Methylation Basics and Supplements

For a long time methylation was a topic I kind of avoided because the science behind it is so deep, with so many variations. But I had to tell myself…just like a tell you…to start somewhere, and at least teach the basics.

So, here I am! Please know that this really is just scratching the surface and a true 101 level of methylation. You can go crazy deep into this topic, but for our purposes, I want to keep things really simple. 

What is methylation?

The ability to form a methyl group and the ability to use those methyl groups in the body. Methyl groups are important for everything from thinking, to fighting off infection and disease.

Why is methylation important?

Methylation turns genes on and off, which means it affects your genetic make-up. It also affects your ability to naturally detoxify your body which can lead to all sorts of disorders and illnesses. Without methylation, you would die. 

So….everyone is methylating. The question is,  are you methylating optimally?

Poor methylation can be responsible for:

• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Cancer
• Pulmonary Embolism
• Addictive Behavior
• Insomnia
• Autism or down’s syndrome
• Miscarriages
• Bipolar or manic depression
• Allergies or Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
• Spina Bifida or Cleft Palate or Neural Tube Defects
• Multiple Sclerosis and other Autoimmune Disorders
• Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism
• ADD or ADHD
• Dementia/Alzheimer’s
• Anxiety
• Chronic Viral Infections

Methylation happens over a billion times per second for our trillion+ cells. That means that when you are supporting methylation well, it will affect your body positively a billion times per second…so this is a big deal!

Since most of my readers are women, I want to encourage you to take methylation even more seriously as it has a huge effect on the way we process estrogen. Without proper methylation, we can easily build up a toxic level of estrogen that can cause TONS of problems for our overall health. 

Since methylation is part of the folate cycle to keep it running smoothly you need to ensure that you are getting optimal levels of B-vitamins (mainly folate) so that the process doesn’t break down.

SNPs 

SNP’s or single nucleotide polymorphisms are genetic variations not defects. While all of us have these, most SNPs have no actual effect on our day to day lives. However, SNPs can affect our bodies in a negative way. 

According to Dr. Susy Cohen, “problems in the methylation pathway are not always genetic traits. In any case, it may cause a deficiency of methyl folate in your body, and thus a deficiency of glutathione, which leads to toxin build-up in your bloodstream and tissues. Glutathione is known as the ‘master antioxidant’ of the body. Low levels of glutathione can look like chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, increased immune activation, multiple chemical sensitivities, and progressive diseases like ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, etc.”

There are several estimates of how many people actually have a methylation SNP, but the most conservative percentage is about 45%. So…almost half of all people have a methylation SNP. 

How do you know if you have methylation issues?

The most accurate way to know for sure is through genetic testing. However, if you aren’t sure that you need something like that, the best thing to do is just start supporting your methylation process and give your body what it needs to methylate properly. 

How do I  support methylation? 

The best way to support methylation is to use a supplement with folate. Since B-vitamins (folate in particular) are so critical in methylation, ensuring your body gets enough of those is absolutely critical. 

One thing that is SUPER important to remember here is that folate is quite different from folic acid. Folic acid is actually not really good for you at all. I know that it is something found in countless over the counter multivitamins and prenatal vitamins, but since your body actually has to go through quite a few processes to turn it into active folate it rarely does what it’s supposed to do. And, if you do have methylation issues then it could actually cause a build-up of folic acid in the body which is not safe. 

SO…SKIP THE FOLIC ACID COMPLETELY and grab some folate. 

Sometimes supplements will call folate, folate, but mostly they will call it 5-MTHF or 5-Methotetrahydrofolate.  So, be sure to look at those ingredients prior to making a purchase. 

Methylation and Pregnancy.

You want to support methylation at all times, however, it is absolutely critical prior to and during pregnancy. 

If you are considering getting pregnant, then I would begin supplementation with folate, so you have it in your system prior to getting pregnant when your body will need it. When you find out your pregnancy you will already be using folate, so it’s a good idea to go ahead and get that process started early. 

Again, most will say you need folic acid to support pregnancy, but you DON’T. You need folate!

My supplement recommendation to support methylation: Nutridyn Methyl Complete

Methyl Complete is not JUST the 5-MTHF’s it’s everything you need to support healthy methylation. This is a supplement I use daily and recommend to most of my patients. 

For added folate in a multi- I recommend this multi-powder (I promise it tastes great)!

Methylation has about a gagillion layers, so as stated earlier, this is in NO WAY exhaustive or complete. However, it’s a good starting point. To learn a bit more or if you want to get a little nerdy, you can listen to this episode of the Just Enjoy Health podcast where I chat through this topic in more depth!