Best Betaine (TMG) 2026: Powder vs. Capsules, Ranked by Cost/Gram
Informational summary — not medical advice. This page ranks product value; on whether either use case is worth it for you, see the hub, the homocysteine trade-off, and the strength evidence. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Betaine is cheap in bulk powder; the main question is whether either use case — homocysteine or power — is worth it for you, and the homocysteine one comes with an LDL trade-off (and homocysteine is only a surrogate marker, not a proven cardiovascular outcome). Of the 6 products compared, bulk powder runs $0.029–$0.040/gram, while capsules and tablets run $0.111–$0.399/gram — a 13.8x spread for the identical molecule. BulkSupplements Betaine Anhydrous Powder (1 kg) is cheapest per gram at $0.029/g; Life Extension TMG 500 mg (100 Liquid Veg Caps) is the priciest at $0.399/g, though it's a clean-label, easy-to-swallow capsule if that convenience matters more to you than price.
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The one-line takeaway Every product here is the same molecule (betaine anhydrous / TMG) at close to 100% disclosed weight — there's no salt-conversion trap like choline's bitartrate math. The only real lever is form: bulk powder is 13.8x cheaper per gram than capsules or tablets. Pick powder if you're taking a homocysteine-range dose (3-6g/day) where the capsule count gets absurd; pick capsules if convenience matters more than cost at the 2.5g/day performance dose, where the capsule count is manageable.
Every product compared: cost per gram of betaine
Sorted cheapest per gram first. Full data is a public CC BY JSON file.
| Product | Form | mg/serving | Total g | Price | $/g betaine | $/2.5g dose | $/6g dose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BulkSupplements Betaine Anhydrous Powder (1 kg) | Powder | 1500 mg | 999 g | $28.97 | $0.029 | $0.07 | $0.17 |
| Nutricost Betaine Anhydrous TMG Powder (500 g) | Powder | 1500 mg | 499.5 g | $15.95 | $0.032 | $0.08 | $0.19 |
| Vitamatic Betaine Anhydrous (TMG) Powder (250 g) | Powder | 1497 mg | 250 g | $9.99 | $0.040 | $0.10 | $0.24 |
| Nutricost TMG (Trimethylglycine) 750 mg (120 caps) | Capsule | 750 mg | 90 g | $9.95 | $0.111 | $0.28 | $0.67 |
| NOW Foods TMG Betaine 1,000 mg (Tablets) | Tablet | 1000 mg | 100 g | $17.14 | $0.171 | $0.43 | $1.03 |
| Life Extension TMG 500 mg (100 Liquid Veg Caps) | Capsule | 500 mg | 50 g | $19.95 | $0.399 | $1.00 | $2.39 |
Prices are live Amazon buy-box figures, verified July 19, 2026; they move. Cost per gram = price ÷ total grams of betaine in the container. Nutricost's 500g powder states bulk weight rather than a measured scoop on its label; the per-serving figure here is an estimate for comparison, not an on-label claim.
Two things worth reading before you buy
Powder vs. capsule is the whole story here. Unlike choline (bitartrate salt vs. elemental) or beetroot (disclosed vs. undisclosed nitrate), every betaine product in this comparison discloses its betaine content directly and delivers it at close to 100% of the stated weight — there's no hidden-math trap. The 13.8x price spread is pure packaging and format: bulk powder (BulkSupplements, Nutricost, Nutricost's 500g tub) costs a fraction per gram of capsules (Nutricost's 750mg caps, NOW's 1,000mg tablets) or the priciest liquid veg capsules (Life Extension). If you're taking a gram-scale dose daily, that spread compounds fast.
The fishy-odor trade-off is real and worth naming, not burying. Betaine partially breaks down into trimethylamine (TMA) — the same compound behind the choline/TMAO pathway — which can produce a mild fishy body odor or breath at higher gram-scale intakes in some people. It's not a safety issue, but it's a genuine compliance factor at the 3-6g/day homocysteine range especially, and worth knowing before you buy a large tub or a 3-month capsule supply.
Third-party testing: mixed across this set
Testing claims vary by brand here — BulkSupplements and Nutricost's products state third-party testing (ISO lab or unspecified third-party), while Vitamatic, NOW Foods, and Life Extension state general cGMP/reputable-manufacturer standards without an independently verified certification disclosed on the listing. Betaine anhydrous is a simple, well-characterized commodity ingredient rather than a botanical extract with high adulteration risk, but if third-party verification matters to you, check each brand's current Amazon listing and Certificate of Analysis directly — certification claims can change between price-refresh cycles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best betaine (TMG) supplement?
Cheapest per gram: BulkSupplements Betaine Anhydrous Powder (1 kg) at $0.029/g, a bulk powder — a 13.8x spread vs. the priciest capsule product for the identical molecule.
Why is powder so much cheaper than capsules?
You're paying for encapsulation and convenience, not a different ingredient — the trade-off is a scoop and a mild taste vs. swallow-and-go.
How many capsules for a homocysteine-range dose?
6-12 capsules/day at 500mg each, or 4-8 at 750mg, to hit the well-replicated 3-6g/day range. Powder needs one or two scoops.
Does the fishy odor matter?
It can at gram-scale doses — trimethylamine breakdown, same compound as the choline/TMAO pathway. Not a safety issue, a real compliance factor.
Related
- Betaine (TMG): homocysteine and pre-workout, honestly explained
- Betaine dosage guide — performance vs homocysteine doses
- Betaine and homocysteine
- Does betaine work for strength?
- Best creatine — fellow pre-workout power-output ingredient
- Best beta-alanine
Sources
- Manufacturer labels and live Amazon pricing for all listed products, verified July 19, 2026. Full dataset: /betaine-tmg/cost-by-brand.json (CC BY 4.0).
- Craig SA. "Betaine in human nutrition." Am J Clin Nutr. 2004. PMID: 15321791 (mechanism, TMA breakdown context).