BETAINE, ALSO KNOWN AS TRIMETHYLGLYCINE (TMG), IS AN ORGANIC COMPOUND THAT’S NATURALLY FOUND IN SOME FOODS, SUCH AS SUGAR BEETS, SPINACH, AND SHELLFISH. BETAINE IS ALSO PRODUCED BY THE BODY FROM THE METABOLISM OF CHOLINE. BETAINE IS A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE AMINO ACID GLYCINE — ITS CHEMICAL STRUCTURE CONSISTS OF GLYCINE AND THREE METHYL GROUPS.

BETAINE IS INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES, BUT IT’S MOST NOTABLY USED FOR THE METHYLATION OF AN AMINO ACID CALLED HOMOCYSTEINE. BY DONATING ONE OF ITS THREE METHYL GROUPS, BETAINE CAN CONVERT HOMOCYSTEINE TO METHIONINE, WHICH IS A KEY COMPONENT FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF CREATINE.