The Best Betaine Supplements for Athletes, Pre-Workout, And More

Also called trimethylglycine, betaine anhydrous (betaine for short) is not as artificial as its lengthy name might suggest. It occurs naturally in the body and can also be found in spinach, seafoods, and beets — which is where “betaine” gets its name from. It’s a popular supplement, particularly in fitness circles, because of research suggesting that it might improve strength and power output. It’s also gained some recognition for its potential role in reducing cortisol and homocysteine, which can help decrease stress and improve cardio health. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)

You’ll find betaine within pre-workout and post-workout products, and in standalone supplements. The typical dosage you’ll see across the market can range from 1.5g to 6g. We scoured the market for the finest array of the best betaine supplements and landed on this group. You’ll find picks for muscle gain, athletes, and bulk buys — but read on to see which of our favorites can help you grow in your fitness journey.

Best Betaine Supplements

• Best Betaine Supplement Overall: Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous
• Best Betaine Supplement for Muscle Gain: Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous
• Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout with Betaine: Legion Pulse Pre-Workout (Without Caffeine)
• Best Betaine Supplement for Working Out: Transparent Labs BULK
• Best Bulk Betaine: BulkSupplements Betaine Anhydrous
• Best Unflavored Betaine: Nutricost Betaine Anhydrous
• Best Betaine Tablets: NOW TMG 1000mg

Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.

Best Betaine Supplement Overall

Though betaine can come in robust blends of other micronutrients or pre-workout ingredients, sometimes it’s easier not to complicate things. Our top pick is straightforward and effective — you’ll get a solid dose of betaine and nothing else.

Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous

Transparent Labs boasts a solid product at a very reasonable price — a combination that many people will appreciate. With an average 1,500mg dose per serving, and 330 servings per bag, you actually end up paying only about $0.07 per dose.

There are no ingredients outside of betaine, and this product is free of sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten, and additives. As a supplement, TL recommends taking one scoop daily before your first meal. And on days you train, the company suggests taking up to one and a half scoops 15 to 30 minutes before you exercise. You can mix it in water, smoothies, pre-workout, or another flavored beverage of your choosing. 

Who Should Buy Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous

• Those who follow gluten-free diets will appreciate that there is no gluten here. 
• People looking for an average dose of betaine — this product has 1,500mg per serving. 
• Anyone who doesn’t want added ingredients in their betaine supplement — this product is betaine and nothing else. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous

• Anyone who would prefer a capsule or tablet betaine supplement. 
• Folks who want their betaine within a pre-workout blend will want to look elsewhere. 

This betaine supplement is about as straightforward as they come. It’s 1,500mg of betaine in a 330-serving container — it’s cheap, reasonably dosed, and simple, which is why it takes our top slot on this list.

Best Betaine Supplement for Muscle Gain

Though many pre-workout supplements contain betaine, you can also take betaine as a post-workout supplement to refuel what you lose as you sweat. This pick’s ingredients can boost your intra-workout energy and help you dig into a harder workout for more potential gains.

Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous

Designed for intra- or post-workout use, Transparent Labs’ formula tops the list of best betaine supplements for muscle gain. As a single-ingredient product, this product is ideal for stacking with other muscle-building supplements, including creatine monohydrate and beta-alanine. But even on its own, betaine may be able to help improve your body composition, muscle size, work capacity, and power. (11)

This betaine supplement should help boost endurance and energy during a workout, and when paired with creatine, it can give you the endurance to lift for longer and potentially build more muscle mass. This product rings in at $24.99 for 330 servings per container, or around $0.07 per serving, making it one of the most cost-effective options on the market. 

Who Should Buy Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous

• If you want a betaine-focused ingredient to help improve your muscle size, power, and work capacity, you’ll like this betaine-only product. 
• Those looking for a supplement that’s free of fillers, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
• Athletes who like to drink their supplements before a training session with other products, like pre-workout.

Who Shouldn’t Buy Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous

• Anyone who wants a more robust ingredients list, as this only contains betaine.
• Those who want flavor options — this product is unflavored.

This pre/post-workout supplement isn’t for everyone, but if you’re after muscle gains in the gym, and want a solid 1,500mg of betaine. Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous is the ideal supplement in our opinion. 

Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout with Betaine

For those who want a pre-workout with betaine but want to avoid the caffeine, this pre is a great option — it still offers all your classic pre-workout ingredients but steers clear of stimulants.

Legion Pulse Pre-Workout (Without Caffeine)

Legion Pulse Pre-Workout provides 2,500mg of betaine anhydrous, 8,000mg of citrulline malate, and 3,600mg beta-alanine per serving to potentially boost stamina, strength, and avoid fatigue — all while also avoiding caffeine intake. With the clinically effective dose of betaine being between 1,500mg to 2,500mg, this formula boasts the higher end. We also know that betaine can help with energy metabolism, which can help ramp up your workouts, without the need for extra caffeine making this a BarBend favorite pick for energy without the caffeine kick. (6)

It’s important to note that the non-stimulant and the regular stimulant pre-workout are on the same purchase page, so make sure you choose the non-stimulant formula when purchasing. This formula ends up finding a middle ground in pricing when compared to the rest of the market. This supplement contains 100 percent natural ingredients, is naturally flavored and sweetened, and blends seamlessly with water for easy consumption 15 to 30 minutes before your workout.

Who Should Buy Legion Pulse Pre-Workout (Without Caffeine)

• Those who want betaine in a stimulant-free formula to avoid caffeine side effects and caffeine crashes will love this formula.
• Athletes who want the most effective dose of betaine, while still reaping the benefits of other supplements will appreciate the high 2,500mg dose here.
• Anyone who appreciates supplements that are naturally derived, and doesn’t like the taste of artificial sweeteners will enjoy this formula.

Who Shouldn’t Buy Legion Pulse Pre-Workout (Without Caffeine)

• If you’re looking for a pre-workout that is a standalone betaine supplement, this product isn’t for you.
• Folks who like to work out early in the morning may enjoy a formula with some form of caffeine or stimulant within it. Luckily, this pick also offers a caffeinated version though. 
• Customers who are looking for a larger array of flavor choices may find a different brand that has a wider variety of options.

This supplement offers a solid 2.5g dose of betaine, the highest clinically effective dose, along with an array of other ingredients to possibly boost performance, recovery, and endurance. The naturally derived ingredients and lack of artificial sweeteners and flavors make this one of our favorite picks.

Read our full review of Legion Pulse Pre-Workout.

Best Betaine Supplement for Working Out

If you’re on the hunt for a betaine and pre-workout supplement, this pick is one of our favorites to help you conquer your workout.

Transparent Labs BULK

Transparent Labs BULK is a BarBend favorite for pre-workout supplements. This stacked product comes equipped with 19 ingredients, including 4,000mg of beta-alanine, 6,000mg of citrulline malate, and of course, 2,500mg of betaine anhydrous. At 2,500mg, this formula has a higher potency of betaine than many others on the market, making it a great addition to your stack for those who are serious about their training. Thanks to the additional ingredients, this product can also help you work out longer and harder, which is why it is our top pick for working out.

Citrulline is a great pre-workout ingredient, as it may help improve blood flow to your working muscles, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This, in turn, may improve your strength-training results. The 180mg can also help provide an energy boost before you hit the gym for a more effective workout.

Though this supp is priced at $44.99 per container for 30 servings (that’s $1.50 per serving), it’s stacked with workout-focused ingredients, so the higher price tag may be worth it.

Who Should Buy Transparent Labs BULK

• If you’re looking for a pre-workout drink to help you maximize your time and energy in the gym,the 19 ingredients in this supplement are for you. 
• Athletes who want to supplement their workouts with helpful ingredients for energy, muscle retention, and focus will like the 4g of beta-alanine, 6g of citrulline, and 180mg of caffeine.
• Anyone who wants a solid dose of betaine will appreciate that this product offers 2,500mg. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy Huge Transparent Labs BULK

• Folks who prefer to take their betaine supplement on its own can find simpler products.
• If you don’t like the tingly feeling in your body that beta-alanine provides, this isn’t for you.
• Budget shoppers can find cheaper betaine supplements on the market. 

Transparent Labs BULK doesn’t just contain a high dose of 2,500mg of betaine — it also stacks 18 other ingredients with it that can help push your workout to the next level. Pre-workout supplementation is a great way to kick your workouts up a notch, and the solid dose of betaine here is an added bonus.

Best Bulk Betaine

Bulk Supplements is a company that makes a huge variety of quality products in their own facilities — no outsourcing here. This particular product is simple, yet effective, and you can buy up to 2.2 pounds of it at once.

Bulk Supplements Betaine Anhydrous

Bulk Supplements Betaine Anhydrous is free of sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, and gluten, and it’s also lab tested for purity and potency. One of the best parts about this supplement is that you can buy it in bulk (up to 2.2 pounds at a time), which can save some serious cash. The product is made in a facility owned and operated by the vendors, which may allow for better quality control — a nice boon for any product you’re adding to your supplement cabinet.

The powder is lab tested for purity and potency before it’s shipped to you. Given how easy it is to buy large quantities, this can easily wind up the least expensive betaine supplement. And to top it off, you’re getting 1,500mg of betaine per serving, with no added ingredients — that’s just about as straightforward as a supplement can get. 

Who Should Buy Bulk Supplements Betaine Anhydrous

• Anyone looking to buy in bulk. You can buy up to 2.2 pounds of this product at once — that’s 667 servings.
• Those with a tight budget for supplements will like that each serving here costs less than one cent. 
• Folks who appreciate the vendor operating their own facility to produce their products.

Who Shouldn’t Buy Bulk Supplements Betaine Anhydrous

• Anyone who needs their supplements to be certified to be free of banned substances.
• If you want more than just betaine in your supplement, you should find a pre-workout or post-workout that contains betaine. 

Unfortunately, this product hasn’t been certified free from banned substances by an organization like NSF or Informed Sport, which some athletes may prefer, so they can be 100 percent certain that it won’t conflict with their ability to compete. Otherwise, the only downside here is the somewhat tediousness involved with resealing the bag once it’s open. All in all, if you are looking to save some coin and buy in bulk, this is the pick for you.

Best Unflavored Betaine

Though fun fruity flavors are great if you’re just mixing your betaine with water, an unflavored option offers more versatility. You can pop this unflavored powder into other flavored beverages without altering the taste, which means it’s easy to add to a pre-workout, post-workout, or meal-replacement smoothie. 

Nutricost Betaine Anhydrous

Nutricost reliably merges quality and value (for starters, check their name), and their betaine ticks a lot of boxes that are important for supplement shoppers. It’s made in a GMP-compliant facility and perhaps most importantly, it’s third party tested for purity. This pick has 1.5g of betaine, and nothing else since it’s an unflavored supplement.

Nutricost’s product offers great value for money. That makes sense for a product that doesn’t add in anything beyond the betaine supplement itself, but it is comforting to know that you are getting what you pay for and that’s it — simplicity. 

Who Should Buy Nutricost Betaine Anhydrous

• Anyone who wants their supplements tested for purity.
• Those confined to a limited budget. This product offers 333 servings for under $20.
• Folks who want to add their betaine to a pre-workout or smoothie will like this simple, unflavored powder. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy Nutricost Betaine Anhydrous

• People who need their supplements tested for substances banned from competition.
• Anyone who would prefer their betaine to have flavor.

The only major knock here is that there are no certifications that this product has been tested for substances banned in sport. If you are going to compete in some capacity, you aren’t likely to run into issues here, but it may be best to grab a different product just to be safe. Otherwise, this is a great unflavored option you can pop into the beverage of your choosing.

Best Betaine Tablets

For those who would rather not take their chances with the unflavored powder — some say it’s sweet, some say it tastes like fish — NOW Foods has come up with a good solution. Plus, this company has a long history of donating to charities involved in solving food shortages, disaster relief, and more.

NOW TMG 1000mg

Unlike many capsules, these tablets (which are tablets, not capsules) are vegetarian-friendly. Capsules often contain the supplement inside a gelatin — tablets are usually just the supplement. These tablets offer one gram of betaine each, making dosing easy to calculate if you are doing it on your own (though NOW recommends three capsules for a full 3g dose).

For people who value the greater good, NOW donates a portion of their profits to a range of charitable organizations. Additionally, the product is made in a Good Manufacturing Practices-certified facility. Essentially, NOW puts its efforts (and money) towards its values which can be what puts them over a similar product if all other factors are more or less equal.

Who Should Buy NOW TMG 1000mg

• Anyone who prefers tablets over powder-based supplements will like this product.
• Those who enjoy dosages that are easier to measure. Each of these tablets is 1g of betaine.
• Vegetarians. These tablets have a vegetarian coating instead of the gelatin you may find in other capsules.

Who Shouldn’t Buy NOW TMG 1000mg

• Anyone who prefers a powdered form of betaine can find a better pick on this list to suit their needs.
• Those who want fewer ingredients in their supplements. While betaine is the only ingredient listed with its dosage, the bottle lists quite a few “other ingredients” without dosages. 

The ingredients contain a range of non-trimethylglycine components, such as stearic acid, croscarmellose sodium, and in particular, cellulose — a type of fiber that not everyone likes to consume, but there has to be a trade-off for a tablet versus a powder. Ultimately, this ranked highest for us when it comes to tablets for its simple dosage, and that doesn’t appear likely to change anytime soon.

Benefits of Betaine Anhydrous

The main interest in betaine anhydrous is its use as an ergogenic aid: It can potentially help with power output in your workouts. However, it has other benefits as well, and most of this research has found positive effects at doses of about 1.5 to six grams daily.

Power Output

Multiple studies published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition have found that supplementing betaine improved power output in the squat. This is why you’ll often find betaine in both pre-and post-workout supplements. (1)(2)

Muscular Endurance

There may be a small benefit here with regard to prolonged, exhaustive training relative to placebos. If you’re looking to increase your endurance at the gym or during long runs, betaine may come in handy. (2)(3)

Reduced Cortisol

Levels of post-exercise cortisol, commonly considered a “stress hormone,” were seen to decrease by about six percent in one study, though more research is needed. Betaine may help you recover from tough workouts in this regard. (4)

Methylate Homocysteine

Betaine may reduce homocysteine, with some research finding it to reduce it by about 10 percent in people with normal levels, and up to 40 percent in people with elevated levels. This may be cardioprotective, and can help improve heart health. (5)(6)

Liver Health

Many take betaine because they believe it improves liver health, as some research suggests it may play a role in treating fatty liver and the associated liver fibrosis. Some other studies have failed to replicate the findings, and more research needs to be done. (8)

How Much Does Betaine Cost?

Betaine itself is a relatively inexpensive ingredient, and if you’re interested in purchasing a supplement that is strictly betaine, your money will stretch rather far. A lot of companies make betaine-forward products that also include a bunch of other potentially helpful ingredients for working out, like creatine, carnitine, beta-alanine, and others. The price per serving for these types of products is more akin to that of a pre-workout rather than a single supplement. You’ll be paying for the convenience of having all of the ingredients in one formula, so you don’t have to play part-time chemist making the concoction yourself.

Best Betaine Supplement Overall	Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous	$24.99 Per serving: $0.07
Best Betaine Supplement for Muscle Gain	Transparent Labs Betaine Anhydrous	$24.99 Per serving: $0.07
Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout with Betaine	Legion Pulse Pre-Workout (Without Caffeine)	$44.99 Per serving: $2.25
Best Betaine for Working Out	Transparent Labs BULK	$44.99 Per serving: $2.25
Best Bulk Betaine	Bulk Supplements Betaine Anhydrous	$15.96 Per serving: $0.10
Best Unflavored Betaine	Nutricost Betaine Anhydrous	$15.95 Per serving: $0.05
Best Betaine Tablets	NOW TMG 1000mg	$27.95 Per serving: $0.85

As you can see, the products that have betaine as the only ingredient are downright bargains coming in at around $0.10 per serving or less. The capsule form of pure betaine is a bit more expensive at about $0.85 per serving. The most expensive way (though perhaps the most enticing and overall beneficial way) to ingest betaine is in a combination product, such as a pre-workout or other type of formula. Those can run anywhere from about $2.00 to $2.50 per serving, depending on the other ingredients included.

How We Chose the Best Betaine

Based on our supplement testing methodology, we looked at a lot of aspects to determine our top choices, but several main categories held more weight than others. Those categories were dosage and cost, type of supplement, purity testing, and added ingredients.

Dosage and Cost

The actual dosage itself will vary based on the needs of the consumer, so it isn’t really a balanced aspect to judge products against each other on. Someone may be happy to have a half-gram serving while someone else wants over two grams or higher per serving. That’s subjective and doesn’t really help here. However, there are aspects of dosage that do matter across the board that we weighed when making this list. The dosage per serving is the correct way to compare products on a cost basis.

Cost per serving doesn’t work as serving sizes vary. However, if two different products of the same price both have 500 servings, but one has one gram per serving and another has two grams per serving, then the first is twice as expensive as the second. The other aspect of dosage that is important is how much betaine anhydrous there actually is in a serving. This partially extends into label accuracy, but not all ingredient lists are created equal and you should know how much of a supplement you’re putting into your body and at what price. We’ve only included products on this list with reasonable doses for their price point.

Form

Betaine comes in both powder and tablet form. Again, this is going to be subjective when looking at these three generally, but the differences extend into the details. How well do the powders mix? How many ingredients does the tablet have in addition to the supplement? Does the capsule use gelatin that makes it incompatible with vegan or vegetarian diets?

These are just a few examples, but the form the supplement is served in has the potential to include or exclude certain groups of consumers that are looking for a potent betaine anhydrous supplement. We’ve included a variety of forms on this list to hopefully satisfy most customers. 

Purity Testing

Is the supplement made in facilities with certain allergens? Is the facility certified by a third party purity testing agency? Does the vendor outsource the manufacturing of the product or operate the facility themselves? Has the product been tested for purity or not?

Has the product been tested for substances that are banned from competitive sport? There are a lot of questions surrounding the purity testing of a product. Of course, products that have more legitimate purity testing will rank higher for us than those that don’t.

Added Ingredients

For the most part, the more “Other ingredients” in a supplement, the less likely it is to rank well on our list. We judged supplements on the assumption that a consumer seeking a betaine anhydrous supplement wants betaine anhydrous. Adding other ingredients is something that will have to happen for tablets and capsules — they have to be made out of something to be a tablet or capsule — but some manufacturers can go a bit overboard when it comes to flavorings or preservatives and the like.

On the other hand, some customers may want a pre- or post-workout supplement that contains a load of other helpful ingredients, such as creatine, citrulline, and BCAAs. These products ranked higher for us since they offer a great blend of ingredients that could satisfy the needs of many athletes. But since they aren’t for everyone, we’ve included standalone betaine supplements as well. 

What to Consider Before Buying Betaine

Since betaine comes in many forms, it’s important to decide which one you’re after before hitting the market. Consider the dosage, your goals, and added ingredients as you’re going through this list.

Dosage

Most studies that have seen a positive effect for taking betaine used doses of about 1.5 grams, sometimes twice a day. It’s important to look for a betaine supplement that offers the proper dosage (of which all of the picks on this list do).

Trimethylglycine can also be found in spinach, beets, and bread, which contain about 600, 200, and 200 milligrams of the stuff per 100 grams, respectively. (7) As an osmolyte, betaine can cause diarrhea at high doses, so if you already eat a lot of these foods and are considering taking a supplement, make sure you’re taking this into account when you look at dosing. 

Goals

If you’re considering taking betaine to improve liver or heart health, it’s smart to chat with a doctor first. Even if you want to take it for its potential workout benefits, talking to a physician prior is always recommended. Those who want to take betaine to potentially help with power output or endurance may want to consider a pre-or post-workout supplement, while those who are considering this supplement for other wellness factors could more easily opt for a standalone betaine supplement. 

Ingredients

Betaine comes alone in both powders and tablets, but it can also be found wrapped within a more robust pre-workout or post-workout supplement. These products may contain other helpful ingredients like creatine, carnitine, citrulline, BCAAs, caffeine, and more. Before hitting the market, decide if you’re just looking for a standalone betaine supplement, or if you want a more extensive product. 

Price 

The price of betaine varies based on how many ingredients you find alongside it. For example, a comprehensive pre-workout is going to cost far more per serving than a basic betaine powder. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on betaine before considering the picks on this list — the more robust pre- and post-workout supplements can get pretty expensive. 

When Should I Take Betaine?

While you can take betaine at any time of day, it can be helpful to consume it pre- and/or post-workout. You lose a lot of betaine as you exercise, so fueling up beforehand or refueling after may ensure you have the proper levels of betaine in your system to reap the benefits it can potentially offer. Taking betaine about 30 minutes before and/or after your workouts should do the trick. 

Final Word

Yes, you can find betaine in nature, but given you would need to eat six kilograms of beets per day to reach the levels that have been used in studies, it makes sense to consider supplementation. Just make sure you speak with a physician before making any big changes to your dietary regimen.

After that, this list has a great variety of basic betaine supplements, as well as pre- and post-workout supplements that contain betaine. Consider the ingredients you want in your supplement, the dosage you’re after, and the money you’re willing to spend, and let this list guide you toward the right fit for your goals.

FAQs

References

1. Lee, E.C. et al. (2010) Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010; 7: 27.
2. Hoffman, J. et al. (2009) Effect of betaine supplementation on power performance and fatigue. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009; 6: 7.
3. Trepanowski JF, et al. The effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance, skeletal muscle oxygen saturation and associated biochemical parameters in resistance trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Dec;25(12):3461-71.
4. Apicella JM, et al. Betaine supplementation enhances anabolic endocrine and Akt signaling in response to acute bouts of exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013 Mar;113(3):793-802.
5. Schwab U, et al. Long-term effect of betaine on risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome in healthy subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jan;65(1):70-6.
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021, March 29). Office of dietary supplements – carnitine. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/ 
7. Cholewa, J.M., Hudson, A., Cicholski, T. et al. The effects of chronic betaine supplementation on body composition and performance in collegiate females: a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 15, 37 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0243-x
8. Brouwer IA, et al. Betaine supplementation and plasma homocysteine in healthy volunteers. Arch Intern Med. 2000 Sep 11;160(16):2546-7.
9. Kathirvel E, et al. Betaine improves nonalcoholic fatty liver and associated hepatic insulin resistance: a potential mechanism for hepatoprotection by betaine. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2010 Nov;299(5):G1068-77.
10. Craig SA. Betaine in human nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Sep;80(3):539-49.