Possible Interaction: Betaine and S-Adenosylmethionine

“ Betaine , a naturally occurring metabolite of choline, has been shown to raise S-adenosylmethionine ( SAM ) levels that may in turn play a role in decreasing hepatic steatosis.”

“Concentrations of cystathionine, cysteine, betaine , choline, dimethylglycine, S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-adenosylmethionine ( SAM ), and holotranscobalamin were significantly higher in DS compared to the controls.”

“In all affected children, treatment with betaine (534+/-222 mg/kg/day) increased plasma S-adenosylmethionine , improved markers of tissue methyltransferase activity, and resulted in a threefold increase of calculated brain methionine uptake.”

“This explains how SAMe and betaine prevented the cycle.”

“ Betaine increased hepatic S-adenosyl-L-methionine by 28 fold in the knockouts and by 24-fold in wild type.”

“In both the control and experimental groups receiving betaine, liver betaine, BHMT and SAM were significantly higher than in their respective groups not receiving betaine.”

“A recent study in this laboratory demonstrated that dietary supplementation with betaine generated increased SAM in the liver and protected against ethanol-induced steatosis.”

“High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) assessment of the effect of BET on sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism showed that BET increased the levels of nonenzymatic antioxidants, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and methionine (p < 0.05), via the regulation of the methionine-omocysteine cycle.”

“Conclusions Combinations of SAMe with taurine and/or betaine have a hepatoprotective effect against ethanol-induced liver injury by maintaining GSH homeostasis.”

“In addition, pretreatment of SAMe with taurine and/or betaine prevented the excessive increase in inflammatory mediators produced by LPS or polyI:C treatment.”