Trimethylglycine (TMG) — additionally known as betaine or betaine anhydrous — is a vital compound that your physique can produce by itself. It’s also present in dietary supplements and sure meals.
TMG has been studied for a lot of potential well being advantages, together with the power to reinforce coronary heart well being, increase athletic efficiency, promote wholesome insulin ranges, and shield in opposition to despair.
Nonetheless, it could additionally trigger unwanted side effects, particularly if utilized in excessive doses.
This text covers TMG advantages, unwanted side effects, dosage, and how you can improve your consumption with meals.
TMG is a compound that consists of glycine with three connected methyl teams.
It’s produced by your physique and is discovered naturally in beetroot and different meals. It’s additionally out there as a complement, generally used to reinforce athletic efficiency and enhance coronary heart and liver well being.
TMG is concerned in a chemical course of referred to as methylation, which is important for DNA manufacturing (
It additionally converts homocysteine — a sort of amino acid, the constructing blocks of protein — into one other compound referred to as methionine. That is helpful since excessive ranges of homocysteine can injury your blood vessels and improve coronary heart illness threat (
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TMG is a compound produced by your physique. It’s additionally present in meals and out there in complement kind. It’s concerned in methylation and can assist forestall excessive ranges of homocysteine in your blood.
TMG dietary supplements could also be related to a number of well being advantages.
Might decrease homocysteine ranges to enhance coronary heart well being
Some analysis reveals that TMG may lower blood ranges of homocysteine, a sort of amino acid present in your blood. Too high levels of this compound can improve your threat of coronary heart illness (
A 2013 evaluate of 5 research confirmed that taking at the very least 4 grams of TMG per day for six weeks may decrease blood ranges of homocysteine in wholesome adults (
One other evaluate had related findings, noting that taking 4 grams of TMG per day lowered homocysteine ranges with out negatively impacting different points of coronary heart well being, like blood strain or triglyceride ranges (
However, some research — each older and newer — have proven that TMG dietary supplements may improve ranges of complete and LDL (unhealthy) ldl cholesterol within the blood, each of that are threat elements for coronary heart illness (
Finally, extra analysis is required on how these dietary supplements might have an effect on coronary heart well being.
May enhance athletic efficiency
Many athletes use TMG dietary supplements with the goal of enhancing train efficiency.
One evaluate reported that TMG dietary supplements may enhance physique composition and improve efficiency in each endurance- and resistance-type workouts (
Though the precise mechanisms are unclear, researchers speculate that TMG might (
- cut back fatigue
- increase protein manufacturing
- improve the synthesis of creatine, a compound that gives vitality to your muscle cells
One other evaluate of seven research turned up combined outcomes. Nonetheless, it famous that in two research, TMG dietary supplements considerably elevated muscle energy and energy (
In the meantime, a number of different research present that TMG has no impression on train efficiency or energy. That’s why extra research are wanted earlier than consultants can confidently advocate TMG as an athleticism-boosting complement (
Might forestall insulin resistance
A number of research have discovered that TMG dietary supplements may enhance insulin resistance, a situation that impairs your physique’s means to make use of the hormone insulin to manage blood sugar ranges (
For instance, a research in almost 2,400 individuals related the next consumption of choline and betaine with decreased insulin resistance (
Plus, in an animal research, administering TMG dietary supplements to mice on a excessive fats eating regimen improved fats metabolism and decreased insulin resistance (
What’s extra, one mouse research from 2010 discovered that TMG dietary supplements may reverse insulin resistance within the liver. That is when insulin isn’t efficient at suppressing sugar manufacturing within the liver (
Nonetheless, extra analysis is required to raised perceive how TMG might have an effect on insulin resistance in people.
May enhance despair
Some analysis reveals that TMG dietary supplements may enhance how properly sure varieties of antidepressant medicines work.
Specifically, TMG has been proven to extend the results of S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe), a sort of treatment used to deal with delicate to average despair (
Apparently, in a small research together with 64 individuals with despair, those that took each SAMe and TMG for 12 months skilled larger enchancment of their signs than those that took SAMe alone (
What’s extra, this complement can also enhance signs of despair and anxiousness. That’s as a result of these situations could also be linked with elevated homocysteine ranges that TMG may assist decrease (
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Some research recommend that TMG may lower homocysteine ranges, increase athletic efficiency, enhance insulin resistance, and improve the effectiveness of sure antidepressants.
The most typical unwanted side effects related to TMG dietary supplements are digestive points that embody:
- diarrhea
- indigestion
- bloating
- cramps
- nausea
- vomiting
These are extra widespread when you’re taking larger doses of the complement (
In uncommon instances, TMG may additionally considerably improve the quantity of methionine — a sort of amino acid — in your blood, which may trigger fluid buildup across the mind (
For those who expertise any unwanted side effects from taking this complement, discontinue use and discuss together with your physician.
TMG dietary supplements are usually not beneficial for kids and those that are pregnant or breastfeeding, as there’s restricted analysis on its security and long-term results on well being.
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TMG dietary supplements could cause digestive unwanted side effects. In uncommon instances, they might trigger excessive blood ranges of methionine, which may be life threatening. Kids and those that are pregnant or breastfeeding ought to keep away from utilizing them.
There aren’t any official dosage suggestions for these dietary supplements, however most merchandise present 750–3,000 mg of TMG per serving.
TMG is taken into account secure when utilized in doses as much as 15 grams per day (
Most research on the potential advantages of TMG dietary supplements in people have used quantities of 500–9,000 mg per day, sometimes divided into a number of smaller doses (
You probably have any underlying well being situations or are taking different medicines, discuss together with your physician earlier than taking a TMG complement and use them solely as directed.
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Most dietary supplements include 750–3,000 mg of TMG per serving. It’s usually been studied in doses of 500–9,000 mg per day. Doses as much as 15 grams per day are thought of secure.
Along with taking a complement, you’ll be able to improve your consumption of TMG naturally, because it’s discovered in lots of meals. Wheat, beets, quinoa, and seafood are significantly wealthy sources (
Right here’s the quantity of TMG present in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of a number of meals (
- Wheat bran: 1,339 mg
- Wheat germ: 1,241 mg
- Spinach: 600–645 mg
- Quinoa: 390 mg
- Beets: 114–297 mg
- Shrimp: 219 mg
- Wheat bread: 201 mg
Understand that a number of elements impression the quantity of TMG present in meals. For instance, sure cooking strategies, significantly boiling, considerably lower the TMG content material (
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TMG is discovered in lots of meals, together with wheat bran, wheat germ, quinoa, spinach, and beets.
TMG is a compound that’s produced by your physique. It’s additionally present in dietary supplements and sure meals.
Though extra analysis is required, some research in people and animals recommend that it may:
- decrease homocysteine ranges
- enhance athletic efficiency
- shield in opposition to insulin resistance
- improve the effectiveness of sure antidepressants
Along with taking a complement, you’ll be able to improve your consumption of TMG by having fun with quite a lot of nutrient-dense meals, together with beetroot, quinoa, spinach, and wheat bran.