Display Settings:

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination
    Clin Biochem. 2007 Nov;40(16-17):1225-31. Epub 2007 Jul 17.

    Sex differences in the control of plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of glycine betaine in patients attending a lipid disorders clinic.

    Source

    Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch, New Zealand. michael.lever@chmeds.ac.nz

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVES:

    To find whether the control of betaine metabolism differs between male and female patients and identify the effects of insulin and other hormones.

    DESIGN AND METHODS:

    Data from non-diabetic lipid clinic patients (82 female symbol and 76 male symbol) were re-analyzed by sex. Data on insulin, thyroid hormones and leptin were included in models to identify factors affecting the circulation and excretion of betaine and its metabolites.

    RESULTS:

    Different factors influenced plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of betaine, dimethylglycine and homocysteine in males and females. In males, apolipoprotein B (negative), thyroid stimulating hormone (positive) and insulin (negative) predicted circulating betaine, consistent with betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase mediated control. In females, insulin positively predicted plasma dimethylglycine. Urinary betaine excretion positively predicted circulating homocysteine in males (p<0.001), whereas dimethylglycine excretion (also indicating betaine loss) was a stronger positive predictor (p<0.001) in females. Carnitine affected betaine homeostasis.

    CONCLUSIONS:

    Betaine metabolism is under endocrine control, and studies should use sex stratified groups.

    PMID:
    17706956
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

      Supplemental Content

      Icon for Elsevier Science

      Save items

      loading

      Recent activity

      Your browsing activity is empty.

      Activity recording is turned off.

      Turn recording back on

      See more...
      Write to the Help Desk