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A Comparison of Choline, Betaine and Dimethyl-Aminoethanol in the Prevention of the Hepatico-Renal Syndrome¹

Bainbridge, New York

L. C. Babcock and Esther G. Nohle

ABSTRACT

1. Betaine supplementation of low fat diets containing casein, lactal-bumin.or soy protein was substantially as effective as the same amount of choline in promoting growth in young rats, in the prevention of hemorrhagie degeneration of the kidneys, and in maintaining normal kidney functions; betaine exerted a distinctly less lipotropic action.
   
2. The amount of choline in the liver lipids of animals receiving choline and betaine supplements was substantially the same, averaging about 0.16 per cent.
   
3. Dimethylaminoethanol as a supplement to a diet containing lactal-bumin showed a marked lipotropic action substantially equal to that of choline.
   
4. A mixture of betaines consisting largely of betaines other than those of glycine, alanine and cystine prepared by the methylation of the amino acids derived from lactalbumin was of no value in preventing the hepatico-renal syndrome resulting from choline deficiency.
   
5. Choline or betaine supplements are seemingly less essential for mature rats than for young animals.
   
6. Choline impoverishment of the dietary of mature animals is reflected by an increase in the percentage of fat in the liver; the magnitude of the effect of the absence of choline from the dietary of mature rats on kidney function is not as great as occurs in young animals.
   
7. Glycine supplementation of the diet of young rats is not effective in preventing the characteristic renal syndrome resulting from choline deficiency.
   

¹ From Borden Research Division at Bainbridge, N. Y., prior to abandonment of Biological and Chemical Research Laboratories at that location.

² President and Technical Director, Supplee Research Corporation, Bainbridge, N. Y.