TMG was found to be beneficial to heart health in
the 1950s.4-6 Like some of the B vitamins (B6, B12
and folate), TMG is a methyl donor, providing extra
methyl groups to hasten the conversion of
homocysteine back to methionine. When a TMG methyl
group is donated to a molecule of homocysteine, it
converts it to the non-toxic amino acid,
methionine.7
The role of TMG in healthy homocysteine metabolism
is even more important when B vitamin levels are
low.8 Some evidence suggests TMG may be more
efficient at regulating homocysteine levels than
folate. 9 Research showing TMG's ability to promote
healthy levels of homocysteine already within
normal range, alone or in conjunction with other
nutrients, confirms its status as an important
nutrient for cardiovascular and overall health.7,9
TMG has been associated with healthy blood pressure
and mitochondrial function, and has been found to
be linked to cardiovascular health.2,10-12 TMG has
also been found to promote healthy liver
function.13 Studies show TMG can support a healthy
inflammatory response by inhibiting expression of
NFkappaB, TNF-alpha, and other inflammatory
proteins, which may partially explain its positive
impacts.14 Because intestinal microbes can make
various by-products from TMG, the health of the gut
microbiome influences the effects of TMG in the
body.15,16
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- ARYA Atheroscler
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- Am J Clin Nutr
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- Ann West Med Surg. 1951;5(10):825-829.
- Ann West Med Surg. 1951;5(10):830-855.
- Ann West Med Surg. 1951;5(10):863-875.
- J Inherit Metab Dis. 2011;34(1):3-15.
- Am J Clin Nutr
. 2010;91(5):1303-10.
- Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013;16(1):102-108.
- J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2018;20(2):388-393.
- Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2015;456(2):621-625.
- PLoS One. 2014;9(12): e114969.
- Vet Res Forum. 2018;9(2):129-135.
- Molecules. 2018;23(6)
- Eur Heart J. 2014;35(14):904-910.
- Microbiome. 2019;7(1):103.