Betaine, a natural compound, can stop a harmful substance (homocysteine) from blocking an important energy-sensing system in one type of liver cell, but not in another—because the first cell type has a special enzyme (BHMT) that the second one doesn’t have enough of.

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Alleviation of hepatic fat accumulation by betaine involves reduction of homocysteine via up-regulation of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT).

Cohort Study

Animal & In Vitro

2016 Aug 26

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

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According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Alleviation of hepatic fat accumulation by betaine involves reduction of homocysteine via up-regulation of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT).

Score: 7

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.06.080

Similar Assertions

When rats take betaine supplements, their livers make more of a special enzyme that helps clean up a harmful chemical called homocysteine, so less of it builds up.

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