Betaine supplement benefit and research studies, what is the right dose, how often should you take it?
Betaine hcl, also known as betaine hydrochloride can help with certain liver conditions and betaine may be helpful in lowering homocysteine levels

Betaine is a metabolite of choline, and is also known as trimethylglycine or TMG. Betaine works by donating methyl  (CH3) groups. Betaine has the ability to convert homocysteine to methionine.

Betaine as methyl donor
Unless your major is college was chemistry, chances are you don’t remember learning about methyl donors. A methyl donor is simply any substance that can transfer a methyl group, a carbon atom attached to three hydrogen atoms, to another substance. Many important biochemical processes rely on methylation, including the metabolism of lipids, neurotransmitters, and DNA. Scientists suspect that adequate methylation of DNA can prevent the expression of harmful genes, such as cancer genes. It’s quite likely that our body’s ability to methylate declines with age, potentially contributing to the aging process, and therefore supplementation is an interesting potential in terms of health benefits.

Source Naturals - Buy Betaine HC1, 650 mg, 180 Tablets

According to the manufacturer: In the stomach, hydrochloric acid converts pepsinogen to pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down protein. Pepsin breaks down proteins into smaller, more easily absorbed substances. As people age, hydrochloric acid secretion may be reduced, which can result in decreased levels of pepsin. Without proper pepsin levels, the body has a difficult time digesting food. Betaine hydrochloride is used as a supplemental source of hydrochloric acid, which can be utilized by the stomach to produce pepsin. The combination of betaine hydrochloride and pepsin provide an excellent stomach tonic.

Betaine Hcl Supplement Facts
Betaine Hydrochloride - 650 mg each pill
Pepsin 1: 3000 - 165 mg *
You can buy Betaine hcl at health food stores.

Source Naturals - Betaine HC1, 650 mg, 180 Tablets
In the stomach, hydrochloric acid converts pepsinogen to pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down protein. Pepsin breaks down proteins into smaller, more easily absorbed substances. As people age, hydrochloric acid secretion may be reduced, which can  result in decreased levels of pepsin. Without proper pepsin levels, the body has a difficult time digesting food. Betaine hydrochloride is used as a supplemental source of hydrochloric acid, which can be utilized by the stomach to produce pepsin. The combination of betaine hydrochloride and pepsin provide an excellent stomach tonic.

Betaine Research indicates
Betaine lowers homocysteine levels.
Betaine has been found to protect liver cells from toxins.
Betaine is a safe nutrient that leads to a significant biochemical and histological improvement in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Betaine and homocysteine
Low dose betaine supplementation leads to immediate and long term lowering of plasma homocysteine in healthy men and women.
Olthof MR. J Nutr. 2003 Dec;133(12):4135-8.
Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences and Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
High plasma homocysteine is a risk for cardiovascular disease and can be lowered through supplementation with 6 g/d of betaine. However, dietary intake of betaine is approximately 0.5-2 g/d. Therefore, we investigated whether betaine supplementation in the range of dietary intake lowers plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy adults. Four groups of 19 healthy subjects ingested three doses of betaine or placebo daily for 6 wk. A methionine loading test was performed during run in, on d 1 of betaine supplementation, and after 2 and 6 wk of betaine supplementation. Fasting plasma homocysteine after 6-wk daily intakes of 1.5, 3 and 6 g of betaine was 12% less than in the placebo group, respectively. Furthermore, the increase in plasma homocysteine after methionine loading on the 1st d of betaine supplementation was 16% less than in the placebo group, respectively, and after 6 wk of supplementation was 23% less, respectively. Thus, doses of betaine in the range of dietary intake reduce fasting and postmethionine loading plasma homocysteine concentrations. A betaine-rich diet might therefore lower cardiovascular disease risk.

An open-label, 24-week pilot study of the methyl donor betaine in Alzheimer disease patients.
Knopman D, Patterson M.
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street NW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2001 Jul-Sep;15(3):162-5.
We investigated the safety and tolerability of betaine in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Betaine is an alternative methyl donor, distinct from the folate-and cobalamin-dependent conversion pathway between homocysteine and methionine. Betaine has been used successfully to reduce homocysteine levels in homocystinuria. The rationale for betaine in AD was to decrease serum homocysteine levels and to increase brain methionone and S-adenosylmethionine, both of which might delay disease progression. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a possible risk factor for AD. Eight patients with probable mild AD (7 men; mean age, 69.6 years; mean Mini-Mental State Exam score, 23.7) received oral betaine (3 g twice daily) for 24 weeks. All patients were on donepezil 10 mg/day for at least 3 months before entry and throughout the study. One patient suffered a myocardial infarction and withdrew after 6 weeks. Another patient, who completed the trial, experienced diarrhea and prostatitis. Four of the 7 patients who completed the trial were rated on the Clinician's Global Impression of Change as worse after 24 weeks. On the cognitive portion of the AD Assessment Scale, 2 patients worsened by at least five points over 24 weeks, whereas the others had changes in scores of no more than two points either way. Six of 8 patients tolerated betaine for 24 weeks without difficulty. Several patients worsened over 24 weeks, but as a pilot study without a control group, efficacy measurements cannot be interpreted. The current study provides a basis for pursuing larger controlled trials with betaine in AD. The homocysteine to S-adenosylmethionine pathway is of interest in AD therapeutics.
   Comments: Here's an example of lack of understanding of proper nutrient dosage by researchers. They used 6 grams of betaine a day which can make any condition ,or anyone who is healthy, worse off due to overstimulation. Researchers should first take supplements themselves at different dosages before doing a study and wasting everyone's time, money, and coming up with unhelpful data.

Betaine research questions
Would you happen to know if a betaine glucuronate supplement is sold in the United States? I've only been able to locate betaine hydrochloride which, unfortunately, irritates my stomach.
    We have not seen betaine glucuronate supplement for sale.

Do you have any idea how much anhydrous betaine can be found in beet root powder?
    Good question. We don't know.

When I take betaine hcl supplements, I get a headache and tighter shoulders. I know my liver is very congested, metals, inflammation - everything - biologically, what does betaine do in your body? I found this on betaine - maybe there is another form better for me then the hcl betaine - I think it puts stress on the liver somehow and I get a headache... or gall bladder meridian - my liver is congested badly. A dosage of 2,000 - 4,000 mg (2 - 4 grams) per day of the Trimethylglycine (TMG) form of Betaine is commonly recommended for people with pre-existing Liver Disease. Orally-administered Betaine is rapidly absorbed. Peak concentrations of Betaine are reached in less than one hour after its oral ingestion. The elimination half-life of orally-administered Betaine is approximately 14 hours after a single dose. This half-life increases to 41 hours after five days of daily doses. Following its ingestion, Betaine is converted to Dimethyl Glycine (DMG) within the Liver. Plasma DMG levels increase significantly after betaine ingestion. Approximately 4% of Betaine is excreted unchanged via the Kidneys (indicating that the remaining 96% is metabolized within the body to form other compounds such as DMG).
     Often the side effects of supplements, such as betaine, are due to the high dosages used. Taking a portion of the amount normally taken can eliminate or minimize the side effects.

Does betaine hcl enhance sexual libido effects as does tongkat ali herbal extract?
    We have not seen any mention in research papers of betaine hcl having this effect.

How long does it take after starting betaine supplement use before noticing liver betaine benefits?
    There are a number of different liver conditions, and each with its own severity, so it is not easy to know or make predictions.

Can a bilberry supplement be taken with betaine hcl? What about bacopa herb that works for mental improvement?
    If the dosages are low, yes.

Would it be safe to use yohimbe herb bark along with betaine?
    We have not seen studies with betaine pills together with herbs used for erectile enhancement.

I had a question regarding betaine hydrochloride. I have had candida for very long time 10 years and it has been causing chronic inflammation in my liver, stomach, intestines, I have not been able to recover and have tried many candida treatments in the last 10 years. I recently discovered that I have a gastroparesis obviously a result from the long-term gastritis caused by it. But every time I do treatment or the candida I just get worse and never get past the die off. In fact treating the candida just makes my gastroparesis symptoms worse. I'm pretty sure my gastroparesis is accompanied by low stomach acid. When I take betaine hydrochloride even at six tablets I still don't get any heartburn. In fact I haven't had heartburn for a few years now as my condition got worse. My question is what is a safe dosage for the teen hydrochloride when doing a challenge? I'm pretty sure I have a severe stomach acid deficiency but what is the maximum dose of hydrochloride a person can take? I would like to keep increasing until I get heartburn so I can back off one and take the required amount. The tablets are 600 mg, I don't experience any warming sensation or heartburn even at six pills. One other question I have is if taking betaine hydrochloride would it affect your blood pH if you're trying to keep or raise it in alkalinity?
    We have not seen any safety studies with betaine hcl in terms of maximum dosage and how it influences blood pH.