Updated November 2026. Molecule facts, food figures, GB claim wording and UK label figures checked on 5 November 2026. Verve makes a TMG capsule, covered near the end.
TMG stands for trimethylglycine. It is the same molecule as betaine: the amino acid glycine with three methyl groups on its nitrogen atom, formula C5H11NO2, molecular weight 117.15. Your body makes it from choline, and wheat bran, wheat germ, spinach and beetroot are rich food sources. On UK labels it appears as "TMG", "trimethylglycine", "betaine" or "betaine anhydrous", all the same thing. "Betaine HCl" is a different product. UK capsules hold 500mg to 750mg each, and daily amounts on the packs we checked run from 686mg to 1,500mg. One health claim for betaine is authorised in Great Britain, with a warning that a daily intake in excess of 4g may significantly increase blood cholesterol levels. Check with your doctor first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition. Not for children.
The short answer
- What it is: TMG, trimethylglycine and betaine are one molecule, C5H11NO2. Betaine anhydrous is the dry form used in capsules.
- Where it comes from: your body makes it from choline. Wheat bran, wheat germ, spinach and beetroot are rich food sources.
- Not betaine HCl: betaine hydrochloride is a different compound. 1,000mg of it holds about 763mg of betaine.
- Typical UK doses: 500mg to 750mg per capsule, 686mg to 1,500mg a day at the brands' directions.
- From Verve: Verve TMG 1500mg, 1500mg of TMG (betaine anhydrous) per two capsules, one ingredient, every batch independently lab-tested for purity, with the certificate for your batch on request, and made in the UK.
- Check first: with your doctor if pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or with a medical condition. Not for children. Do not exceed the stated dose.
What TMG is
Glycine is the smallest amino acid. Replace the three hydrogen atoms on its nitrogen with three methyl groups (CH3) and you have trimethylglycine. Chemists call it glycine betaine, or betaine; its systematic name is (trimethylammonio)acetate. It is not a vitamin, a mineral or a protein.
Betaine occurs in animals, plants and microbes. In people it is made from choline and is found in blood. A 2004 review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition gives it two roles: an osmolyte, a molecule cells use to balance their water content, and a methyl donor in the methionine cycle, mainly in the liver and kidneys. As a methyl donor, betaine gives one of its three methyl groups to homocysteine, which turns it into methionine. That reaction is the chemistry behind "methyl donor" on labels.
Where betaine occurs in food
Figures are from a 2003 analysis of 145 foods in the Journal of Nutrition and the USDA Database for the Choline Content of Common Foods (2008), in mg of betaine per 100g.
| Food | Betaine (mg per 100g) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat bran | 1,339 | Journal of Nutrition, 2003 |
| Wheat germ | 1,241 | Journal of Nutrition, 2003 |
| Spinach | 645 | Journal of Nutrition, 2003 |
| Beetroot, canned, drained | 260 | USDA, 2008 |
| Wheat bread | 201 | Journal of Nutrition, 2003 |
| Beetroot, raw | 130 | USDA, 2008 |
| Spinach, frozen, cooked | 110 | USDA, 2008 |
Figures vary between samples: the two spinach rows show it. One 750mg capsule holds more betaine than 100g of raw beetroot.
The names you see on labels
- TMG and trimethylglycine: the names on most longevity labels.
- Betaine and glycine betaine: the names in chemistry and food tables. Same molecule.
- Betaine anhydrous: betaine with no water of crystallisation. "Anhydrous" means dry. It is the raw material in nearly every TMG capsule, and 1,000mg of it is 1,000mg of betaine.
- Betaine hydrochloride (betaine HCl): a different product. Betaine combined with hydrochloric acid, sold as a separate supplement. Not what "TMG" means on a longevity label.
The hydrochloride weighs more per molecule, so a milligram of it holds less betaine. Our calculation from the molecular weights:
| Form on the label | Formula | Molecular weight | Betaine in 1,000mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betaine anhydrous (TMG) | C5H11NO2 | 117.15 | 1,000mg |
| Betaine hydrochloride | C5H12ClNO2 | 153.61 | About 763mg |
How labels state the dose
Read the serving size first, then the directions, then work out the daily total. Some labels give the amount per capsule, some per serving of two. Betaine has no NRV, because UK labelling law sets NRVs only for 13 vitamins and 14 minerals, so that column shows a dash. Our guide to what NRV means on a label explains the column.
These are the figures on five brands' own UK pages. Prices are not compared here.
| Product | Per capsule | Directions | Daily amount | Purity and testing, as stated on the page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charava TMG 1000mg | 500mg | Two a day | 1,000mg | "Third-party tested for purity"; no figure |
| DoNotAge Pure TMG | 500mg | 1,000mg daily serving | 1,000mg | "Third-party tested, batch by batch"; no figure |
| Naturecan TMG | 686mg | One a day | 686mg | Every batch tested; certificate linked on the page |
| Time Health TMG | 750mg | One or two a day | 750mg to 1,500mg | "Over 99% pure"; no testing statement |
| Verve TMG 1500mg | 750mg | Two a day | 1,500mg | 98% betaine anhydrous; every batch tested, certificate on request |
All five name betaine anhydrous or trimethylglycine as the ingredient. Two brands state a purity grade, four say they test, one puts the certificate on the page.
Purity and certificates of analysis
A purity figure such as "98%" or "over 99%" is an assay: the share of the powder that is betaine. The rest is mostly moisture and minor residues from manufacture. 98% is a standard commercial grade; chemical suppliers sell betaine anhydrous under that name. Ask the brand whether the milligram figure on the label is the weight of the raw material or of betaine. At 98% the gap on 1,500mg is about 30mg.
A certificate of analysis (CoA) is the laboratory report for one batch. For TMG, look for identification (the lab confirms the powder is betaine), assay (the purity percentage), loss on drying (moisture), heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, each with a result and a limit) and microbes (total plate count, yeast and mould, E. coli and Salmonella). Check that the batch number matches your pot.
Storage
Betaine anhydrous is hygroscopic: it takes up water from the air. Chemical suppliers list it as hygroscopic and say to store it in a cool place. Keep the lid on, keep the pot dry, and do not leave a month's capsules in a pill box in a steamy bathroom.
What does TMG do?
Only health claims on the Great Britain register may be made for a food or supplement. For betaine there is one, entry 4325 on the retained list: "Betaine contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism." It has three conditions. The claim may be used only for a food which contains at least 500mg of betaine per quantified portion. The consumer must be told that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 1.5g of betaine. And the consumer must be told that a daily intake in excess of 4g may significantly increase blood cholesterol levels.
Any other wording you read about what TMG does is not an authorised claim in Great Britain, and this guide does not repeat it.
Who should check with a doctor first
There is no NHS page on TMG. This list uses the wording on Verve's product page and the warning in the claim's conditions.
- Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Anyone taking medication or with a medical condition.
- Children. Verve's TMG is not suitable for children.
- Anyone whose total betaine from all products would pass 4g a day. If you take more than one product containing betaine, add up the daily totals.
Verve TMG 1500mg Capsules
Verve's label table has one row: Trimethylglycine (TMG), 1,500mg per serving, NRV "-", with the note "NRV% not established unless stated".
Betaine contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 1.5g of betaine; two capsules of Verve TMG give 1500mg. A daily intake in excess of 4g may significantly increase blood cholesterol levels.
- Per serving: two capsules, 750mg each, 1,500mg of TMG. Once a day, with water. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.
- Ingredients: one. The page states 98% betaine anhydrous plus a plant cellulose shell. No blend, no filler.
- Pack: 60 capsules, 30 servings. Gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegetarian and vegan, as stated on the page.
- Testing: every batch is independently lab-tested for purity; the certificate of analysis for your batch is available on request from hello@vavaverve.com.
Not suitable for children. Keep out of reach of children. Consult your doctor before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition. The full label is on the TMG 1500mg Capsules page. For UK TMG capsules side by side, see our TMG supplement comparison, and for TMG alongside NMN and Ca-AKG, how to build a longevity stack in the UK.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
TMG: your questions
Is TMG the same as betaine?
Yes. TMG, trimethylglycine, betaine and glycine betaine are one molecule, C5H11NO2. "Betaine anhydrous" is the dry form used in capsules, and 1,000mg of it is 1,000mg of betaine.
What is the difference between TMG and betaine HCl?
Betaine HCl is betaine combined with hydrochloric acid, a different compound sold as a different supplement. It weighs more per molecule, so 1,000mg of betaine HCl holds about 763mg of betaine, by our calculation.
How much TMG is in a capsule?
On the UK pages we read, 500mg to 750mg per capsule, and 686mg to 1,500mg a day at the brands' directions. Betaine has no NRV, so the label shows a dash in that column.
What does TMG do?
The only authorised health claim for betaine in Great Britain is "Betaine contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism." It applies to a food with at least 500mg of betaine per portion; the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 1.5g of betaine; and a daily intake in excess of 4g may significantly increase blood cholesterol levels. This guide repeats no other wording about effects.
Is TMG safe to take every day?
There is no NHS page on TMG. Follow your pack and do not exceed the stated dose. The claim's conditions warn that a daily intake in excess of 4g may significantly increase blood cholesterol levels, so add up every product that contains betaine. Check with your doctor first if pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or with a medical condition. Not for children.
How we checked
Molecule: the ChEBI entry for glycine betaine (CHEBI:17750); Fisher Scientific listings for betaine anhydrous 98% (CAS 107-43-7, "hygroscopic, store in cool place") and betaine hydrochloride (CAS 590-46-5). Roles in the body: Craig SA, "Betaine in human nutrition", American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004;80:539-549. Food figures: Zeisel SH and others, Journal of Nutrition 2003;133:1302-1307, and the USDA Database for the Choline Content of Common Foods, Release 2 (2008). Claim wording and conditions: the Annex to retained Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 on legislation.gov.uk, entry 4325, as listed in the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register. UK label figures: the Charava, DoNotAge, Naturecan, Time Health and Verve product pages. All checked on 5 November 2026. Only the health claim authorised in Great Britain is used. Verve makes the TMG capsules in this guide.
