ABSTRACT
Strength and power athletes are constantly seeking natural alternatives to banned substances that may possess some ergogenic potential. A slight improvement in any health- or skill-related fitness component could have significant benefits to athletic performance. This chapter discusses, betaine, several phospholipids and a metabolite and examines the research investigating their effects on exercise performance. Betaine is a methyl derivative of glycine. It is a zwitterion with a positively charged trimethylammonium group and a negatively charged carboxyl group. Betaine performs a variety of functions in human physiology mostly acting as an osmolyte, methyl donor and possibly as an antioxidant protecting cells from free radicals. Betaine has been shown to produce some other responses that potentially could contribute to body composition and performance improvements. A number of studies have examined supplementation with betaine, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine and krill oil either alone or in combination as multi-nutrient supplements.
