Betaine Enhances Athletic Performance

ITHACA, N.Y.Betaine supplementation can enhance athletic performance in untrained adults, according to new research supported by Danisco. Results of a study presented at the annual conference of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (and expected to be published in early 2011) examined how the addition of betaine (as Daniscos BetaPower Natural Betaine) to an electrolyte drink impacted cycling sprint power in untrained men and women (n=16). In the double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, subjects performed a cycling test at baseline, which was compared to performance after one week consuming a placebo electrolyte drink and one week consuming the betaine supplement. Betaine ingestion significantly increased average peak power, maximum peak power, average mean power and maximum mean power for all subjects compared to both placebo and baseline.

We found that one week of betaine supplementation increased sprint power in untrained males and females," said Stuart Craig, Ph.D., Daniscos director of regulatory and scientific affairs, North America, and one of the studys authors. The results showed a statistically significant performance improvement in the subjects given BetaPower. The results of this study add to the growing body of science supporting the benefits of betaine for athletic performance and as an important nutrient."

In fact, two studies published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2010 also reported positive results for betaine supplementation and exercise. In the first, researchers found betaine serves as a cell protectant that may be lost in sweat. The second study found betaine supplementation could improve strength and power performance in trained male athletes.

As all of this research indicates, scientific substantiation continues to be an integral part of product innovation at Danisco," Craig said. We will continue to support research on betaine to further understand its functionality and role in improving athletic performance."