Article Summary:
- At its core, methylation refers simply to the process of adding a methyl group to a molecule – but it’s importance lies in how it affects our health and the dietary and lifestyle factors which influence the process.
- Supporting methylation includes ensuring adequate intake of key nutrients like folate and B12, managing stress, minimising environmental toxin exposure and focusing the diet around whole, nutrient-rich foods.
- Poor methylation is linked to a variety of health issues including hormonal imbalances, cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, allergies, and autoimmunity.
- There are genetic factors which can influence how well we methylate; genetic methylation tests can be used to better understand your body and its needs.
Everything you need to know about methylation
Perhaps one of the most critical processes that underpins our health and wellbeing is methylation. This relatively simple chemical process occurs billions of times every second, and is important for the proper functioning of virtually all body systems. It's a process that is called upon a lot when we are under stress, so can potentially become depleted. The research into methylation and related genetic mutations that may predispose people to an array of symptoms and chronic disease, has exploded in the last 10 years.
A good understanding of methylation is just as important for health practitioners, who want to provide a personalised plan for their clients, as it is 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 hopefully preventing disease.
Functions of methylation
- Regulation of mood and sleep through production of neurotransmitters e.g. dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and melatonin.
- Energy production.
- Hormone regulation e.g. for healthy menstrual cycles.
- 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 wrapped 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 such as asthma or hay fever.
- Synthesis of phospholipids needed for cellular membranes, ensuring healthy cell structure and appropriate communication between cells.
Nutrient Deficiencies
As well as methylfolate and B12, other nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, choline, B6 and B2 are also needed for proper methylation, thus deficiencies in any of these can reduce our ability to 'methylate'. For example, if you are vegetarian, your intake of B12, B6, zinc and choline may be low, while carnivores may not have enough folate or magnesium, especially if they’re not eating enough green leafy vegetables.
Genetic Mutations
Some of us are predisposed to methylate less well. Amongst many genes that we know of, the MTHFR gene (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) has been very well studied and linked to all of those conditions we discussed. This gene produces an enzyme responsible for methylfolate synthesis. Certain, relatively common ‘mutations’ in this gene can reduce our ability to produce methylfolate by up to 70%.9 That’s why it’s important to use methylfolate, rather than folic acid, as it is 3 times more easily absorbed and used by the body, and bypasses the MTHFR enzyme. Genetic testing can be used to determine our natural capacity for methylation to help shed light on whether or not extra support is needed for you as an individual.
What else causes poor methylation?
Poor Digestion
If you are suffering with digestive complaints such as IBS or use acid blocking medication for your heartburn, your absorption of those nutrients may be significantly reduced.
Stress
Stress is a major ‘drain’ on methylation – both psychological and physiological stress (e.g. frequent infections, blood sugar imbalances, and excessive exercise), because they all rely on various hormones and neurotransmitters that are driven by methylation.
Sugar & Toxins
High sugar diet and high exposure to environmental toxins (non-organic cosmetics, heavy metals, plastics, tobacco smoking etc.).
Health problems assosiated with poor methylation
Poor methylation has been linked to many health complaints, including: Alzheimer’s disease,1 polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),2 birth defects,3 multiple sclerosis (MS),4 depression5, autism6, migraines 7 and heart disease.8
- Hormonal imbalances: PMS, endometriosis, PCOS, irregular or heavy periods.
- Infertility (both male and female) and pregnancy-related complications e.g. pre-eclampsia. For further information on supporting pregnancy, here’s another blog to take a look at Bump to Baby: Nutritional Support During Pregnancy
- Cardiovascular disease.
- Autoimmune conditions – multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), autoimmune thyroid.
- Allergies – eczema, hay fever, asthma etc.
- Depression, anxiety, OCD and psychiatric conditions.
- General mood fluctuations, tendency to perfectionism, overthinking, anxious and distorted thought.
- Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease.
- Chronic fatigue, ME, fibromyalgia.
- Increase in symptoms caused by neurodiversity.
Lifestyle recommendations to improve methylation
- Reduce stress through gentle exercise and relaxation. Lifestyle interventions such as yoga, meditation10 11 and Tai Chixii have all been associated with positive effects on methylation. For more information on stress support, take a look at our blog on Supporting Stress
- Work on improving your sleep, with calming herbs and nutrients (e.g. lemon balm and magnesium) and relaxation techniques (consider the HeadSpace app).
- Reduce the exposure to common environmental chemicals by following an organic diet and use natural-organic beauty products.
- Reduce exposure to oestrogen-like chemicals (xenooestrogens) by reducing the use of plastic from plastic packaging and food containers and mainstream cosmetics.
- Limit intake of rice products, especially from non-organic sources (rice, rice milk, rice cakes, flour, foods labelled as ‘gluten-free’ etc.)13 as well as tap water,14 due to high arsenic content.
- Consider using good quality water and air filters at home.
Dietary recommendations to improve methylation
- Include plenty of green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, chard, and broccoli), sea food, good quality meat and offal, nuts and seeds, egg yolks (lightly cooked), pulses.
- Ensure healthy bacterial balance in the gut to improve absorption of nutrients.15,16,17
- Limit pro-inflammatory and allergenic foods, especially gluten containing grains, dairy, soya and corn.
- Limit all sources of sugars and refined carbohydrates to reduce blood glucose spikes, which can be a drain on methylation.
- Avoid foods that are depleted in nutrients due to over processing, such as packaged and canned foods.
- Avoid stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks which can deplete B vitamins and increase stress hormones.
- Include plenty of beneficial plant chemical found in green tea, turmeric, cruciferous vegetables (e.g. cauliflower, Brussel sprouts), small amounts of organic red wine, allium vegetables (e.g. garlic, onions), tomatoes, apples and citrus.18 These have been shown to have a balancing effect on methylation and can protect our DNA.
- Supplements containing key nutrients for methylation are commonly used to support a healthy diet. Multivitamins containing methylfolate (B9) and methylcobalamin (B12) can provide a great baseline for overall methylation support, while individual nutrients in a liquid form may be particularly useful if you require a specific dose, struggle with digestive issues, or find it difficult to swallow capsules.
Methylation works in close relation with other processes and systems in the body and can be affected by environmental and psychosocial factors. That’s why a truly holistic way of supporting methylation is to work on all of those factors simultaneously; by improving and cleaning up our diet, reducing our overall toxic load, improving sleep and reducing stress, while supplementing with specific and most bioactive nutrients, according to our individual needs. This may sound far-fetched or unachievable, but remember, this is the end goal, and even if you do it in small steps, starting with one area at a time, your body will thank you for it.
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References
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July 21, 2020
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