Ingredient profile
TMG and Homocysteine: What Betaine Can and Cannot Do in Cardio Slim Tea
TMG, or betaine, is named in the Cardio Slim Tea sales copy. At 1.5 to 6 g a day it lowered homocysteine by 12 to 20 percent (Olthof 2003 - Betaine and homocysteine). But 15 trials with 71,422 people found that lowering homocysteine did not reduce heart attacks or deaths (Cochrane - Homocysteine lowering and CVD). A pouch sold as a month is about 2 g of tea a day, for all 14 ingredients.
Written by the Cardio Slim Tea reading deskUpdated
The basics
What is TMG, and why is it in Cardio Slim Tea?
TMG stands for trimethylglycine, also called betaine. It is a nutrient compound found in foods like beets, spinach and whole grains.
The sales page lists "TMG (Trimethylglycine)" among its extra ingredients (Cardio Slim Tea sales page). It is not on the "Inside Cardio Slim Tea" graphic. Unlike the herbs in the blend, TMG is a single compound, usually sold as a white powder.
TMG is marketed for homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood. High homocysteine has been linked with heart disease in population studies. That link is the reason TMG ends up in heart-themed products.
| Name on the sales page | TMG (Trimethylglycine) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Betaine, a nutrient compound |
| Where it is named | Named in the sales copy |
| Amount in the tea | Not printed |
| Amount used in research | 1.5-6 g a day lowered homocysteine 12-20% |
| Strength of evidence | Lowers homocysteine; that has not cut heart attacks |
| Marketed use | Sold for homocysteine |
| Main caution | Gram doses are needed; a tea share is likely far smaller. |
The marker
What is homocysteine?
Homocysteine is an amino acid your body makes while processing protein. Normally it is recycled quickly, with help from folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and betaine.
When recycling slows, homocysteine builds up in the blood. A simple blood test can measure it. Doctors may check it when they look for vitamin deficiencies or rare inherited conditions.
Betaine gives homocysteine a small chemical group that turns it back into methionine, another amino acid. That is how TMG lowers the number on a lab report.
For more on the test itself, read the homocysteine test explained.
The dose study
How much TMG lowers homocysteine?
Grams, not pinches. In a 2003 Dutch trial, healthy adults took 1.5, 3 or 6 g of betaine a day for six weeks (Olthof 2003 - Betaine and homocysteine). Fasting homocysteine fell by 12, 15 and 20 percent compared with placebo.
| Betaine a day | Change in fasting homocysteine vs placebo | Compared with a 2 g daily cup |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 g | About 12% lower | Nearly the whole cup's weight |
| 3 g | About 15% lower | More than the whole cup |
| 6 g | About 20% lower | Three times the whole cup |
| Cardio Slim Tea | Not published | An unknown share of about 2 g |
Each group had 19 people. The trial measured homocysteine only. It did not track heart attacks, strokes, blood pressure or weight.
The math
Could a cup of Cardio Slim Tea hold a study dose of TMG?
It is very unlikely. A 60 g pouch sold as about a month gives about 2 g of tea a day. That is our arithmetic, and those 2 g are shared by all 14 named ingredients.
The lowest dose in the betaine trial was 1.5 g a day. To reach it, TMG would have to make up about three-quarters of the blend. Then little room would be left for hibiscus, beetroot, green tea and the rest.
If the blend were split evenly, TMG would be about 0.14 g a day, roughly a tenth of the smallest study dose. The real share is not published, so this is an estimate.
The big question
Does lowering homocysteine prevent heart attacks?
No, according to the largest review. A Cochrane review pooled 15 randomized trials with 71,422 people who took B vitamins to lower homocysteine (Cochrane - Homocysteine lowering and CVD).
Lowering homocysteine did not reduce heart attacks. It did not reduce deaths from any cause either. There was a small drop in stroke, from 5.1 percent to 4.3 percent of people over the study periods.
Homocysteine is a marker. Moving a marker does not always change what happens to the heart. Those trials used B vitamins, not betaine, but they tested the same idea TMG is sold on.
So even a full study dose of TMG would lower a lab number that has not proven to be a useful target for preventing heart attacks.
Cardio Slim Tea: from $49 a pouch60 g herbal tea · 2, 3 or 6 pouches · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsSafety
Is TMG safe to take?
At tea amounts, TMG is unlikely to cause problems for most healthy adults. Our sources do not list a specific safety warning for betaine at low doses.
The bigger concern is the rest of the blend. Herbs such as hibiscus, dandelion, hawthorn and ginseng may affect blood pressure, heart and diabetes medicines. If you have a homocysteine result your doctor is watching, tell them about the tea.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine because of a tea (AHA - Types of BP medications). Ask your doctor or pharmacist before adding Cardio Slim Tea if you take any heart, blood pressure, diabetes or blood-thinning drug.
Questions about the full list? See side effects and interactions.
Fair view
Is TMG a meaningful ingredient in Cardio Slim Tea?
Probably not at this scale. The science on betaine and homocysteine is real, but it needs gram doses, and the outcome it is sold for has not followed.
Real chemistry
Betaine lowers homocysteine in a dose-dependent way at 1.5 to 6 g a day.
Wrong scale
A 2 g daily cup for 14 ingredients is unlikely to hold that much TMG.
Weak payoff
Lowering homocysteine has not reduced heart attacks or deaths in large trials.
To see how every claim on the pouch lines up with research, read claims vs evidence.
More ingredients
Which ingredient should I read about next?
Ginseng, curcumin, cinnamon and grape seed extract round out the sales-copy list. Each has its own cautions.
FAQ
TMG in Cardio Slim Tea: common questions
How much TMG is in Cardio Slim Tea?
The amount is not published. The sales page names TMG but gives no grams for it or any other ingredient. A pouch sold as a month is about 2 g of tea a day for all 14 ingredients, so the TMG share is likely far below the 1.5 g minimum used in research.
Is TMG the same as betaine?
Yes. TMG, short for trimethylglycine, is the same compound as betaine, sometimes called betaine anhydrous. It is different from betaine HCl, a form sold for stomach acid. The sales page writes it as TMG (Trimethylglycine) and does not say which form is used.
How much TMG should I take to lower homocysteine?
In the main trial, 1.5 to 6 g a day lowered homocysteine 12 to 20 percent over six weeks. Do not start a gram-level supplement without your doctor. High homocysteine often points to low B12 or folate, which need their own testing and treatment.
Does lowering homocysteine reduce heart attack risk?
Large trials say no. A Cochrane review of 15 trials and 71,422 people found that lowering homocysteine with B vitamins did not reduce heart attacks or deaths. It found a small drop in stroke. So a lower homocysteine number is not proof of a healthier heart.
What foods contain betaine?
Beets, spinach, quinoa, wheat bran and whole grains are common food sources of betaine. Cardio Slim Tea also lists beetroot, which naturally contains some betaine. Eating these foods as part of a balanced diet, such as the DASH plan, supports heart health in other ways too.
What causes high homocysteine?
Common causes include low vitamin B12, low folate or low B6, kidney disease, some medicines and rare inherited conditions. Your doctor may test B12 and folate if homocysteine is high. A tea is not a way to treat a deficiency, so ask about the cause first.
Is TMG listed on the Cardio Slim Tea pouch?
Not in any pouch photo we have seen. The pouch front shows the name, five claims and the net weight, with no ingredient panel. TMG is named only in the sales page list. Check the back of your own pouch, and contact the order desk if no ingredient list is printed.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the pouch, the brand graphic, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized U.S. retailer, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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