Betaine is a supplement primarily for the use of treating homocystinuria. It is a disease that causes the inability of the body to break down some proteins in the body, thereby causing some homocysteine build-up in the blood. If a person has more than enough of this protein, it causes tiredness, blood clots, osteoporosis, and in some cases, seizure.
As a Bodybuilding Supplement
Apart from treating homocystinuria, it is also known to induce the strength of the muscles for endurance and power. Regular intake of this food supplement can make a person train longer in any sport activity or gym exercise. The result is stronger and bigger muscle mass.
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Also, it is known to lessen the amount of time the body needs to recover from physical exertion. For serious athletes, the time to be spent in training can be doubled-up.
Another attribute of this substance is that when taken regularly, it can drastically reduce the amount of body fat and increase lean muscle mass. This can be good for you if your goal is to look more muscular but lean.
When an athlete takes this prior to training, it improves the hormonal response and there is an increase in the skeletal muscle protein synthesis. Secondly, it prevents the cells from dehydration because it is an osmoprotectant. It is also known to help in inflammation of the muscles, causing athletes to recover faster from their intense training program.
Composition
The compounds are naturally present in plants like sugar beets and living things like marine algae. The main component is trimethylglycine (TMG) which is an amino acid glycine. It is also a source of hydrochloric acid or stomach acid which is present in the intestinal linings. Due to its low ph level, it is known to kill harmful bacteria in the stomach that is good for digestion.
How it Promotes Good Health
If you are diagnosed with low stomach acid, Betaine is a supplement that can increase it. It increases the hydrochloric acid in the stomach lining, thereby allowing the body to absorb the nutrients more effectively. Since it is good for digestion, as mentioned earlier, it encourages regular bowel movements. It also helps in the synthesis of vitamins and minerals.
It also helps in metabolism and it works hand in hand with taurine. Together, they can act to lower the blood pressure and improve the immune system and prevent a person from cardiovascular diseases.
Precautions
Despite of its popularity for promoting good health and leaner muscle mass, it is still not recommended for everyone. If you are regularly taking pain medicines that cause stomach lining to bleed, the hydrochloric acid can even aggravate the condition. Second, if you are suffering from ulcers, hydrochloric acid may cause some stomach bleeding. It is also known to cause diarrhea for some susceptible persons. Pregnant and lactating mothers should refrain from taking this.
It may have positive effects on health and on bodybuilding, but always practice caution. Always consult a medical practitioner before even trying to take any medicine.