on December 29, 2003
Published online before print December 29, 2003, doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000114569.54976.31
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Submitted on September 18, 2003
Accepted on November 14, 2003
Betaine as a Determinant of Postmethionine Load Total Plasma Homocysteine Before and After Vitamin B Supplementation
Pål I. Holm ;
yvind Bleie ;
From Locus for Homocysteine and Related Vitamins (P.I.H., .B., P.M.U., E.A.L., O.N.), Institute of Medicine (.B., J.E.N., O.N.), University of Bergen, Norway, and the Department of Pharmacology (H.R.), University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: per.ueland{at}ikb.uib.no.
Objective--Betaine is a substrate in the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase reaction, converting homocysteine to methionine. There are only sparse data on plasma betaine as a determinant of the plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration.
Methods and Results--Ninety patients undergoing coronary angiography were randomized into 4 groups administered oral: (1) folic acid (0.8 mg), vitamin B12 (0.4 mg), and vitamin B6 (40 mg); (2) folic acid and vitamin B12; (3) vitamin B6 alone; or (4) placebo. Nonfasting blood samples were collected at baseline and 3, 14, and 28 days and 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment start. A 4-hour methionine-loading test (0.1 g/kg) was performed at baseline and after 3 months. At baseline, median (interquartile range) plasma betaine was 36.9 µmol/L (range: 30.3 to 46.8) and was increased by 15% after methionine loading. The postmethionine load (PML) increase in tHcy was inversely related to plasma betaine (
=-0.29, P=0.02) and even more strongly to PML betaine (=-0.47, P<0.001). After 3 months of intervention, the relation between the PML increase in tHcy and PML betaine was weakened (=-0.33, P=0.007).
Conclusions--Plasma betaine is a strong determinant of the PML increase in tHcy in subjects not supplemented with B vitamins.
Key words: betaine • homocysteine • folate • vitamin B12 • vitamin B6
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  S. H Zeisel Epigenetic mechanisms for nutrition determinants of later health outcomes Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2009; 89(5): 1488S - 1493S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Veenema, C. Solis, R. Li, W. Wang, C. V Maletz, C. M Abratte, and M. A Caudill Adequate Intake levels of choline are sufficient for preventing elevations in serum markers of liver dysfunction in Mexican American men but are not optimal for minimizing plasma total homocysteine increases after a methionine load Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 2008; 88(3): 685 - 692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. V. Konstantinova, G. S. Tell, S. E. Vollset, O. Nygard, O. Bleie, and P. M. Ueland Divergent Associations of Plasma Choline and Betaine with Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Middle Age and Elderly Men and Women J. Nutr., May 1, 2008; 138(5): 914 - 920. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. Atkinson, J. Elmslie, M. Lever, S. T Chambers, and P. M George Dietary and supplementary betaine: acute effects on plasma betaine and homocysteine concentrations under standard and postmethionine load conditions in healthy male subjects Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2008; 87(3): 577 - 585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. E Chiuve, E. L Giovannucci, S. E Hankinson, S. H Zeisel, L. W Dougherty, W. C Willett, and E. B Rimm The association between betaine and choline intakes and the plasma concentrations of homocysteine in women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2007; 86(4): 1073 - 1081. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. C. Reed, H. F. Nijhout, M. L. Neuhouser, J. F. Gregory III, B. Shane, S. J. James, A. Boynton, and C. M. Ulrich A Mathematical Model Gives Insights into Nutritional and Genetic Aspects of Folate-Mediated One-Carbon Metabolism J. Nutr., October 1, 2006; 136(10): 2653 - 2661. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. M. Innis and D. Hasman Evidence of Choline Depletion and Reduced Betaine and Dimethylglycine with Increased Homocysteine in Plasma of Children with Cystic Fibrosis J. Nutr., August 1, 2006; 136(8): 2226 - 2231. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M Molloy, J. L Mills, C. Cox, S. F Daly, M. Conley, L. C Brody, P. N Kirke, J. M Scott, and P. M Ueland Choline and homocysteine interrelations in umbilical cord and maternal plasma at delivery Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2005; 82(4): 836 - 842. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. V Velzing-Aarts, P. I Holm, M R. Fokkema, F. P van der Dijs, P. M Ueland, and F. A Muskiet Plasma choline and betaine and their relation to plasma homocysteine in normal pregnancy Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2005; 81(6): 1383 - 1389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K.-A. da Costa, C. E Gaffney, L. M Fischer, and S. H Zeisel Choline deficiency in mice and humans is associated with increased plasma homocysteine concentration after a methionine load Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2005; 81(2): 440 - 444. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. I. Holm, P. M. Ueland, S. E. Vollset, O. Midttun, H. J. Blom, M. B.A.J. Keijzer, and M. den Heijer Betaine and Folate Status as Cooperative Determinants of Plasma Homocysteine in Humans Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, February 1, 2005; 25(2): 379 - 385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. A. Craig Betaine in human nutrition Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 2004; 80(3): 539 - 549. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|