Research article
The betaine content of sweat from adolescent females
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* Corresponding author: Stuart AS Craig stuart.craig@danisco.com
1 Somers High School, Lincolndale, NY, USA
2 Danisco A/S, Elmsford, NY, USA
3 Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
4 Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2010, 7:3 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-7-3
Published: 22 January 2010Abstract
Background
This study was developed to establish whether betaine was present in the sweat of females and to determine any correlations with other sweat components.
Methods
Sweat patches were placed on eight trained adolescent Highland dancers (age = 13.6 ± 2.3 yr), who then participated in a dance class for 2 hours. Patches were removed, and the sweat recovered via centrifugation. The sweat was subsequently analyzed for betaine, choline, sodium, potassium, chloride, lactate, glucose, urea and ammonia.
Results
Betaine was present in the sweat of all subjects (232 ± 84 μmol·L-1), which is higher than typically found in plasma. The concentration of several sweat components were correlated, in particular betaine with most other measured components.
Conclusion
Betaine, an osmoprotectant and methyl donor, is a component of sweat that may be lost from the body in significant amounts.