By Jimmy Downs

Monday Jan 21, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study in Neurochemistry suggests that taking betaine supplements may help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Gong-Ping Liu from Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, P. R. China and colleagues conducted the study and found that betaine supplementation arrested homocysteine-induced Alzheimer's disease like pathological changes and memory deficits.

In the study, rats received vena caudalis injection of homocysteine (Hcy) to develop a condition called hyperhomocysteinemia which may induce memory deficits with β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation and tau hyperphosphorylation, according to the study report. 

The researchers found supplementation of betaine ameliorated "the Hcy-induced memory deficits, enhanced long-term potentiation and increased dendritic branches numbers and the density of the dendritic spines" in the rats with hyperhomocysteinemia in addition to up-regulating "NR1, NR2A, synaptotagmin, synaptophysin, and phosphorylated synapsin I protein levels."

Supplementation of betaine also reduced the Hcy-induced tau hyperphosphorylation at multiple Alzheimer's disease -related sites and decreased Aβ production.

Studies show that folate and vitamin B12 partially normalized the serum homocysteine level and reduced tau hyperphosphorylation, Aβ accumulation and memory impairments induced by hyperhomocysteinemia. But these supplements do not work in individuals with the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype mutation, according to the authors.

Alzheimer's disease generally affects people older than 65.  There is no cure for the disease, but it can be prevented or at least delayed.

Betaine also known as glycine betaine or trimethylglycine is found in sugar beet.  It is available as a dietary supplement.