Methylation Is A Health or Disease Lynchpin

   A lynchpin is a vitally important, essential element to hold all of the parts together for any product, production, person, or machine. Methylation is involved in just about every component of your body’s metabolism. It’s not only influenced by genes, but it is also involved in protecting and managing gene expression.

Methylation:

• Involved in genetic expression (Turning on or off of genes to influence all biological functions)

• Required in the production of neurotransmitters by the central nervous system  

• Needed in the mobilization of cholesterol and fats to keep them moving throughout the body where needed rather than accumulating in the arteries and organs.

• Participates in hormone regulation and fertility (Hormones: Testosterone, estrogen, adrenaline, and melatonin)

• Part of detoxification and moderating histamine.  Histamine is a chemical involved in the inflammatory response

• Assists in repairing damaged cells

• Protects the DNA in your genetic code to reduce the chance of mutation

• Is critical in the creation of proteins utilized in the antioxidant defense system against oxidation

   When methylation is occurring properly, the chemical homocysteine is managed.

   In our DNA testing, we look at 5 different genes for methylation.  The genes are required to provide the necessary enzymes needed for methylation to take place and homocysteine to be managed at healthy levels.

   Homocysteine is a vital molecule required for numerous processes within the cells but too can be unhealthy or deadly. Elevated homocysteine is associated a 4x greater risk of heart attack than high cholesterol, increased risk of neurological disorders like depression, poor bone health, and many other factors related to the above areas of methylation.

   Homocysteine is typically converted into methionine, or cysteine, both of which are less harmful when in excess, and are also required for many cellular processes. 

  The major drivers of this conversion are related to the genes we test for in the DNA.  If someone has an MTHFR variant, for example, the conversion stalls and homocysteine accumulates.

Next Article: The 2 pathways of Methylation & how to keep them healthy.

Have fun saving the world

Dr. Ben