BetaPower®

BetaPower® is the premier betaine supplement with backing from clinical research.

BetaPower is a betaine extract that is most commonly used for pre-workout supplementation. This review details its advantages over generic betaine supplements:

• Clinically researched. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that BetaPower is a safe and effective supplement.
• Patented. There are multiple patents protecting the manufacturing technique behind BetaPower.
• Stabilized. BetaPower is highly purified, soluble, and well-stabilized.

Overview

BetaPower is a branded form of the naturally occurring ingredient betaine, which refers to a neutral compound with a negatively charged group on one end and a positively charged group on the other. The original betaine structure was known as trimethylglycine — a key nutrient for facilitating hydration in plants and animals, especially under conditions of high stress. It is most commonly found in whole grains, shellfish, spinach, and beets.

First manufactured by Finnish food ingredient supplier Danisco in 2007, BetaPower is a highly purified version of betaine (99%) specifically derived from the molasses of sugar beets. The product has received approval for safe consumption in numerous countries.

One of the primary health benefits associated with BetaPower is its capacity to promote hydration, and thus, bolster performance during demanding physical or mental activities. In recent years, various clinical trials have affirmed that the supplement may help improve exercise performance, particularly in terms of strength and endurance.

How BetaPower Works

BetaPower works through several distinct mechanisms:

1. Supporting biochemical processes. One of the primary functions of BetaPower is to donate methyl groups (-CH₃) for more than 100 reactions in the body — ultimately supporting healthy liver function, cell replication, and detoxification, among other processes.
2. Increasing protein synthesis. Betaine also plays a critical role in the methionine cycle, which produces S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe). This compound is essential for the synthesis of proteins, hormones (such as adrenaline), and nutrients (like creatine and carnitine) in the body.
3. Enhancing osmoregulation. BetaPower is an effective osmolyte, meaning that it protects cells and proteins against dehydration.

BetaPower Patents

BetaPower preparation

The parent company of Danisco, DuPont Nutrition BioSciences, has the rights to several patents covering the manufacturing process for BetaPower, including U.S. patent 8394288 and 2011024549.

BetaPower for exercise performance

DuPont additionally received approval for the use of BetaPower to increase exercise endurance and muscle strength under U.S. patent 7740878, as well as for a variety of similar health-promoting purposes.

BetaPower Nutritional Supplement Uses

Pre-Workout Supplements

BetaPower is rising in popularity as a pre-workout supplement for its capacity to enhance muscle mass, reduce muscle soreness, and minimize muscle fatigue during exercise. Collectively, these benefits may help boost workout strength and power, making it ideal for resistance training such as bodybuilding.

Nootropic Supplements

Though BetaPower is primarily viewed as a workout supplement, its use as a nootropic is gaining traction due to the supplement’s role in helping produce SAMe, which is responsible for synthesizing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. What’s more, BetaPower may also support brain health by lowering homocysteine levels to combat depression and other mental disorders.

More on betaine as a nootropic.

BetaPower Research

Human Research

Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that BetaPower has the capacity to improve various aspects of exercise performance, particularly concerning workout endurance and power. The following are just a selection of representative studies:

BetaPower (2.5 g) may improve exercise power

In this double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 12 males underwent 14 days of high-intensity resistance training while taking either a placebo or 2 daily servings of 1.25 grams of BetaPower in a 300 mL sports drink. The BetaPower group demonstrated improvements in throw power, bench press force, squat force, and vertical jump, compared with the placebo group. There were no notable differences in the number of bench press or squat repetitions.

• The researchers concluded that “betaine supplementation corresponded positively with gains in bench throw power, isometric bench press force, some measures of vertical jump power, and isometric squat force.”¹

BetaPower (5 g) may improve hydration and reduce muscle soreness

In this double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 10 male runners took 1 L of water, water plus 5 g of BetaPower, a carbohydrate fluid plus 5 g of BetaPower, or water plus the carbohydrate fluid and 5 g of BetaPower before undergoing a running exercise. Though BetaPower did not significantly enhance sprint performance, it did increase energy efficiency, improve hydration, and decrease lactic acid buildup.

• The researchers concluded that “rehydration with fluids containing betaine resulted in significant differences of plasma volume, oxygen consumption, plasma lactate concentration, and thermal sensation.”²

BetaPower (2.5 g) may increase total repetitions and volume load for bench pressing

In this double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 13 men took either 2.5 g of BetaPower mixed in 500 mL of Gatorade or 500 mL of Gatorade alone every day for a 2-week period during which they followed a bench press protocol. The BetaPower group had statistically significant increases in the number of reps and total weight they were able to bench press, whereas the placebo group did not. The BetaPower group also had a lower amount of post-workout lactic acid levels, compared with the placebo group.

• The researchers concluded that “betaine supplementation results in a moderate increase in total repetitions and volume load in the bench press exercise.”³

BetaPower Dosage

• Clinical trials have used from 2.5 – 5 g of BetaPower per day.
• Typical BetaPower supplements suggest a serving size of 1– 1.5 g, taken 1 – 3 times daily.