After looking at thousands of SNP results for the Methylation Cycle, there are some combinations of mutations that I have never seen. These would be combinations that completely disable the Methylation Cycle to the point where it is nonfunctional. For this reason I believe that a functional Methylation Cycle is a necessary condition for survival. In my personal opinion, if the mythical fountain of youth did exist, it would in fact be the Methylation Cycle. This cycle has the capacity to impact miscarriages, neural tube defects, cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, depression, anemia and even gray hair or the ability to wake up after anesthesia. This set of traffic circles that affects the entire circle of life, from pregnancy to old age is clearly a pathway worth getting in balance.

There are two routes around the methionine/folate cycles; in other words two ways to get around the first two traffic circles.

The ultimate goal is to traverse the “long route” around the first two traffic circles through the juncture where B12 sits, however this can cause excretion of toxins from the body. While detoxification is a good thing, it can also allow for symptoms during the detoxification process. It is possible to just get this critical cycle moving by supporting the “short cut” to restore methylation function while limiting potential detoxification reactions. The “short cut” is a direct route from homocysteine to methione. This short cut does not go through the juncture where B12 plays a role. It is just a quick trip from homocysteine directly to methioinine thus helping to ensure homocysteine does not climb too high while allowing methionine to increase. There are supplements that can help to support this short cut including a mixture of compounds called “phospholipids” and specific types of oils. The use of particular molecules including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) can help to allow the short cut to function. These are long names of important compounds that will jump start your Methylation Cycle. The abbreviations PS, PC, PE, PI along with DHA make it easier to remember which nutrients can help to ensure that you have at least some Methylation Cycle function even if you have a number of mutations in this pathway.

Many adults who have had SNPs in this pathway since birth, have very likely experienced a gradual depletion of Methylation Cycle function as there has been no support to bypass these mutations over the course of their lifetime. This is compounded by the fact that some of the players in these traffic circles lose activity with age. Thus aging itself allows for a natural depletion of Methylation Cycle function. If we combine aging, with mutations in this pathway, and infectious agents that impair these traffic circles and toxic metal accumulation…you can start to see why over time there is a decrease in health and well-being if you are not supporting the Methylation Cycle. I am not suggesting that nutritional support for the Methylation Cycle will prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, stroke, heart attack, neural tube defects, miscarriages or gray hair. I am saying that by supporting this critical pathway in the body that you at least lower the risk due to a lack of Methylation Cycle function. I again repeat, there are some combinations of mutations that I have not seen, which would suggest the critical nature of this set of traffic circles in the body. The implication is that supporting this pathway may be one of the healthiest choices you can make for yourself and your family.

Getting some support for the short cut around the cycle is one way to jumpstart the Methylation Cycle. Long route support involves B12 support. In the past I felt that the more B12 you added the better. However, over time and experience I have qualified that statement. Research suggests that lithium, a mineral, plays a role in B12 transport. What I have found repeatedly on mineral testing is that a majority of those with a range of health issues are low in lithium. Adding B12 before lithium is in balance may cause further depletion of lithium.

Next Chapter:

Keeping Track of Lithium

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