By Dr. Leah Hollon, ND, MPH

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August 28, 2018

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What IS methylation and how does it influence my health?

Dr. Leah Hollon ND explains methylation as, “a biological process that allows humans to make DNA. It is where a carbon molecule and 3 hydrogen molecules are put together to make CH3. Once these molecules combine, it allows a series of reactions to occur in the body. If the CH3 structure cannot be added to parts of the body or cannot later detach, then certain biological processes will not occur. This can lead to aging, allergies, pain, environmental sensitivities, infertility, reactions to medications, depression, rare symptoms or other illnesses”.

Methylation is also needed to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – cellular energy. Without cellular energy, we would of course not be able to function, and would feel extremely tired, fatigued and have difficulty performing biological processes. Methylation makes ATP and requires ATP to perform free radical scavenging throughout the body – an essential process to rid the body of toxins. ATP, in turn, requires some essential nutrients to be formed, such as vitamin B12, methionine and glutathione. Together, methionine + ATP = S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) which acts as a methyl precursor.  Everything works together here. If one part of the cycle is out of balance, it can be extremely difficult to trace it back to the original defect.

Nutritional Therapies

Fortunately, nutritional therapies can work on multiple areas within this cycle at a very foundational level. This is called the Epigenetic Diet.  Studies are increasingly showing the affect of diet and reversal of abnormal gene activation and silencing. As we already know, certain nutritional inputs can effectively prevent certain diseases and increase overall health, and methylation is no exception.

Hydrochloric Acid

In order to perform methylation properly, we need HCL (hydrochloric acid) in the stomach, pancreatic enzymes, and intrinsic factor from the stomach and pancreas. Hence, supportive nutritional therapies focusing on these three factors is key. Foods like apple cider vinegar increase HCL and enzyme production, fermented foods contribute to healthy gut flora for optimal digestion and protein intake will provide essential amino acids like tryptophan, tyrosine and taurine.

B Vitamins

Making sure we have all of our B vitamins is essential to making DNA in the first place, and there are plenty of dietary sources of B vitamins. Collard greens, brewers yeast and chick peas are all great source of B1. Wild rice, soy beans and almonds provide B2. Tuna, eggs, salmon and beef provide B3. Peanuts, corn, cashews, chicken and rye flour provide B5 (pantothenic acid). Bananas, walnuts, avocados, trout and brussel sprouts provide B6 (essential for methionine production). Bone broth, beef, chicken, chlorella, eggs and nutritional yeast are some sources for B12 (needed to make DNA and ATP).

Essential Nutrients

Other essential nutrients for ATP formation, methylation and free radical scavenging include selenium, magnesium and zinc. Selenium can be found in brazil nuts, blackstrap molasses, eggs, garlic and brown rice. Magnesium is found in lima beans, beet greens, avocados and figs. Zinc is found in turkey, kidney beans, wild rice, tahini and lentils (to name a few of each).

Individualized Protocol

For such an intricate and complicated process, there is never a single route of therapy, but rather an individualized treatment protocol for each person. This is just the tip of the iceberg when looking into methylation factors, and there is plenty of promise for future studies on epigenetic diets, holistic treatments and lifestyle modifications to support this process.

For further reading on epigenetics, methylation and nutritional therapies, check out the links below:

Epigenetics: The link between nature & nurture
Epigenetic diet: Impact on the epigenome and cancer

Looking For Help?

If you are looking for help with Gene Mutation and MTHFR Conditions, RNM’s Dr. Leah Hollon, is trained in working with MTHFR and Gene Mutation. For more information on booking an appointment please contact our offcie at (804) 977-2634 or visit our Book An Appointment Page.