Compound Deep-Dive

Tier 1: MainstreamA reliable supplement for cardiovascular health and a useful ergogenic aid for high-volume training.

Betaine Anhydrous

TMGTrimethylglycineGlycine Betaine

Strong for heart, moderate for muscle.

Hype Risk

4/10

Noticeability

4/10

Evidence Tier

Moderate

Cost / Month

~$10

Underdosed in products

What it's actually good for

Muscle

Research Supported

Improves power output and muscular endurance in high-volume training.

Longevity

Research Supported

Effectively lowers homocysteine, a marker for cardiovascular risk.

Recovery

Mixed Evidence

Some evidence for reduced soreness, but results are inconsistent.

Energy: neutralFocus: neutralSleep: neutralMood: neutralImmunity: neutral

How it works

Betaine anhydrous is a methyl donor that reliably reduces homocysteine levels, supporting cardiovascular health. It shows moderate evidence for improving muscular endurance and power output, though its effects on fat loss and body composition are inconsistent across studies.

Acts as an osmolyte to maintain cellular hydration and as a methyl donor in the methionine cycle, converting homocysteine to methionine.

Safety

May cause fishy body odor or breath (trimethylamine)
Gastrointestinal upset (nausea, diarrhea) at higher doses
Can increase total and LDL cholesterol at doses >4g/day

The full StackRoast report adds

The exact dose, timing, and effective range to actually run it at
Where people go wrong with it — the dose-creep and timing traps
What Betaine Anhydrous clashes with or duplicates in your stack
Which brands are actually worth buying

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Community Reality Check

Distilled from 500 threads

Confidence: high

What users report

Muscle fullness
Lower homocysteine
Methylation support

The catch

Fishy smell
No noticeable effect
GI upset

Side effects reported

Fishy body odor
Nausea
Diarrhea

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplementshttps://www.reddit.com/r/nootropics

The Receipts

9 sources— studies, videos & links

Videos

This Supplement Builds 2lbs of Muscle in 6 Weeks

Thomas DeLauer

Explains the muscle-building and fat-loss mechanisms of betaine.

What Is Betaine Anhydrous

Swolverine

A concise breakdown of performance benefits and clinical dosing.

Papers

Cholewa et al. 2013rct2013

Found that 2.5g of betaine improved body composition and arm size in resistance-trained men.

McRae 2013meta-analysis2013

Meta-analysis confirming betaine effectively lowers plasma homocysteine in healthy adults.

Hoffman et al. 2009rct2009

Showed improved muscular endurance in the squat exercise after 15 days of supplementation.

Creators

Thomas DeLauer

YouTube

Regularly reviews clinical literature on metabolic health and performance supplements.

Mike Israetel

YouTube

Exercise scientist who evaluates supplements based on their impact on hypertrophy and performance.

Clinical Sources

Examine: Trimethylglycineofficial NIH: Betaine Reviewclinical

Taking Betaine Anhydrous in a stack? Find out if the combination actually makes sense.

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