Methylation is a very important process in the body that is vitally key if you want to be well and stay healthy. If your methylation process has problems as does approximately 50% of society then you have serious problems on your hands in terms of health problems and disease.
What does methylation do?
In short, methylation processes many of body’s important functions by supplying the body and its various system with what they need to do their job at optimal levels, here are some of the important jobs of methylation:
- They turn genes on and off such as making repairs and building DNA and RNA
- They reduce the aging process by protecting telomeres which have an effect on how our cells age
- They help detoxify chemicals and heavy metals
- They process hormones
- They help to build immune cells
- They turn the stress response on and off
- They provide us with energy
- They reduce histamine such as allergies
- They help balance homocysteine
- They repair cell membranes and produce myelin to protect and insulate nerves
- They support neurotransmitters to prevent depression, anxiety, insomnia and aid brain function.
- They help produce powerful antioxidants needed by the liver
Things that affect methylation
The are many things that can interfere with methylation, lifestyle and genetics play a big role in how well you methylate or not. The main causes of methylation problems include:
- Genetic alterations that cause detoxification problems
- Stress (Mental & physical)
- Environmental toxins such as general pollution, benzene’s & plastic toxicity
- Heavy metal toxicity
- Medications (antacids, methotrexate, metformin, nitrous oxides, antiseptics)
- Reduced hydrochloric acids for digestion
- Aging (as we age methylation can reduce)
- Diet
- Alcohol
Methylation Imbalances
When methylation becomes unbalanced you can end up usually in one of two categories, you can have symptoms of undermetylation from not making enough metylation and or you can have symptoms related to overmetylation, here are examples of symptoms to look out for…
Undermethylation Symptoms
ADD/ADHD
Addicitive behaviour
Ageing
Anorexia
Alzhelmer’s disease
Anxiety
Asthma
Autism
Bipolar disorder
Bulimia
Cancer
Chronic degenerative diseases
Cardiovascular disease
Cleft palate
Diabetes
Down’s syndrome
Delusions
Depression
Poor detoxification
Fibromyalgia
Headaches
Infertility
Joint stiffness, pain, swelling
Insomnia
Muscle pains
Obsessive compulsive disease
Oppositional defiant disorder
Pain
Phobias
PCOS
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Recurrent pregnancy loss, miscarriage
Overmethylation Symptoms
Headache
Migraine
Rashes
Irritability
Increase in anxiety
Joint pain
Muscle pain
Insomnia
Depression (May be suicidal)
Nausea
Seizures
Vomiting
Stomach pain
Sweating
Rash
Hypokalemia
Palpitations
Methylation action steps
If you have identified that you may have a methylation problem what should you do about it?
The first step to take is to find out is you have any of the following problems:
Take the methylation test, this test can help you discover if there is a methylation problem and help you correct any imbalance.
Do you have a the MTHFR gene alteration that affects over 50% of society? A simple home MTHFR test can tell you if you have the gene problem that may be causing your methylation imbalance.
Check your homocysteine levels, this can tell you if your methylation is functioning properly. A homocysteine test score below 6 is an indication of undermethylation and a score of over 8 can indicate overmethyation. Both are considered to be serious methyation problems. Take the homocysteine test here.
Check yourself for metabolic problems & environmental pullutants. These markers are great for finding out if your methylation cycle is being disrupted and the effect that it is having on your body.
An organic acids & environmental pollutants test is an effective way to discover metabolic problems and toxicity problems that cause methylation problems and assists in developing a personalized detoxification program to reverse methylation problems.
Find out if you are genetically programmed to have poor methylation, this is not bad news, in fact, it can give you a major advantage, this is because those who test positive for a genetic methylation problem can customize their life style to their genetic disposition effectively working toward improving methylation on an individual level.
Have any questions about methylation problems? Ask one of our qualified health practitioners here.