Methylation: What Is It and Why Should I Care?

 

Hey BA!

Methylation is a term you may or may not have heard of before, but is a growing buzzword in the health community. Without getting too deep into the chemistry of it, methylation is when a methyl group (comprised of a single carbon and three hydrogen atoms) is added to another molecule. Unless you love to nerd out on science like I do, this may not sound interesting at all. So instead, I’ll just highlight the fact that this chemical reaction has a profound impact on your epigenetics! This means that it greatly influences what genes get expressed, and which get suppressed. 

How does this impact our daily lives? Proper methylation plays a huge role in optimal health and longevity. Here are a few areas methylation directly affects: 

  • Stress response regulation

  • Inflammatory response regulation

  • Immune response regulation

  • Neurotransmitter (brain) function

  • DNA expression and repair

  • Cell damage repair

  • Glutathione (aka master antioxidant) production and recycling

These areas impact nearly every function of the body. While the science behind methylation can seem complicated, thankfully the ways to enhance this process are not. Many of the recommendations will sound similar to ones I’ve given previously, as they mostly revolve around maintaining adequate levels of B vitamins. 

Ways to Increase Methylation:

Increase B Vitamin Consumption (see B vitamins blog for full list)

  • Dark leafy greens for B6, B12, betaine, and folate

  • Pasture-raised eggs and meat, and wild-caught fatty fish for B12

  • Ensure adequate stomach acid to increase absorption of B12 - digestive bitters or apple cider vinegar

Avoid Foods/Drinks that Deplete B Vitamin Levels

  • Decrease sugar and unhealthy/trans fats

  • Limit caffeine

  • Limit alcohol to 3 drinks per week

Additional Recommendations 

  • Avoid processed and canned foods

  • Maintain healthy gut bacteria: probiotics, probiotics, and fermented foods

  • Increase magnesium and zinc consumption (see previous blogs for full lists)

    • Magnesium: spinach, almonds, avocado, dark chocolate, sprouted pumpkin seeds

    • Zinc: sprouted seeds (especially pumpkin), raw nuts, pasture-raised meats and eggs, and wild-caught fish

There are those who are genetically predisposed to improper methylation due to genetic mutations. Please consult your healthcare provider with any concerns. There are additional supplements and treatments available to help.

Moore LD, Le T, Fan G. DNA methylation and its basic function. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013;38(1):23-38. doi:10.1038/npp.2012.112

Maugeri A, Barchitta M. How Dietary Factors Affect DNA Methylation: Lesson from Epidemiological Studies. Medicina (Kaunas). 2020;56(8):374. Published 2020 Jul 25. doi:10.3390/medicina56080374

 
Park Roberts