Betaine Shrinks Fat, Revives Gut, and Reboots Metabolism.

A 2025 animal study in Frontiers in Nutrition by Wang et al. found that giving high-fat–fed rats betaine (1.5% in drinking water) for 8 weeks led to less body fat, improved blood lipids (lower triglycerides, higher HDL), and better glucose tolerance—all without cutting calories.

Betaine also reshaped gut microbes, boosting SCFA‑producing bacteria like Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcus, which coincided with higher gut hormones (GLP‑1, CCK, PYY) that suppress appetite. In fat tissue, it activated genes tied to thermogenesis and fat burning, and increased DHA‑rich phospholipids—suggesting more efficient fat metabolism.

If you want to support gut health and fat metabolism, consider adding dietary sources of betaine—grass-fed beef liver, pastured eggs, shrimp, and raw dairy—into your routine.