(Pt 3) BALANCE METHYLATION: HOW TO NAVIGATE, HELP, & SUPPORT

In previous articles we were talking about Methylation and how it can impact your health, and the various gene mutations that also contribute to improper methylation.

Today we’ll be discussing how you can help support and balance your methylation. I want to start off by saying this, you need to see a doctor in order to determine your methylation rates. You ‘can’ figure it out on your own but if you go the wrong way you can wind up making it worse. So its best to have a doctor run some diagnostic and functional testing to determine where you are.

Solving and balancing a methylation imbalance is a two-pronged approach.

One is healing the gut, and the other is getting the proper nutrients and boosting the glutathione.

REASONS FOR METHYLATION INBALANCE:

MTHFR Gene Mutation.

Stress

Inadequate nutrition

Exposure to Toxins (air, water, land, pesticides, smoking, drinking alcohol, processed foods, preservatives, chemical laden products and other toxins)

Infections

Certain medications like: Nitrous Oxide (dentist), methotrexate, metformin, antacids/acid blocker, proton pump inhibitors (like Protonix/pantaprazole) & Corticosteroids.

Estrogen

Niacin (slows down methylation, so can be harmful if under methylator, helpful if over methylator.)

Alcohol

Candida (produces neurotoxin: acetylaldehyde)

If your methylation becomes interrupted, or have a shortage of methyl groups, these processes in the body can be become compromised and you can get sick. Research, although in the early stages, has clearly linked impaired methylation with autoimmune conditions.

Improving methylation is important for everyone but it’s especially important if you have an autoimmune condition. One of the reasons is the role of methylation in productions and recycling of GLUTATHIONE (the body’s master antioxidant).

Gluthione neutralizes free radicals, reduces inflammation and assists in the role of other antioxidants like vitamin C, E, and lipoic acid. It adheres to toxins and heavy metals and carries them out of the body.

In a perfect world your body would produce glutathione from amino acids cysteine, glycine, and glutamine. Then it recycles it using methylation by methyl donors like Vitamin B12, folate, betaine, and other nutrients.

HOW TO HELP IMPROVE METHYLATION NATURALLY:

A methylation diet is important in order to reduce the load on your methylation pathway. Consider cutting out animal proteins and going vegan, or close to it. I know personally how challenging this can be seeing I was a meat and potatoes kinda gal. However, over the years I’ve had to completely cut out meat. Plenty of veggies and fruits, grains (like oatmeal, quinoa etc), legumes (if tolerated) can boost your B vitamin intake and antioxidant levels to support healthy methylation and reduce risk of damage from residual homocysteine in your system.

-Eat Healing Greens

Eating dark leafy greens and veggies daily provides you with natural folate (a methyl donor) necessary for proper methylation.

- B Vitamins and Folate

B vitamins are methyl donors, especially folate, B6, B12, B2(riboflavin). Sources of B can include fish, eggs, dark leafy greens & asparagus and some nuts like almonds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts.(I personally take a B complex vitamin)Some recommend taking a folate supplement, however I advise extreme caution if doing so. It can lead to more problems and become toxic if you get too much and you’re not sure if your over/under methylator. It’s better to stick with it in your foods or as a B complex vitamin. (unless doctor recommended)

Having a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to nerves and mood.The other B vitamins like B6, B2, B3 are needed to metabolize homocysteine. It can help boost methylation, and relieve fatigue.

- Support Methylation with Supplements

Make sure you’re getting enough magnesium and zinc in order to support proper methylation.Note: long term use of zinc can deplete other nutrients like copper and iron.

- Take Probiotics

High Quality probiotics are important to people with a methylation problem because if you get Candida it will overrun your gut with a toxin called Acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde can give you a “drunk” feeling, or hangover,cuz it’s a neurotoxin. So first way to repair gut is to cut out all alcohol and optimize your gut flora.People who have been drinking a long time have been mugged of their

Here are some symptoms of a “hangover”, as well as a yeast overgrowth: Migraine headaches, brain fog and poor concentration, weakness and fatigue, tender points or sores, depression, anxiety or irritability. It also happens in people who have reduced methylation!! (= histamine buildup!)

This can be a tricky one for mast cell sufferers but its important to be taking probiotics to help repair the gut. It also helps absorb B vitamins and folate.

There are several probiotics that you can find via amazon that help reduce histamine and you still get your probiotics- which is so very important to our our health and our guts.

I personally recommend trying HistamineX by Seeking Health because its suppose to be allergy friendly. If you’re worried you wont tolerate probiotics (like I was after so many failed attempts) I now also take a DAO supplement with it to help prevent buildup of histamine and I’m able to tolerate Probiotics much, much, much better!!! It was my ace in the hole.

Also remember, every time you take antibiotics for a week or more it makes you deficient in probiotics. (which can lead to Candida). If you have a lot of flatulence, yeast infections, gut inflammation, crave sweets or have a white coating on your tongue, it’s a sign you’re deficient in probiotics.

- Reduce Stress, Booze, Smoking and Toxins

This isn’t easy for anyone… trying to stay away from all stress – either physically or mentally. I often call it the Goldilocks Effect cuz you have a very fine line to walk. These toxins from stress, smoking, drinking etc; burden your liver and use up your methyl groups. This step often requires some lifestyle changes.

HOW TO BOOST GLUTATHIONE:

Earlier we stated that glutathione is important in neutralizing toxins, reducing inflammation and helps with vitamins C, and E. It’s an important antioxidant to help balance methylation.

- Eat Healing Proteins

Now not everyone, especially mast cell patients, will be able to tolerate this particular point. However, if you can eat some foods high in amino acids like Cyseine, glycine, and glutamate – it will boost your glutathione. Sources of these are omega 3 enriched eggs, safe fish, and organic lean meats.If you’re like me and can’t tolerate any of these – its okay. There are other methods

- Eat Sulfurous foods

Sulfur is a key component of glutathione, so eating enough sulfur containing foods is key. Sources include, garlic, onions, and cruciferious vegetables like Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, watercress and bok choy.Again, not everyone will tolerate all the ingredients so use discernment.

- Take protein powder

Most people can take whey protein, which boosts glutathione levels. However, because its dairy, if you can’t tolerate it, try a hypoallergenic rice protein, pea protein, vegetable protein…Try to take one or two scoops of protein per day.

- Selenium

Plays in important role in glutathione. Its recommended to take 200-400mcg per day. However, please consult your doctor.

- Optimise your antioxidants

By eating plenty of organic and healthy fruits and vegetables you should be able to get enough C, D, and E which encourage higher glutathione levels.

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are potent antioxidants that can protect the body against damage caused by high levels of homocysteine.While boosting your methylation pathways strengthen your antioxidant forces to reduce any ongoing systemic inflammation and cell damage.Antioxidants can be found in all fruits and vegetables- mainly the bright colored ones. Supplementing with Vitamin C, bioflavonoids, Vitamin E, and carotenoids can help. Foods like concentrated powdered berries; like acai and blueberries are packed with antioxidants.

*Note: For mast cell sufferers – use caution with adding more concentrated antioxidants. Some, like myself, cannot tolerate certain berries (like acai) due to the fact it’s a ‘super antioxidant’.Some of us will only be able to tolerate lower level antioxidants or just stick with berries in smoothies and that has to be enough. An antioxidant reaction can be a bit painful so start with just regular berries like a berry smoothie before you try the super antioxidants like acai.

I make sure to get as many of my nutrients from power packed smoothies loaded with fruits and vegetables I can tolerate.

- Move your body

One of the side effects of having an autoimmune or chronic condition is fatigue. Making it harder to get up and get moving all the time. However, its important that you do something to get moving, even if its just a short walk. It helps reduce stress and depression, and it boosts your glutathione levels and improves detoxification.

- Get enough Sleep

I can’t say this enough (advice I sometimes ignore myself), GET LOTS OF REST. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can deplete glutathione levels. So make sure you get between 8-10 hours of sleep a night. One healthy healing article I read had said its important to get 2-3 hours of sleep before midnight. Not always easy to do, but important. I’ve noticed a difference in just the time I go to bed at night. I may have slept in late, but I used up my reserves from the day before ‘staying up’ late, and even though I got enough sleep I still pay for it. So try to get to bed around 9/10 pm.

- Herbs to help support glutathione

Milk thistle… milk thistle can boost glutathione levels. Approx 100-300mcg daily.

- Spice it up

Curcumin raises glutathione levels in the liver. One more good reason to use this anti-inflammatory spice. (if you can tolerate it)

- CoQ10

If you cant’ methylate properly, you can not produce CoQ10, carnitine, creatine or ATP (energy). You will also have nerve pain termed Neuropathy. That’s because the methylation process helps make the protective wrapping around your nerves.

.Avoiding toxins, lowering stress, healing your gut and consuming healthy clean foods help support proper methylation and glutathione levels. They help your body naturally detox and heal.

Following these guidelines can help your autoimmune condition and help keep you healthy and vibrant. However, when you’re doing all you can and it seems like it STILL isn’t enough – please see your doctor.

**Note: I wanted to post this part because many of you are going to encounter this. When going to get tested at your local doctor to find out if your over/under methylated and want to know if you possess the MTHFR gene- getting it covered by insurance can be tricky. Also, sometimes finding out whether or not your over/under methylated and asking for the tests, many doctors are not going to understand how that’s important and what to do about it when you find out that information.

I had to explain it, and he still wasn’t sure how it would help diagnostically; but I told him “Its Okay, I got it.” So unless you’re seeing a specialized specialist you may run into doctors not understanding how this works. See your naturopath if you need help with this. Naturopaths seem to be better suited to helping with these types of problems versus conventional doctors, unless they specialize in biochemistry or methylation.

Also – I want to stress the importance of NOT over supplementing. Start slowly and gradually – use what you body NEEDS at the lowest level and work your way up. If it helps do not go to higher doses than what you need or it can become toxic. Water soluble vitamins (like B vit) will pass through urine if its more than your body needs. Others are fat soluble and get stored up in the fat and can become toxic.

Here are some Testing Facilities and tests recommended for helping to find out if you’re over/under.

Methylation parameters for testing:

Adenosine (plasma), Glutathione (oxidized and reduced) (plasma), Tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5-methyl-THF, 10-forrnyl-THF, 5-formyl-THF, Folic Acid (plasma), Folinic Acid(Whole Blood), Total Active Folate (RBC), S-adenosyl-methionine (RBC), S-adenosyl-homocysteine (RBC).

Extended Methylation Pathway Parameters Tested:

Adenosine (plasma), Glutathione (oxidized and reduced) (plasma), Tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5-methyl-THF, 10-forrnyl-THF, 5-formyl-THF, Folic Acid (plasma), Folinic Acid (Whole Blood), Total Active Folate (RBC), S-adenosyl-methionine (RBC), S-adenosyl-homocysteine (RBC), Methionine, Cysteine, Cystathionine, Taurine, and Homocysteine (plasma).

Serum Folate, Serum B12, Serum MMA, Homocystein, High Urine MMA/FIGLU, Low RBC folate.

Facilities (a simple google search will pull them up) that specialize in this:

HDRI Institute

http://www.hdri-usa.com/tests/methylation/

Mensah Medical Biochemistry

http://www.mensahmedical.com/

http://www.mensahmedical.com/becoming-a-patient/

They have 6 locations that pop up bi-annually for patients wanting testing that can’t make it to main facility in Illinois.

Walsch Institute (has list of doctors around country)

https://www.walshinstitute.org/

MTHFR Gene Health (Sydney Au)

http://mthfrgenehealth.com/contact-us/

https://mthfrgenehealth.com/mthfr-treatments/

You can order the test or make appointment on the contact details on site.

At Home Mail Kits:

23 and Me $200 – How to interpret the results:

https://www.geneticlifehacks.com/mthfr/

Note: this site tells you how to read your 23 and Me results because they do not ‘specifically’ have a test for it. However, answers can be obtained by the information you get and this site tells you what to look for. If not sure of going this route and interpreting the results yourself; I recommend the other testing facilities or home tests.

My Home MTHFR $150

https://myhomemthfrtesting.com/

Holistic Health International $495

https://www.holisticheal.com/dna-nutrigenomic.html

Its pricey but they seem to be one of the best up there with a few other clinics and you can order the test and take it at home.

Love and Light, Happy Healing.