Recently everyone has been talking about a biochemical process in the body called methylation and doctors are starting to realise that it is vital to good health and staying younger for longer.

When you hear the words methylation and biochemistry you probably tune out because it does not sound exciting or relevant to your daily life. Well in reality it is hugely relevant to all of those people who want to stay healthy and young. Basically methylation is a process that helps your body to work more efficiently - it is your body’s helper!

Most people with health problems do not have enough methyl groups and this can be true even if a person eats a very healthy diet. This can be due to pollution or stress that interferes with the body’s production of methyl groups.

Most people today have inadequate methylation, so this becomes a very important subject.

What is Methylation?

Methylation is a chemical process that is vital to enable your cells to make other substances work correctly.  If you want to describe the biochemistry of methylation, it is the addition of a methyl group (a carbon surrounded by hydrogen atoms - CH3) to another substance in the body and it occurs around a billion times per second in your body. When the substance receives its methyl group it can go out in the body and perform its functions. The process of methylation is especially crucial to healthy liver function and detoxification. Poor methylation can cause or contribute to almost all health problems and inflammation which accelerates aging..

If your body is inefficient at methylation, you will be prone to emotional illness, inflammation and fatigue and many other health problems.

Methylation = Detoxification

Methylation Detoxification

Methylation is a primary method of removing toxins in the phase 2 liver detoxification process. Methylation converts toxins from insoluble or fat-soluble compounds into water soluble compounds. Once these toxins are made water soluble, they can then be easily eliminated from the body via watery fluids such as the urine, sweat and bile.  If this does not occur, these toxins cannot be eliminated, and they will build up in the body.

Methylation tags toxic substances so they can be changed in a way that allows the body to identify them as toxins and then eliminate them rapidly and more easily. Larger toxic molecules are then able to be eliminated through the bile, while smaller ones pass into the blood stream and are removed by the kidneys in the urine and in the sweat.

Why are some people inefficient at methylation?

  1. They inherit a gene from their parents that makes them slow at methylating. The gene that controls methylation is called the MTHFR gene and this can be tested for in a blood test. If this gene has some imperfections (known as single nucleotide polymorphisms), then the process of methylation cannot occur correctly, and a lack of neurotransmitters may cause emotional illness. In patients with a double copy of this defective gene, regular vitamin supplements do not work, and they must be given activated vitamins - namely L methyl folate or folinic acid instead of regular folic acid
  2. They are deficient in the nutrients that the body needs to make the methylation cycle happen correctly – these nutrients include Vitamin B 12, selenium, zinc and folic acid. Certain amino acids are also needed for proper methylation, (such as glycine, cysteine and methionine), and these can be deficient in people who are vegan, have gut problems or take antacid drugs which cause poor absorption of these amino acids.
  3. They drink excessive alcohol.
  4. They have been exposed to excess toxins, molds, and/or heavy metals.

Neurotransmitter synthesis

Methylation is needed for synthesis of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin.  You need to be good at methylation to feel happy, relaxed and mentally switched on. This also reduces your risk of dementia.

Protein synthesis

Methylation is a key step in the formation of our proteins and can increase and maintain muscle mass.  This is beneficial in wasting diseases such as cancer and AIDS, and for those who want to remain fit and athletic.

Protects the body’s telomeres

The telomeres are the body’s “tails” on its DNA and chromosomes, and they can be compared to the hard plastic ends on your shoelaces.  If your telomeres are not protected, you will age more rapidly and this is why good methylation slows down the aging process.

Helps protect the mitochondria and boost energy

Methylation protects the energy factories inside your cells which are known as mitochondria. This supports adaptive energy production greatly.  Without adequate methylation, fatigue can be severe and persistent. Methylation is required to make coenzyme Q10 which is needed for heart health and for energy production within the mitochondria.

Supplements to help the methylation cycle

Activated folic acid – this is called L-methyl folate or folinic acid. The regular folic acid form of folate does not work well in people with the abnormal methylation gene.  Livatone Plus contains L-methyl folate (folinic acid). You will also require vitamin B 12 in the form of methylcobalamin which is found in Livatone Plus.

Foods high in methyl groups include –

Lamb, chicken, beets, liver, quinoa, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables and green herbs, and beetroot. Cooking green vegetables improves the availability of their methyl groups.

If you are a strict vegan you are likely to be low in methyl groups, as well as vitamin B 12, and may need to supplement. Processed foods are very deficient in methyl groups.

Blood tests to check for slow methylation include -

  • Vitamin B 12 levels
  • Folic acid levels
  • Homocysteine levels (if too high this is a marker of poor methylation)
  • The type of MTHFR gene that you carry

Livatone Plus contains –

  • The methylcobalamin form of vitamin B 12, which is more conducive to good methylation
  • The activated form of folic acid (L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate) to help methylation
  • N-Acetyl-Cysteine which is superior to cysteine for reducing inflammation in the liver

Livatone Plus also contains – the proven dose of pure Milk Thistle, organic selenium, all B group vitamins, Vitamins C and E, zinc, taurine, glutamine, glycine, inositol, choline, green leaf tea extract, carotenoids and glutathione.