Betaine Anhydrous

How does Betaine Anhydrous work?

A form of betaine called betaine anhydrous helps in the metabolism of homocysteine, a chemical involved in the normal function of many different parts of the body, including blood, bones, eyes, heart, nerves, and the brain. Betaine anhydrous prevents the buildup of homocysteine seen in people who have problems with its metabolism from birth.

Are there safety concerns?

Betaine anhydrous is safe for most people. It can cause some minor side effects. These include nausea, stomach upset, and diarrhea.

Betaine anhydrous is also available as a prescription drug in the US. Prescription betaine anhydrous is standardized which means it contains a set dose of active chemicals.

There isn't enough information to know if betaine hydrochloride is safe. It might cause heartburn.

Do not use betaine anydrous if:

• You are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Dosing considerations for Betaine Anhydrous.

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For a condition called homocystinuria: A maintenance dose of 3 grams is usually taken twice daily in both adults and children. In children, the dose usually starts low and is gradually raised to this level. For children under three years old, the starting dose is 100 mg/kg per day; the next week the dose is raised to 200 mg/kg per day for the week; the following week, the dose is raised to 300 mg/kg per day for the week, and so on until the maintenance dose is reached. All patients can receive dose increases until the level of homocysteine in the blood is very low or too low to measure; sometimes doses up to 20 grams per day are needed to achieve this. Dissolve the powder in water immediately before taking.