{"title":"Exploring the link between serum betaine levels and hyperuricemia risk in middle-aged and older adults: insights from a prospective cohort study.","authors":"Zhen Li, Bi-Xia Huang, Zi-Hui Huang, Meng-Chu Li, Yu-Ming Chen, Hui-Lian Zhu","doi":"10.1007/s00394-025-03594-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Betaine is connected to various cardio-metabolic outcomes, yet its relationship with hyperuricemia remains uncertain. We aimed to longitudinally investigate the association between serum betaine levels and the risk of hyperuricemia in middle-aged and older adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study utilized data from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS). Participants were enrolled between 2008 and 2010, with follow-ups conducted every three years, comprised an analysis sample of 2204 adults aged 40-75. Baseline serum betaine levels were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Serum uric acid (SUA) levels were measured at baseline and every three years thereafter. Linear mixed-effects models (LMEMs) and generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were employed to examine the longitudinal association between serum betaine levels and SUA levels, as well as hyperuricemia risk, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>LMEMs indicated that compared to individuals in the lowest quartile (Q1) of serum betaine levels, those in the highest quartile (Q4) exhibited the lowest SUA levels (Q4 vs. Q1: β -8.19, 95% CI -16.32 to -0.06, P-trend = 0.023). Each standard deviation increase in betaine (16.5 µmol/L) was associated to SUA levels decrease of -3.28 (-6.10, -0.45). Results from the GEE model suggested a 19% reduction in the odds of hyperuricemia (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.95, P-trend = 0.051) in the Q4 group compared to the Q1 category.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings highlight a negative association between serum betaine levels and SUA levels, as well as the risk of hyperuricemia in middle-aged and older adults, which is more pronounced in individuals with better dietary quality.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03179657. Website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03179657.</p>","PeriodicalId":12030,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Nutrition","volume":"64 2","pages":"77"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"European Journal of Nutrition","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-025-03594-0","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"NUTRITION & DIETETICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Betaine is connected to various cardio-metabolic outcomes, yet its relationship with hyperuricemia remains uncertain. We aimed to longitudinally investigate the association between serum betaine levels and the risk of hyperuricemia in middle-aged and older adults.
Methods: This study utilized data from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS). Participants were enrolled between 2008 and 2010, with follow-ups conducted every three years, comprised an analysis sample of 2204 adults aged 40-75. Baseline serum betaine levels were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Serum uric acid (SUA) levels were measured at baseline and every three years thereafter. Linear mixed-effects models (LMEMs) and generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were employed to examine the longitudinal association between serum betaine levels and SUA levels, as well as hyperuricemia risk, respectively.
Results: LMEMs indicated that compared to individuals in the lowest quartile (Q1) of serum betaine levels, those in the highest quartile (Q4) exhibited the lowest SUA levels (Q4 vs. Q1: β -8.19, 95% CI -16.32 to -0.06, P-trend = 0.023). Each standard deviation increase in betaine (16.5 µmol/L) was associated to SUA levels decrease of -3.28 (-6.10, -0.45). Results from the GEE model suggested a 19% reduction in the odds of hyperuricemia (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.95, P-trend = 0.051) in the Q4 group compared to the Q1 category.
Conclusion: Our findings highlight a negative association between serum betaine levels and SUA levels, as well as the risk of hyperuricemia in middle-aged and older adults, which is more pronounced in individuals with better dietary quality.
Trial registration: This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03179657. Website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03179657.
期刊介绍:
The European Journal of Nutrition publishes original papers, reviews, and short communications in the nutritional sciences. The manuscripts submitted to the European Journal of Nutrition should have their major focus on the impact of nutrients and non-nutrients on
immunology and inflammation,
gene expression,
metabolism,
chronic diseases, or
carcinogenesis,
or a major focus on
epidemiology, including intervention studies with healthy subjects and with patients,
biofunctionality of food and food components, or
the impact of diet on the environment.