Improvement after a supplement is not the same as a comparative result
Start with the comparison. A before-and-after change alone cannot isolate the contribution of an ingredient.
Betaine
Selected research topic
Exercise performance
Some measured outcomes improved in human comparison studies. Read these findings with their populations and conditions.
- Publications for this topic
- 4
- Human comparison publications
- 2
- Publications needing review
- 1
Findings in the studies
repetitions
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.General population · Single ingredient · After 14 days of supplementation
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Controlled trial
- Study population
- Human participants · General population
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: Betaine versus placebo during leg-press and bench-press endurance testing.
- Additional measurement information
- Secondary outcome
- Measurement time
- After 14 days of supplementation
∆IGF-1
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.General population · Single ingredient
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · General population
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: betaine versus placebo during exercise-associated biomarker assessment
- Additional measurement information
- Biomarker
- Measurement time
- pre-exercise and 30 minutes post-exercise
back squat
Other human research, including observational studies and reviews
- A change was reported before and after use. Its cause cannot be isolated.General population · Single ingredient · 6 weeks
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · General population
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Changes within the same group were compared. · Within-group comparison
- Additional measurement information
- Primary outcome
- Measurement time
- 6 weeks
Representative outcome and study details
Human studies reported a within-group change in back squat.
Single-ingredient studies · Human studies · within-group comparison
1 publications linked to this result
- Route, form, dose, or population details are incomplete, so the findings cannot be confirmed as directly comparable.
Data coverage and detailed study classifications
Paper counts are separated by research topic below. One paper may contribute to multiple findings.
Analysis status: Public-ready
Ingredient analysis date:
How the grade was determined: B
The 62.7 evidence score includes 3 independent human studies and 3 clinical studies in the representative benefit area. The B tier remains conservative because of the evidence centers on contextual or measured outcomes rather than general-use effects, limited repetition across independent human clinical studies.
The grade is based mainly on the research area with the most evidence. It does not mean the same result was found in other areas.
Papers linked to this ingredient overall: 60
Papers linked to this topic 4 · distinct papers 4 · papers with a confirmed human comparison 2 · papers needing additional review 1
A publication may appear in more than one count. These numbers should not be added. Ingredient-wide papers, topic-linked papers, and sources in outcome groups use different scopes. Adding source counts may count the same paper more than once.
- back squat: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- repetitions: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- ∆IGF-1: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
What the research found
back squat
A change was reported before and after use. Its cause cannot be isolated.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · General population
Within-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
repetitions
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · General population
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
∆IGF-1
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · General population
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
How to read research findings
How should I read research findings?
Research guidesNo clear difference and an uninterpretable result are different
A reported null comparison contains a result. An abstract without an interpretable comparison leaves a question unresolved.
Paper counts and study counts are different
Count original research separately from research that reanalyzes it. Publication volume is neither replication nor a quality rating.
Side effects and combination findings
Findings from this ingredient alone are shown separately from those involving another supplement or medication.
No reviewed caution rules are available yet. Reported caution findings are shown below.
Findings to review with care
Side effects reported for the ingredient alone are separated from findings involving another supplement or medication.
Side effects reported with this ingredient alone
Symptoms or adverse events reported in studies without another active ingredient.
ALT1 papers
Betaine at doses of 2–8 g/day for 12–24 weeks significantly reduced ALT and other liver injury markers in 70 participants with MASLD, with mild transient GI symptoms reported in ~35 %.Human studies · Randomized controlled trial