Things that can hinder methylation

The choices we make in our everyday life can have a profound impact on how well our methylation pathways function. These are some of the main hindrances to proper methylation and exactly how we can 

1. Nutrient deficiencies

B vitamins are the fuel behind methylation. If you are deficient in folate, B12 or other B vitamins chances are your methylation is a little sluggish.

What you can do: Work with your doctor to look at your nutrient levels to determine any deficiencies. Food is foundational, so focus on incorporating more foods rich in B vitamins such as green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and okra, along with grass-fed organ meats. A methylated B-complex supplement is also a great option to include as well for added support while you are working to overcome any deficiencies.

2. Poor liver function

Methylation is a huge part of your detoxification system alongside your body’s largest detox organ - your liver. However, when your liver isn’t functioning properly, it can further perpetuate methylation problems. For example, methylation is important in Phase II of your liver's detoxification process which is responsible for breaking down toxins for excretion. 

What you can do: Facilitate healthy liver function with milk thistle. This plant has been used for years as a natural remedy for liver problems like hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease due to its ability (1) to restore damaged liver cells.

3. Toxin exposure

As we said above your liver and methylation pathways work hand-in-hand to continually detox your body from toxins. However, we are constantly bombarded with toxins in our modern society making toxin overload a reality for a lot of us.

When this happens, your liver can’t process the onslaught of toxins fast enough leading to a cascade of chronic inflammation in the body that further inhibits methylation and your ability to detox. Ultimately, it becomes a vicious cycle: toxins build up, the body becomes more inflamed, detoxification is inhibited, more toxins build up, inflammation increases, and on and on.

What you can do: Break the cycle by supporting your liver’s natural ability to detox while also working to mitigate your toxin exposure by switching to clean beauty, personal, and household care items. Certain herbs and spices work to eliminate toxins from the body such as cilantro and dandelion root. For a complete list of the best detoxifying superfoods, check out my article here. 

4. Genetic mutations

Some people - close to 70% of the population - have the MTHFR gene mutation. This can cause problems as the MTHFR enzyme is responsible for converting folic acid into folate which is the fuel for methylation. Those with this genetic mutation make significantly less methyl-folate which leads to poor methylation. 

Other genetic mutations like MTR and MTRR can also lead to methylation problems as these genes help produce the B12 methyl donor.

What you can do: If you suspect this might be an issue for you, the first step is to run genetic tests through your doctor to be sure. If you do have one of these mutations, supplementation is going to be key for continual support. A methylated B-complex is going to be good all-around support to fuel your methylation pathways. 

5. An unhealthy gut

Research has been beginning (2) to show the link between microbiome imbalances, leaky gut syndrome, and poor methylation. These gut problems can also hinder nutrient absorption, particularly B vitamins, that further perpetuate methylation problems.

What you can do: Bone broth, supplements like L-glutamine, and eating more probiotic-rich foods are all additional ways you can support your microbiome. Check out my article to learn more about achieving a healthy gut.

The Takeaway

There’s no doubt that methylation plays a vital role in your health. But oftentimes supplementation is needed whether that is due to lifestyle factors like nutrient deficiencies or genetic mutations. 

However, not all supplements are created equal and it’s not enough to pick up just any B vitamin supplement on the market. Some forms of folic acid can even be toxic if you have the MTHFR gene mutation. But as someone with the MTHFR gene mutation, I wasn’t finding a supplement that had activated forms of B vitamins specifically targeted toward methylation support. So, I created my own.

The Methylator combines the highest quality B vitamins including folate (5-Methyltetrahydrofolate), B6 (Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate), B12 (methylcobalamin), B2 (Riboflavin 5′ phosphate), and anhydrous betaine (trimethylglycine). Together these five nutrients work synergistically to support methylation and restore you to a state of thriving health.

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