Betaine, also known as glycine trimethyl inner salt, is a non-toxic, harmless natural compound quaternary amine alkaloid. Its molecular formula is C5H12NO2, its molecular weight is 117.15, and its melting point is 293℃.It tastes sweet and is a substance similar to vitamins. It is highly moisture - absorbent and deliquescent at room temperature. Water soluble in water, soluble in methanol and ethanol, slightly soluble in ether. Betaine chemical structure is strong, can withstand 200℃ high temperature, and has a strong oxidation resistance.

Betaine mainly acts as a highly efficient methyl donor in beef cattle to accelerate the β -oxidation of animal cells and the transcription of some protein genes, thus reducing fat and improving protein deposition. It can promote the growth of beef cattle and improve the carcass quality. Betaine decreased fat synthesis and fat deposition by inhibiting key enzymes of fat synthesis. At the same time, by increasing the content of carnitine, accelerate the β -oxidation of fat, enhance the decomposition of fat.

Betaine can replace methionine in providing methyl groups. Methionine, on the one hand, is used as a substrate for protein synthesis, on the other hand, methionine participates in methyl metabolism as an efficient methyl donor. Betaine in betaine can improve the liver - homocysteine methyltransferase activity, also provide efficient activated methyl itself, make product methionine demethylation - homocysteine methylation to regenerate the methionine, resulting in a limited number of methionine as the carrier, betaine as methyl source continuously for the body's metabolism, Thus, most of methionine can be used for protein synthesis, which can save methionine and improve utilization efficiency. At the same time, betaine is further degraded after methylation to produce serine and glycine, so as to increase the concentration of amino acids in the blood.