Clinical trial NCT01371357: The Effects of 8-week Choline, Betaine, and Folic Acid Supplementation on Plasma Homocysteine Concentration During Guanidinoacetic Acid Loading in Young Healthy Volunteers
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Hyperhomocysteinemia
Keywords: Remethylation
Human Subjects
Clinical Trial
B-vitamin
Creatine
Lead sponsor: Center for Health Sciences, Serbia
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2011-06-10
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 30
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: A methyl-group acceptor such as guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) could induce hyperhomocysteinemia with the effects of GAA expected to be dose-dependent. Due to the fact that hyperhomocysteinemia is thought to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, different dietary agents were used in the past for the treatment of elevated total plasma homocysteine (T-HCy), e. g. betaine, choline (betaine precursor) or folic acid. In the context of GAA loading the question arises whether intake of betaine, choline (betaine precursor) or folic acid during GAA loading could affect plasma T-HCy in healthy humans. Forty healthy physically active men and women aged 20 to 30 years will take part in this GAA-controlled, double-blind and parallel-group intervention study. Subjects will be allocated to four randomly assigned trials, with treatment lasting for 8 weeks and washout period of 28 days. The 4 test treatment-groups will include TEST1 (GAA only), TEST2 (GAA, choline, B6, B12 and folic acid), TEST3 (GAA, betaine, B6, B12 and folic acid) and TEST4 (GAA, B6, B12 and folic acid). Plasma T-HCy will be the primary outcome measure assessed every second week throughout the study. Plasma B-vitamins and blood and urine metabolites (GAA, creatine, methionine, arginine) will be secondary outcome measures along with adverse-effects indicators assessed every second week throughout the study. Selected body composition indicators will be obtained at 0, 2, 8 and 12 weeks throughout the study to monitor the effects of experimental treatments on body hydration and protein synthesis. This research will test the hypothesis that a combination of GAA with homocysteine lowering nutrients attenuates the elevation of T-hcy, and will further display the size-effect of each additive used.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* healthy male and non-pregnant females
* moderately physically active
* aged 20 to 30 years
* not currently taking any dietary supplement for the past 2 months

Exclusion Criteria:

- total plasma homocysteine above 15.5 µmol/L

Primary outcomes:
measure: Total plasma homocysteine
timeFrame: 3 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Serum creatine
timeFrame: 3 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Belgrade
country: Serbia
facility: Center for Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences
Study officials:
affiliation: Center for Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences
name: Sergej M Ostojic, MD, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Olthof MR, Brink EJ, Katan MB, Verhoef P. Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcholine decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jul;82(1):111-7. doi: 10.1093/ajcn.82.1.111.
citation: Setoue M, Ohuchi S, Morita T, Sugiyama K. Hyperhomocysteinemia induced by guanidinoacetic acid is effectively suppressed by choline and betaine in rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2008 Jul;72(7):1696-703. doi: 10.1271/bbb.70791. Epub 2008 Jul 7.
citation: Verhoef P, de Groot LC. Dietary determinants of plasma homocysteine concentrations. Semin Vasc Med. 2005 May;5(2):110-23. doi: 10.1055/s-2005-872397.