Methylation: What It Is, Why You Should Care About It + What To Do If It Isn’t Working

How To Test Your Methylation Capacity

I highly recommend testing your methylation capacity (including genetic factors) in order to arm yourself with knowledge about how to support this process within your body.

This is an empowering, proactive step you can take in order to uncover potential methylation blocks before they turn into chronic symptoms (or help your body heal if you’re currently experiencing health problems).

Some of the tests I run to assess methylation include:

1. DNA Methylation Pathway Profile

This test looks at around 30 different methylation-related SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) to assess your unique genetic profile as it relates to methylation. It offers a comprehensive view of how well your methylation cycle may be functioning.

1. Homocysteine

Homocysteine is recycled down by the methylation process, so elevated homocysteine is a red flag that methylation is impaired (and that risk of cardiovascular disease is elevated). Homocysteine levels can be measured with a simple blood test that can be run by any healthcare provider. I look for an optimal range under 7.

1. Microbiome Labs

Gut imbalances, like candida overgrowth and dysbiosis, can further perpetuate methylation problems by increasing inflammation and impairing nutrient absorption. Gut testing helps us get a more complete picture of what’s going on.

1. Hair Mineral Analysis 

We look at lithium levels in particular, which play a subtle but important role in transporting vitamin B12 into cells (and impaired intracellular B12 activity further compromises methylation).

How To Support Methylation

Even if you have a genetic mutation, that doesn’t mean you are “doomed” to suffer the health consequences. The study of epigenetics shows us that genes are not our destiny. Our environment, lifestyle, and nutrient status, along with other factors, shape how our genes express themselves. Understanding our genetic abnormalities allows us to work with them to support our health.

And thankfully, there are many natural ways to support methylation and detox pathways throughout your body. Here are a few strategies I recommend:

1. Incorporate methylation-supportive superfoods

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are loaded with folate. Grass-fed organ meats provide methionine, vitamin B12, and choline. All of these micronutrients are key methyl donors. These foods can help support your methylation pathways and promote healthy gene expression. (9)

1. Eat sulfur-rich cruciferous vegetables

Foods high in sulfur like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, garlic, and mushrooms also help to support methylation, as sulfur supports glutathione production and phase II liver detoxification.  These foods may help to maintain antioxidant status and support DNA repair. (10)

1. Support detoxification pathways

Certain herbs and spices, including cilantro, parsley, turmeric, dandelion root, and milk thistle, have powerful detoxification properties. These herbs may support liver methylation capacity, especially when the body is overloaded by environmental toxins, heavy metals, or estrogen dominance.

1. Switch to clean products

Your methylation pathways have to deal with the toxins you come into contact with daily, so the more toxins you’re exposed to, the harder your detox pathways have to work. Reducing exposure can help to maintain healthy methylation processes. (11) You can decrease your burden by switching your cleaning, beauty, and other everyday products over to clean, non-toxic versions as much as possible.

1. De-stress

If you needed another reason to manage your stress levels, did you know that stress can actually change the methylation of your DNA and alter the activity of certain genes? (12) Try changing your relationship with stress by incorporating a daily ritual of mindfulness, meditation, or breathwork to help you stay calm throughout your day. These practices help regulate cortisol and calm the nervous system, reducing inflammation and supporting neurotransmitter balance.

6. Use targeted supplementation: 

Activated B vitamins are often necessary in order to bypass genetic roadblocks. These may include:

• 5-MTHF (methylfolate) for those with MTHFR variants
• Methylcobalamin (B12) and P5P (vitamin B6) to support neurotransmitter synthesis (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine)
• Choline and betaine (TMG) as additional methyl donors
• Magnesium, which supports over 300 enzymatic reactions, including methylation

Since B vitamins act as fuel for your methylation pathways, they are often needed to wake them up and give them that much-needed boost. However, not all supplements are created equally. In fact, folic acid in particular can be problematic for anyone with an MTHFR mutation. Instead, natural folate and activated forms of B vitamins are your best bet.

As someone with an MTHFR gene mutation myself, I saw the need for this next-level supplement but I wasn’t finding one on the market. That’s why I personally curated The Methylator’s comprehensive formula with the highest quality B vitamins including:

• Folate (5-Methyltetrahydrofolate)
• B6 (Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate)
• B12 (methylcobalamin)
• B2 (Riboflavin 5′ phosphate)
• Anhydrous betaine (trimethylglycine)

Together these five nutrients work synergistically to support methylation and restore you to a state of thriving health and well-being.

Next Steps: Personalized Methylation Support 

While these methylation tips are an important starting point, most people with methylation issues benefit from expert guidance and a more personalized dietary, supplement, and lifestyle strategy.

We work with clients globally via webcam to explore methylation genetics, underlying depleters of methyl donors, and other individual factors– and then create customized healing protocols that support real healing. If you’re interested in working with us, you can get started right here.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.

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