Gene Testing Does Not Tell The Whole Story

I regularly hear from people who have recently discovered they are MTHFR mutated and concerned that their health is in jeopardy. Having been one of the first medical groups to conduct gene testing we have had the opportunity to comprehensively assess our patients' status beyond just gene mutations. I am happy to report that many of the healthiest patients we have seen over the years are MTHFR mutated. It’s important to understand that the mutation does not necessarily mean you are methyl folate deficient.

Read more: Methylation and MTHFR

Nutrition is Circulation  |  Betaine lowers homocysteine

Ischemia (low blood flow) and Apoptosis

Circulation of the blood is obviously vital for good health. What is not so obvious is that low blood flow (ischemia) can cause peroxidative damage and provoke programmed cell death by a mechanism called apoptosis. Apoptosis is the most common agent of aging because other mechanisms, such as peroxidation, glycosylation, protein cross-linking, DNA damage and nutrient deficiency, are more likely to damage but not kill the cell. Ischemia is a silent cause of aging: it kills cells in relatively small numbers, reduces their number, and gradually weakens tissue function. This is a progressive process, one that accelerates as the damaged and weakened tissues become ever more vulnerable.

Read more: Nutrient Therapy For Ischemic Disease

Balance Is The Key to Methylation

I regularly hear from customers that have learned they are MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) mutated and rush out and start supplementing with large doses of what would be considered a ‘megadose’ of both methyl folate and methyl B12 and—much to their surprise—their symptoms become worse, with some becoming convinced that they can’t handle a ‘methyl’ vitamin. All this is based on a very limited gene test, and without running a comprehensive methylation assessment to identify what is happening with their individual chemistry. So what is happening with these people?

Read more: MTHFR And The Problem of Excess Methyl Folate

It is no secret that methylation is the OLA LOA secret. Methylation is defined as the transfer of carbon-hydrogen molecules to their natural sites of action in the body chemistry and physiology.

Creatine, the most essential factor in sustaining muscle energy, consumes between 70 and 90 percent of the methyl groups available in the body chemistry. The more active the muscles, the greater the demand for creatine to store energy as active phosphate within the cells for instant use. The heart is a leading consumer, but brain cells also need creatine. Dietary creatine supplements are more expensive and less convenient than direct supplementation of TMG to support production of creatine for all the body cells and to support muscle energy and mental acuity.

Read more: Methylation and Muscle