Trimethylglycine
trimethylglycine trimethylglycine research trimethylglycine benefits trimethylglycine also known as betaine

Trimethylglycine TMG (also known as betaine), and Dimethylglycine DMG, are methyl donors that help in the production of several brain chemicals and hence improve mood, energy, wellbeing, alertness, concentration, and visual clarity.

Unless your major is college was chemistry, chances are you don’t remember learning about methyl donors. But if you find the field of mind boosting interesting, you will certainly want to learn more about these supplements. A methyl donor is simply any substance that can transfer a methyl group [a carbon atom attached to three hydrogen atoms (CH3)] to another substance. Many important biochemical processes rely on methylation, including the metabolism of lipids and DNA. Scientists suspect that adequate methylation of DNA can prevent the expression of harmful genes, such as cancer genes. It’s quite likely that our body’s ability to methylate declines with age, potentially contributing to the aging process, and therefore supplementation is an interesting idea in terms of health benefits.

Research update
Trimethylglycine lowers homocysteine levels.
Trimethylglycine has been found to protect liver cells from toxins.
Trimethylglycine is a safe and well tolerated nutrient that leads to a significant biochemical and histological improvement in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Trimethylglycine may lead to sexual enhancement and enjoyment.

Availability of Trimethylglycine
Trimethylglycine is sold in dosages ranging from 100 to 500 mg. Beets, broccoli, and shellfish are food sources of trimethylglycine. In fact, the source of most of the Trimethylglycine sold over the counter is often from the sugar beet. Other supplements used for mental enhancement include Mind Power Rx and Alpha-GPC.

Ray Sahelian, M.D.’s Experience with Trimethylglycine
I definitely notice a sense of wellbeing, alertness, and mental sharpness from both trimethylglycine and DMG, generally at a dose between 100 to 500 mg. One morning I took three 750 mg pills of trimethylglycine (totaling 2250 mg) on an empty stomach with an ounce of fruit juice just to see if there were any side effects. An hour later I felt the onset of mild nausea. Drinking a few ounces of milk relieved the nausea. As the day progressed, I felt more energetic and realized that my mood was enhanced. In the evening I took my routine three-mile walk and noticed that I had a great deal of energy. I kept walking and ended up covering, twice my normal distance. The drawback was that at bedtime I was still alert and couldn’t sleep at all. I got out of bed several times throughout the night. I continued feeling the alertness well into the morning of the next day. Apparently 2,250 mg is a very high dose and can have effects on the brain lasting more than twenty-four hours. A positive effect from taking DMG or trimethylglycine  that I hadn’t expected was an enhancement in libido. When I take a sublingual form of DMG, I notice the onset of alertness within a half-hour.

The Chemistry of DMG and Trimethylglycine
DMG (dimethylglycine) is basically the amino acid glycine attached to two methyl groups while TMG has three methyl groups. In brief, choline (tetramethylglycine) has four methyl groups, and when it donates a methyl group it becomes Trimethylglycine and when Trimethylglycine donates a methyl group it becomes DMG. DMG, in turn, has two methyl groups left to methylate other substances in the body. Commonly these methyl groups are added to homocysteine, converting it into the amino acid methionine which is then converted to SAMe. SAMe is a nutrient available over the counter, which has been used as a powerful antidepressant. DMG plays a crucial role in the respiratory cycle of the cells, transporting oxygen and serving as a potent methyl donor. DMG acts as a building block for the synthesis of many important substances such as choline, SAM-e, the amino acid methionine, several hormones, neurotransmitters, and DNA. The formation of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine requires a methyl group donated by SAMe. Dopamine enhances sex drive. TMG (trimethylglycine), also known as betaine, is basically the amino acid glycine attached to three methyl groups. Simply, Trimethylglycine has one more methyl group than DMG.

Trimethylglycine Recommendations
Trimethylglycine and DMG are underutilized nutrients that hold a great deal of promise but unfortunately, few doctors are familiar with these nutrients. At this time the clinical uses of Trimethylglycine and DMG are not well defined and whether they would be helpful in the therapy of Alzheimer and Parkinson’s disease is not known. Since the body’s ability to methylate declines with age, supplements of Trimethylglycine or DMG in small amounts, such as 50 to 100 mg a day, may benefit middle aged and older individuals. I recommend not exceeding 250 mg of Trimethylglycine or DMG on a daily basis until more is known about these supplements. Your dose of Trimethylglycine and DMG should be reduced if you are taking B vitamins, SAMe, DMAE, or choline since all of these nutrients have overlapping functions.

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trimethylglycine research trimethylglycine benefits also known as betaine