Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1983 Feb 14;32(7):771-4.
doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(83)90311-9.

Betaine, metabolic by-product or vital methylating agent?

A J Barak, D J Tuma
Review

Betaine, metabolic by-product or vital methylating agent?

A J Barak et al. Life Sci. .

Abstract

The possible physiological role of betaine, the oxidative product of choline, is considered. It is proposed that betaine, instead of merely being a metabolic by-product of choline oxidation, may serve as an important methylating agent when normal methylating pathways are impaired by ethanol ingestion, drugs or nutritional imbalances. Furthermore, betaine may prove to have therapeutic application in cases of altered folate, vitamin B12 or methionine metabolism.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources