BIOHACKPHARMStack Analyzer

Betaine (TMG)

Betaine anhydrous, Trimethylglycine

Forms: Betaine anhydrous (TMG) is the sports form; betaine HCl is a digestive-acid product and is not interchangeable.

SupplementsOver the counter (varies by country)Evidence: limited human data

A methyl donor found in beets and spinach that lowers homocysteine; as a prescription drug it treats homocystinuria. In sport it is a modest, second-tier supplement.

Legal status: Sold freely as a supplement (and as a prescription drug for homocystinuria); not prohibited by WADA, though supplements carry contamination risk for tested athletes.

What it gives

What people use it for and what the sources report. Strength is a general category from the literature: mild, clear or strong.

Purpose

Used for small gains in strength and power, mainly lower-body strength and jumping. Despite marketing claims, a meta-analysis found no effect on body fat or lean mass.

What people seek and what studies show

Trials are few and small. A 2024 meta-analysis (17 trials, 317 people, about a fifth of them women) found a small-to-moderate gain in maximal strength, mainly in leg tests, and possibly in jump height; upper-body strength and power, sprint power and muscular endurance did not improve. Lowering homocysteine has no proven benefit for healthy athletes.

Effects

Strength

Evidence: Limited human data — some human studies, small or short

Sought effects by goal (as reported)

Mass
Sought for: strength
Strength
Sought for: strength

Possible side effects

Possible does not mean certain: whether they appear depends on dose, duration, individual response and monitoring. Below — what to watch for and how to notice it early.

3 possible side effects

level · how often it is reported
Low
Worse cholesterol (HDL↓ LDL↑)
Can modestly raise total and LDL cholesterol, mainly at higher intakes (meta-analyses); worth watching if the stack already worsens lipids.
How to notice: No symptoms — only visible on a lipid panel.
possible
Low
Nausea, GI upset, pancreatitis risk
Nausea, stomach upset or diarrhea in some users.
How to notice: Nausea, fullness, constipation or diarrhea.
possible
Low
Black-market quality risk (fakes, contamination)
Usually a simple single ingredient with low contamination risk; tested athletes should still prefer Informed Sport or NSF-certified products.
How to notice: Unexpected effects, pain or infection, a stronger or weaker effect than expected.
rare

What the levels mean

Lowbackground — just be aware
Moderatewatch for signs
Elevatedneeds regular control
Highcritical — can be life-threatening or permanent

Level: general category from the literature, not your personal risk

How often

common
reported often
possible
reported in some people
rare
reported occasionally

How to lower the risks

For 2 of 3 possible side effects there are specific ways to lower the chance: everyday measures, supplements and options a doctor may consider. For the rest — general advice. No measure removes a risk completely.

Low-level side effects

Cholesterol
Avoid combining several oral steroids; regular cardio, soluble fiber (psyllium), less saturated fat and alcohol; if LDL/ApoB stay high, a doctor may consider a statin. Omega-3 only lowers triglycerides.
Measure
Regular blood testsWorking with a doctorAvoiding alcohol and other liver stressorsRegular cardio training
Supplement or OTC product
BerberineCitrus bergamotOmega-3 (fish oil, EPA/DHA)Psyllium husk fiber
How each option helps (8)
  • Regular blood tests — A lipid panel with ApoB shows how far HDL has dropped and LDL risen — changes you cannot feel.
  • Working with a doctor — Interprets lipids and ApoB and decides whether a statin or other therapy is warranted.
  • Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Alcohol raises triglycerides; its small HDL bump does not lower heart risk.
  • Regular cardio training — Raises HDL a little and lowers triglycerides; it cannot offset a steroid-driven fall in HDL on its own.
  • Berberine — Placebo-controlled meta-analysis: LDL about 0.5 and triglycerides about 0.4 mmol/L lower; HDL unchanged. Trials are mostly small; no statin substitute.
  • Citrus bergamot — Pooled small trials show lower LDL and triglycerides, but certainty is low to very low; it is no replacement for statins.
  • Omega-3 (fish oil, EPA/DHA) — Clearly lowers triglycerides but does not fix the steroid HDL drop, the main lipid harm; DHA-containing oils may even raise LDL slightly.
  • Psyllium husk fiber — Lowers LDL by about 0.2–0.3 mmol/L (roughly 5–10%), also on top of doctor-prescribed statins; no effect on HDL.
Digestion
Smaller meals, enough fluid and fiber; a doctor for severe abdominal pain.
Measure
Working with a doctor
Supplement or OTC product
Pancreatin + dimeticone (Pankreoflat)
How each option helps (2)
  • Working with a doctor — Assesses persistent vomiting or severe belly pain (possible pancreatitis or gallstones) and adjusts prescribed GLP-1 treatment when nausea persists.
  • Pancreatin + dimeticone (Pankreoflat) — May ease heaviness and gas after meals; can cause nausea or diarrhea. Not for pork or cow's milk protein allergy (anaphylaxis reported) or early acute pancreatitis.
Product quality
Products obtained without a prescription are often fake, mislabeled or non-sterile, and there is no way to check at home. For legal supplements, look for third-party testing (Informed Sport, NSF).

Check-ups and blood tests

Which tests and check-ups to do and when. This is a guide — agree the exact schedule with your doctor.

Baseline tests
your own starting values — every later result is compared with them
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)
While taking
about 4–6 weeks in, then every 6–8 weeks — agree the exact schedule with your doctor
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)
After stopping
4–8 weeks after stopping (later after long-acting injections), then until values return to baseline
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)

Myth & fact

Myth

“Is betaine a fat burner that improves body composition?”

Fact

No. A 2022 meta-analysis found no effect on body weight, fat or lean mass; the benefit is limited to small strength gains.

Combinations

No specific combination notes for this substance yet. The stack check still adds up side effects that several substances share.

Check combinations →

Sources

Effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance: meta-analysis (Zawieja et al., J Sports Sci 2024) (opens in a new tab)Effects of betaine supplementation on cardiovascular markers: meta-analysis (Ashtary-Larky et al., Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022) (opens in a new tab)Betaine supplementation fails to improve body composition: meta-analysis (Ashtary-Larky et al., Br J Nutr 2022) (opens in a new tab)
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