Betaine Anhydrous: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects and TMG

Betaine anhydrous is trimethylglycine (TMG) in its dry, water-free form, the same molecule sold as a TMG supplement, and it is mainly studied for strength, power and body composition at about 2.5 g a day. In trained men, 2.5 g a day for six weeks of lifting improved body composition, arm size and bench press work capacity compared with placebo (Cholewa et al., 2013). It is also a methyl donor: 3 to 6 g a day lowered blood homocysteine within a week in healthy adults (Alfthan et al., 2004). The main caution is that 4 g a day or more for at least six weeks modestly raised total cholesterol in a meta-analysis (Zawieja et al., 2021).

For TMG's role in the methionine cycle and its pairing with NMN, see our TMG (Trimethylglycine) ingredient page.

Key Takeaways

• Same molecule as TMG: "anhydrous" just means without water. Betaine HCl is a different product, an acid salt sold for digestion.
• Training studies used gram doses: 2.5 g a day, often split into two 1.25 g doses (Lee et al., 2010; Cholewa et al., 2013).
• What trials measured: power, force, body composition and bench press work capacity, in short trials in trained men.
• Methyl donor role: 3 g and 6 g a day lowered homocysteine by about 10 and 14 percent in a week (Alfthan et al., 2004).
• Cholesterol caution: at 4 g a day or more for six weeks or longer, total cholesterol rose modestly (Zawieja et al., 2021).

What Is Betaine Anhydrous?

Betaine is a small molecule made from the amino acid glycine with three methyl groups attached, which is where the name trimethylglycine comes from. Your body also makes it from choline, and you get it from food. Wheat bran and wheat germ are among the richest sources, at about 1,340 and 1,240 mg per 100 g, followed by spinach at 600 to 645 mg, with smaller amounts in beets and shrimp. Average intake is about 1 g a day, rising to about 2.5 g on a diet high in whole wheat and seafood (Craig, 2004).

Betaine does two main jobs. It donates a methyl group to recycle homocysteine back into methionine, and it acts as an osmolyte, a molecule cells use to hold water and keep their volume steady under stress. That second role is one reason it caught the interest of sports researchers.

Name	What it is	Typical use
Betaine anhydrous	Trimethylglycine without water	Sports and pre-workout products, methyl support
TMG	The same molecule, named for its structure	Methyl donor supplements, often paired with NMN
Betaine HCl	Betaine bound to hydrochloric acid	Sold as a source of stomach acid for digestion

Because betaine HCl carries acid, it is not a stand-in for betaine anhydrous, and the training studies below did not use it.

Betaine Anhydrous Benefits for Training

Two well-known trials show what betaine anhydrous can and cannot do.

• Power and force: 12 resistance-trained men took 1.25 g of betaine twice a day, or placebo, for 14 days in a crossover design. After betaine, bench throw power, isometric bench press force, vertical jump power and isometric squat force rose compared with before supplementation (Lee et al., 2010).
• Body composition: 23 strength-trained men followed a six-week periodized program with 2.5 g of betaine a day or placebo. The betaine group improved body fat percentage, fat mass and lean mass, gained arm cross-sectional area and increased bench press work capacity, while placebo did not. Jump power trended higher (Cholewa et al., 2013).

Across these two trials in trained young men, researchers measured betaine against power, training volume and body composition. If you train, our guide to creatine benefits for muscle and brain covers a compound with a much larger body of research, and the two are often taken together. How they connect, and whether to take both, is covered in our guide to TMG and creatine.

Betaine as a Methyl Donor

Outside the gym, betaine's best-measured effect is on homocysteine, an amino acid the body keeps in balance through methylation. In 34 healthy adults, one week each of 1, 3 and 6 g of betaine a day lowered fasting homocysteine by about 1, 10 and 14 percent, and adding folic acid to the 6 g dose lowered it a further 5 percent (Alfthan et al., 2004).

Betaine works alongside folate and vitamin B12, which run a second route through the same cycle. Our guides to vitamin B12 benefits and methylcobalamin vs cyanocobalamin explain that side of methylation. For how this methyl role relates to NMN, see NMN and TMG. For a fuller look at TMG as a daily supplement, see our guide to TMG benefits.

Betaine Anhydrous Dosage: What Studies Used

Study	Daily amount	Length	What was measured
Lee et al., 2010	2.5 g (1.25 g twice a day)	14 days	Power and force
Cholewa et al., 2013	2.5 g	6 weeks	Body composition, arm size, work capacity
Alfthan et al., 2004	1, 3 and 6 g	1 week each	Homocysteine
Zawieja et al., 2021 (meta-analysis)	4 g or more	6 to 24 weeks	Blood lipids

Timing: the training studies split the dose across the day, and many people take part of it before a workout. Choose a time you will stick with and follow your product label for the serving.

Food first: a diet rich in whole wheat, spinach and seafood can supply 1 to 2.5 g a day on its own (Craig, 2004).

Side Effects and Safety

The main measured concern is cholesterol. A meta-analysis of six randomized trials in adults who took at least 4 g of betaine a day for 6 to 24 weeks found total cholesterol rose by about 0.34 mmol/L compared with placebo, with no significant change in LDL, HDL or triglycerides (Zawieja et al., 2021). The 2.5 g a day used in the training studies sits below that threshold.

Keep these points in mind:

• If you already watch your cholesterol, stay at the lower training doses and recheck your lipids if you use betaine long term.
• Splitting the daily amount, as the training studies did, keeps each dose small.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding people, and anyone taking prescription medicines, should ask a clinician first.
• Do not swap in betaine HCl for betaine anhydrous; it is an acid product made for a different purpose.

Where Enhanced NMN Fits

Enhanced NMN includes 200 mg of trimethylglycine, the same molecule as betaine anhydrous, in each 2-capsule serving, together with 750 mg of NMN, 200 mg of resveratrol, 100 mg of pterostilbene and 750 mcg of methyl B12. The label directs 2 capsules in the morning, with or without food. That 200 mg is a methyl donor alongside NMN, not a training dose; the gram amounts in sports studies come from separate betaine products. Our TMG ingredient page explains why TMG is paired with NMN, and our guides to NMN dosage and NMN supplement benefits cover the rest of the formula.

If training is your focus, Creatine Monohydrate gives 5 g of creatine monohydrate in every scoop. For more on how cells make and use energy, visit our Cellular Energy and Mitochondrial Health hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is betaine anhydrous the same as TMG?

Yes. Betaine anhydrous is trimethylglycine without water. TMG supplements and betaine anhydrous supplements contain the same molecule.

What is the difference between betaine anhydrous and betaine HCl?

Betaine HCl is betaine bound to hydrochloric acid and is sold as a source of stomach acid for digestion. Betaine anhydrous has no acid and is the form used in training and homocysteine studies.

What does betaine anhydrous do for workouts?

In small trials in trained men, it increased some power and force measures after 14 days and improved body composition and bench press work capacity over six weeks (Lee et al., 2010; Cholewa et al., 2013).

How much betaine anhydrous should I take?

Training studies used 2.5 g a day, often as 1.25 g twice a day. Follow your product label, and keep in mind that 4 g a day or more for six weeks raised total cholesterol modestly (Zawieja et al., 2021).

When should I take betaine anhydrous?

Studies split it across the day. Taking one part before training is common.

Can I take betaine anhydrous with creatine?

They are different compounds with different jobs, and they are often found in the same pre-workout products. Read our creatine benefits guide for what creatine does.

Does betaine anhydrous raise cholesterol?

At 4 g a day or more for at least six weeks, total cholesterol rose by about 0.34 mmol/L in a meta-analysis, without changes in LDL, HDL or triglycerides (Zawieja et al., 2021).

Which foods contain betaine?

Wheat bran, wheat germ, spinach, beets and shellfish such as shrimp (Craig, 2004).

Sources

1. Cholewa JM, Wyszczelska-Rokiel M, Glowacki R, et al. Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10:39. DOI
2. Lee EC, Maresh CM, Kraemer WJ, et al. Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010;7:27. DOI (PubMed 20642826)
3. Alfthan G, Tapani K, Nissinen K, Saarela J, Aro A. The effect of low doses of betaine on plasma homocysteine in healthy volunteers. Br J Nutr. 2004;92(4):665-669. DOI
4. Zawieja EE, Zawieja B, Chmurzynska A. Betaine Supplementation Moderately Increases Total Cholesterol Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Diet Suppl. 2021;18(1):105-117. DOI (PubMed 31809615)
5. Craig SAS. Betaine in human nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80(3):539-549. DOI

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