Overview
We interrupt our regularly scheduled newsletters to bring you a series. This newsletter series may help you address anxiety, poor sleep, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, ADHD, and/or gut issues. But since it’s a complicated topic, I’m going to break all this down into several newsletters and send them out daily until the series is finished.
Part 1: Overview
Part 2: How to get a DNA Test and read your data
Part 3: MTHFR and sleep
Part 4: COMT and anxiety
Part 5: MTR/MTRR and high blood pressure
Part 6: AHCY and depression, other notable genes in methylation
Part 7: Conclusion and recommendations
What is DNA? When we are conceived, we get a copy of DNA from each parent. Our DNA consists of 3 billion letters (in order). That’s about 1,000 encyclopedias worth of data! All those letters are divided into about 21,000 genes. More than 99.9% of our DNA is the same as every other human on the planet, but the approximately 1 million differences make each person unique.
Our whole DNA sequence is contained in the nucleus of EVERY cell in our body. We use sections of our DNA as recipes, to make proteins and carry out other cell functions. In this newsletter, we are concerned with just 5 genetic mutations which affect our methylation cycle.
What is the methylation cycle? The Methylation Cycle helps us produce CoQ10, Glutathione, Melatonin, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Creatine, Cysteine, Taurine, and Phosphatidylcholine. This cycle also affects detox pathways, hormone production, and other facets of our health. Our bodies carry out the methylation cycle approximately 1 BILLION times per SECOND.
Why should you care? This affects YOU! In 1993, the US Government started adding synthetic folic acid to foods. Folic acid is now the most abundant nutrient in the human diet. The bad news? About 44% of the population has the MTHFR gene, which impedes the breakdown of folic acid. But that’s just one of the five DNA genetic mutations which affect the methylation cycle. Almost 100% of the population has at least one of these five mutations - MTHFR, COMT, MTR, MTRR, or AHCY.
What are the symptoms of excess Folic Acid?
1. Generalized anxiety
2. OCD
3. High blood pressure
4. ADHD
5. High cholesterol
6. Trouble falling asleep
7. Trouble staying asleep
8. Post-partum depression
9. Digestive issues
10. Depression
11. Feeling “tired but wired”when you get in bed
What foods are fortified? Grains, cereals, bread, flour, rice, pasta, cookies, and crackers. Cheap multivitamins, energy drinks like Redbull and Monster, protein bars, powders, shakes, etc.
What to look for instead?
Become a health detective and start looking at labels.
Avoid foods, beverages and supplements with folic acid or the words “enriched” or “fortified” in the ingredients.
Choose grains and foods which DO NOT have “fortified or enriched” in the ingredient list. Choose multivitamins which say “folate”. Avoid drinks, powders and bars which don’t specify which form of B9 is in their ingredients. Since adding synthetic folic acid is cheaper, they try to hide it.
Bottom Line: You might find that your sleep returns to normal within a few days of getting folic acid and enriched foods out of your diet and pantry!
Want to learn more? Gary Brecka’s interview on Joe Rogan is a great place to start!
Comments