Giving betaine to rats helps their livers get rid of excess fat, and this works partly because it brings back two important chemicals—methionine and SAM—that help the liver function properly.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

7

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

Cohort Study

Animal

2016 Aug 26

Betaine helped reduce fat in the rats' livers, and the study found it did this partly by fixing low levels of two important molecules—methionine and SAM—that help the liver process fats properly.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

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 eat a poor diet that lacks certain nutrients, their livers get fatty—but giving them betaine (a natural compound) helps keep the fat out, probably because it lowers a harmful chemical called homocysteine in the liver.

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