Alcoholic Liver Disease and Methionine Metabolism

This review states that, "Of all the therapeutic modalities that are presently being used to attenuate ethanol-induced liver injury, betaine has been shown to be the most effective in a variety of experimental models of liver disease. Betaine, by virtue of aiding in the remethylation of homocysteine, removes both toxic metabolites (homocysteine and S-adenosylhomocysteine), restores S-adenosylmethionine level, reverses steatosis, prevents apoptosis and reduces both damaged protein accumulation and oxidative stress. Thus, betaine is a promising therapeutic agent in relieving the methylation and other defects associated with alcoholic abuse."

Kharbanda, K. K. (2009). Alcoholic liver disease and methionine metabolism. Semin Liver Dis, 29(2), 155-165.