The betaine content of sweat from adolescent females

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.