Twenty-four active college men took either 1.25 g of betaine twice a day or a placebo for 15 days, with testing at the start and after one and two weeks. The betaine group completed more squat repetitions to exhaustion at 75% of their one-rep max after a week, and more of those repetitions were performed at high power. No differences appeared in bench press repetitions, vertical jump power, bench throw power, Wingate cycling power, mood or muscle soreness.
Betaine is a compound found in wheat, spinach, beets and shellfish, and the body also makes it from choline. It donates methyl groups, small chemical units used to build other compounds, including creatine. One earlier trial had reported gains in power with betaine, the only human study to show a performance benefit. This team set out to test that claim: does 15 days of betaine improve power and slow fatigue in active young men?
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with two groups.
Mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and soreness with a 10 cm rating scale.
The power results were null. There was no difference between betaine and placebo in Wingate peak power, mean power, total work or rate of fatigue at any time point. Rate of fatigue ran at 23.9, 24.0 and 24.5 watts per second on betaine against 23.2, 24.6 and 23.9 on placebo. Vertical jump power and bench press throw power, peak and mean, did not differ. Neither did mood scores or soreness ratings.
Bench press results were also null: no difference in repetitions to exhaustion, and none at 90 percent of peak or mean power.
One measure moved. Squat repetitions to exhaustion were greater on betaine at days 7 to 8 (p less than 0.05). At days 14 to 15 the gap did not reach the threshold (p = 0.06). Squat repetitions at 90 percent or more of peak power were greater on betaine at both time points, and at 90 percent of mean power only later.
24 people in two groups is a small trial, and single positive findings in small samples are unreliable. The groups were not identical at the start: the betaine group was lighter and shorter on average and had lower Wingate power at baseline. The study did not measure muscle creatine, so the proposed mechanism is untested, and the authors say so. They also note the power tests were not part of the men's training, which may have limited any improvement showing up. Danisco-USA funded the project and supplied the betaine. The researchers state they have no financial interest in the outcome, and the paper says publication is not an endorsement by the investigators, the college or the journal.
This study asked whether betaine improves power and fatigue and found that it does not. Every power measure came back negative. The one thing that changed was how many squat repetitions the men could complete, in a single small study in young trained men. That is not more power, more strength, more muscle or better recovery, and the earlier study it was checking was not confirmed. Read it as a negative result with a narrow exception, not as evidence of benefit.
That depends on the specific medication and formula. A few, like blood thinners with CurQLife or blood pressure medication with MaxiNOs, are worth a direct conversation with your doctor first. Check each formula's own FAQ section for specifics, or ask your health coach.
No, and we'd rather be upfront about it. Bacopa, the plant in BacoZest, has published human studies, though they used other bacopa extracts. OptiNOs and MaxiNOs each have human studies sponsored by their maker, Laila Nutraceuticals, which haven't been published in a journal. CurQLife's research is still early, from lab and animal studies, and we label it that way.
It depends on what you're building your routine around. BacoZest is built around bacopa, which is studied for memory.* OptiNOs supports strength and muscular endurance alongside resistance training.* MaxiNOs was studied for healthy blood vessel function.* CurQLife's research is still at the lab stage. Your health coach can help you pick a starting point.
All four are built around plant extracts. OptiNOs was reported as well tolerated in its human study, and published bacopa studies reported no serious side effects. CurQLife's safety data so far comes from lab and animal testing. Check with your doctor first if you're pregnant, nursing, on medication, or managing a health condition.
Because the patented ingredients behind our four formulas went through dedicated research, and research costs real money. A generic curcumin or bacopa supplement hasn't been tested in the form you get from us. You're paying for an ingredient with research behind it, not just a label.
Generic ingredients often haven't been studied in the specific form you're buying. Our four core formulas use patented ingredients, and we show you the research behind each one, including where it's still early.
It depends on the formula. In its study, MaxiNOs blood vessel response was higher than placebo 2 to 3 hours after the first dose.* OptiNOs and bacopa were studied over 6 and 12 weeks of daily use, so give them time. CurQLife is meant to be taken daily.
Yes. BacoZest, OptiNOs, MaxiNOs, and CurQLife are built for different goals, and none of them contain stimulants. They haven't been studied together, so ask your health coach how to fit them into your routine.
