Trimethylglycine (TMG) – How It Can Help You

Trimethylglycine (TMG) – What Is It?

Trimethylglycine (TMG) also know as betaine is one of many ingredients in the Tikva product. It is a nutrient that plays an important role in the health of the cardiovascular system. Studies have suggested that betaine, along with other nutrients, helps to reduce potentially toxic levels of homocysteine (Hcy), a naturally occurring amino acid that can be harmful to blood vessels thereby contributing to the development of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease (reduced blood flow to the legs and feet)

-University of Maryland Medical Center

Trimethylglycine Health Benefits

Lowers Homocysteine

Also commonly known as betaine, Trimethylglycine is a constituent of food. The average American ingests 500–2000 mg of TMG a day.

TMG is the most effective nutritional agent for suppressing the after-meal surge in homocysteine, slashing levels up to 50%. We commonly use 2000 mg per day as a starting dose for fasting homocysteine levels that do not fully respond to the three B vitamins, using higher doses for the after-meal surge seen with methionine loading. Spinach and wheat germ are two particularly rich food sources of Trimethylglycine. Be aware that the 6000-mg dose of it has been found to raise (bad) LDL by around 10%, and LDL should therefore be monitored when using this high dose of Trimethylglycine.

-Life Extension Foundation

Protect Liver Function and Kidney Damage

Trimethylglycine functions very closely with choline,folic acid, vitamin B12, and a form of the amino acid methionine known as S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe).¹ ^{, 2} All of these compounds function as “methyl donors.” They carry and donate methyl molecules to facilitate necessary chemical processes. The donation of methyl groups by trimethylglycine is very important to proper liver function, cellular replication, and detoxification reactions. It also plays a role in the manufacture of carnitine and serves to protect the kidneys from damage.³ Betaine is closely related to choline. The difference is that choline (tetramethylglycine) has four methyl groups attached to it. When choline donates one of these groups to another molecule, it becomes betaine (trimethylglycine). If betaine donates one of its methyl groups, then it becomes dimethylglycine.

-University of Michigan Health Systems