When this group of molecules is passed around the body it's called methylation--a super important part of many bodily processes like protein synthesis.
Being an osmolyte means that betaine helps balance fluid levels around cells, inside and outside the membrane. We will learn later how this process increases muscle mass.
Betaine is approved for medical treatments for people with high homocysteine levels (which is associated with weak bones, heart disease, and eye sight problems). Betaine also has a wide range of other medical uses such as treating liver disease, depression, and congestive heart failure, as well as preventing non-cancerous colon tumors and obesity.
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