Betaine Anhydrous (TMG)

Supplements · Sports Performance · Supplement, Typed Supps

Not the same thing as beet juice, despite the name overlap.

Stage by stage

Intake (Capsule or powder): Absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Small intestine (Efficient absorption): Absorbed alongside standard digestion.
Bloodstream (Carried to liver & muscle): Carried in the blood to the liver and muscle.
Cellular hydration (Homocysteine processing): Studied for a role in cellular hydration and processing homocysteine, an amino acid byproduct linked to cardiovascular markers.

What the evidence supports

Lowering elevated plasma homocysteine — strong evidence. Well established and used medically for homocystinuria; trials consistently show 10–20% reductions at roughly 2.5–6 g/day.
Improving strength and power output in trained people — moderate evidence. Several small randomised trials at 2.5 g/day show modest gains in power and strength, though a few outcomes (e.g. Wingate power) have been null.
Increasing lean mass or improving body composition — limited evidence. Some supportive trials, but results are inconsistent and sample sizes small.
Evidence that it causes Raising LDL cholesterol and triglycerides — limited evidence. A few trials at around 6 g/day reported rises in LDL and triglycerides, so lipids are worth monitoring at higher intakes.

Typical dose

2.5 g/day for performance; 4–6 g/day in homocysteine-lowering studies

Upper limit: No established UL; watch lipids at the higher (4–6 g) doses

Timing

With food, standard dosing.

Time to effect

Weeks: Consistent use for any reported exercise performance effect in studies.

Common myth

“Betaine and beet juice do the same thing.” In reality: They share a plant origin but are chemically different compounds studied for different mechanisms.