February 2025 letter - methylation

Have you ever heard about methylation?

I must admit that I had never heard about it, until now, even though it is one of the most critical processes in the body for our health and wellbeing. When searching for more information about it, I learned that methylation has actually become one of the important focuses in science recently and studies so far have found how reduced methylation is the reason to many chronic symptoms and, including many mental problems.

Methylation, a relatively simple chemical process that occurs constantly in the body, in every cell, and is vital for the proper functioning of virtually all body systems. This process ensures that our genes are functioning properly. It’s a process that is even more needed when we are under stress or our diet is not great and so we can become depleted. Methylation is also needed for the functioning of glutathione, the body’s own antioxidant which is needed for elimination of toxins from the body and preventing cellular damage, among many other important functions.

A good understanding of methylation is important for each one of us, enabling us to take charge of our own health and wellbeing. Knowing how to support this process with diet and lifestyle is key to achieving optimum health and preventing disease. It has been estimated that around 45% of people have a problem with methylation. Although genetics play a part, especially poor diet, high consumption of sugar and chronic stress are the main reasons for this.

Methylation is dependent on the availability of a number of key nutrients, especially folate, but also other vitamins, especially B12, B2 and B6 and minerals such as magnesium and zinc are important. Deficiencies cause problems in methylation processes, as do gut problems. If you are suffering with digestive complaints such as IBS, the absorption of these vital nutrients may be significantly reduced, causing problems. Some medications are known to interfere with methylation, one of these are anti-acids (proton pump inhibitors, such as Omeprazole), Methotrexate, contraceptive pills, corticosteroids and statins.

FUNCTIONS OF METHYLATION

• Regulation of mood and sleep through production of neurotransmitters e.g. dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and melatonin

• Energy production

• Hormone regulation

• Supporting DNA replication for growth and repair (particularly important for children, pregnant women and those with chronic disease)

• Detoxification of environmental toxins such as heavy metals

• Supporting bile production needed for digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K)

• Formation of the supportive structure around our nerves, myelin sheath, ensuring appropriate nervous function and cognition

• Production of immune cells needed for protection against pathogens

• Detoxification of excess histamine, associated with allergies

• Synthesis of phospholipids needed for cellular membranes, ensuring healthy cell structure and appropriate communication between cells

HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR METHYLATION

• Depression, anxiety, OCD and psychiatric conditions

• Insomnia

• General mood fluctuations, tendency to perfectionism, overthinking, anxious and distorted thought

• Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease

• Chronic fatigue, ME, fibromyalgia

• Autism, hyperactivity, anger issues

• Early aging

• Hormonal imbalances: PMS, PCOS, irregular or heavy periods, endometriosis

• Infertility

• Cardiovascular disease

• Autoimmune conditions – multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), autoimmune thyroid

• Allergies, hay fever, asthma, eczema

SUPPORTING METHYLATION

LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

• Stress management through meditation, gentle exercise and relaxation. Relaxing lifestyle interventions such as yin yoga and meditation have been associated with positive effects on methylation

• Ensure good sleep, perhaps with calming herbs and nutrients and relaxation techniques

• Reduce exposure to common environmental chemicals by following an organic diet and use natural-organic beauty products

• Drink good quality water, avoid tap water

DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS

• Plenty of green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, chard, and broccoli) and fresh herbs

• Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and cabbage

• Caught sea food, organic poultry, meat and offal, egg yolks (lightly cooked)

• Pulses

• Probiotics and fermented foods to ensure healthy bacterial balance in the gut for optimal absorption of nutrients

• Avoid pro-inflammatory and allergenic foods, especially refined oils, gluten containing grains and highly processed dairy

• Avoid all sources of sugars and refined carbohydrates

• Avoid foods that are depleted in nutrients due to over processing

• Avoid alcohol

• Include plenty of beneficial plant chemical found in green tea, turmeric, small amounts of organic red wine, allium vegetables (e.g. garlic, onions), tomatoes, apples and citrus.

• A good and strong multivitamin containing methylfolate and methylcobalamin can provide a great baseline for overall methylation support. The most important nutrients are active B-vitamins, especially folate. Some synthetic forms of different vitamin B can in large quantities cause more harm than good, so choose products containing active forms of these nutrients. These are folate (instead of folic acid), B12 methylcobalamin (instead of syanokobalamin) and P-5-P for vitamin B6.

There are many different multivitamins available for this purpose, I currently take Methyl Multinutrient by BioCare, developed for methylation support.

The reason for me becoming so interested in this was my 8-year-old nephew. He has had many problems at school due to lack of concentration and hyperactivity and also his home life has suffered because of his temper tantrums. His very wise grandparents wanted to explore alternative explanations for his behaviour and try other measures, before his appointment with a psychiatrist who felt he potentially had ADHD and amongst other support would need medication. Well, turns out that after trying these types of supplements, he is now like a different boy. He does have good support at school and home, but we all know, that without these supplements and a few adjustments into his diet, this would not have happened. He never needed any medication.

Please remember, that each individual situation is different and we all have to find what is best for us and our family. But please, please, what ever symptoms or problems you have, never forget the importance of good food and nutrition.