Choline and Betaine Intake Reduces Inflammation. DC

Choline is a water soluble B vitamin that can be produced in the body. However, it is often produced in insufficient quantities, making it necessary for humans to get choline from the diet or through supplementation. Choline is mainly involved in activities related to the brain and nervous system. Because it is involved in neurological function, choline can influence movement, coordination, and muscle contractions. Choline also plays a critical role in higher level brain functions like thought, memory, and intellect. Elsewhere in the body, choline is important for the structural integrity of cell walls, the metabolism of fat, and the production of amino acids and proteins. In the diet, the best source of choline is egg yolk. Other good sources include organ meats, wheat germ, soybeans, peanuts, legumes and milk.

There tends to be confusion between TMG and betaine HCL. The chemical term for betaine is trimethylglycine (TMG). Betaine hydrochloride (betaine HCL) is betaine with hydrochloride acid. It is the chloride salt of TMG. Betaine HCL and TMG are extracteded from sugar beets and naturally occurs in shellfish, spinach, wheat germ and mushrooms. Betaine HCL has a more acidic taste whereas TMG tastes sweet with a metallic aftertaste. Betaine HCL is commonly used as a digestive enzyme by individuals who do not produce enough hydrochloric acid to digest the proteins that they eat. A low level of hydrochloric acid can be a contributing factor in numerous other clinical conditions such as asthma, atherosclerosis, candida yeast infections, gastritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. TMG helps to keep the liver healthy and helps lower amino acid homocysteine levels, which high levels of this acid have been linked to risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and osteoporosis.

Researchers from Harokopio University and the University of Athens, Greece published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition investigating the association between choline and betaine consumption and homocysteine levels. This was a cross-sectional survey which enrolled 3,042 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 to 89 years taking part in the ATTICA Study. A validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary intakes and blood samples were collected to measure levels of inflammatory markers. Researchers reported that participants with the highest intake of choline (over 310 mg daily) had at least 20 percent lower concentrations of inflammatory markers in comparison to participants with the lowest intake of choline (less than 250 mg daily). Similar results were obtained from betaine intake. The highest intake (over 360 mg daily) resulted in 19 percent lower concentrations of CRP, 10 percent lower homocysteine levels and 12 percent lower TNF-alpha levels in comparison to participants with the lowest intake of betaine (less than 260 mg daily). The authors concluded that higher consumption of choline and betaine was associated with decreased levels of homocysteine which may reduce the risk in a number of diseases.¹

¹ Detopoulou P, Panagiotakos DB, Antonopoulou S, et al. Dietary choline and betaine intakes in relation to concentrations of inflammatory markers in healthy adults: the ATTICA study. Am J Clin Nutr. Feb2008;87(2):424-30.