Methylation Perfection

Adding L-5-MTHFR as a supplement has been miraculous and treacherous over the past 6 months. Finding the balance of taking enough to experience even energy levels and uplifted moods without getting looney or maniac is challenging.

I think I've finally arrived at an optimal dose for me. This doesn't mean that my optimal amounts will in any way be best for you. NOr that they'll remain the best for me. They could and probably will change. Other members of my family take way more than I do with terrific results.

I started with the prescription medication Deplin at 15 mg. I was looney. Flying. Nutty. Unbalanced as I had to hold onto furniture to get around the living room.  Soon after that, I took 2400 mcg - a way lower amount. This worked superbly as my body began to methylate. My vision improved - I was reading 3 lines lower on the eye chart at the optometrist's. My hearing was improved. I finally understood why the Beatles were so remarkable. My energy was level. I no longer needed to take a nap every afternoon just to have enough energy to make dinner and spend a fun time with my husband when he came home from wotk.

But then, after a month or so, I was getting too anxious. I cut back to only 1800 mcg - 1000 at breakfast, 400 at lunch, 400 at dinner. Seems that most of the bottles come in 400 mcg amounts.

But, again after 2 months, I was getting weird. Looney is a far more pleasant mental state than mania. I was maniac. Fussy, wanting to cry. Wanting to rage. It seemed that my insides shook. Music sounded way too loud and agressive. Nothing my husband did was right. (He is so blessedly patient.) I simply couldn't calm down inside.

I started doing things to detox. I took infrared saunas twice a week. I wanted to binge on chocolate candy. My sleep was disordered. Finally one night after dinner I purposely broke a dish.

I was so startled that I googled MTHFR and discovered that too much MTHFR can create a build-up of SAMe. The remedy for this is to take Niacin. I did. The mania abated for a while. I researched SAMe. Side effects are mania especially if a person has a tendency to depression or anxiety.

During this time I had a weird rash on my side under my bra line extending toward my belly button. It was painful. I thought it was a series of spider bites. But it wasn't. It was shingles. They can erupt from stress.

I cut back to 400 mcg three times a day with meals.

I've become an angel again - at least compared to my maniac self. This amount is working perfectly for me now. All of the benefits of methylation have returned without any of the mania. The shingles attack has subsided. I feel clear once again.

My husband has agreed to let me know if I start getting maniac again as it's so hard to see in oneself. If this happens, I'll take some niacin and then figure out if I need to cut back again on the methyl folate.

What I've learned is that for me, there is no methylation perfectiion. Instead, for me, I have an ongoing "living in the question" strategy. Right now it's working and life is extraordinarily good.

Wow! Something's not quite right. I've been taking 1800 mcg of methyl folate and 1700 mcg of methyl B12 and I'm feeling deja vu. Flying, soaring, easily irritated, and I'm certain that I'm irritating to anyone who stands next to me. I should have known I was getting a bit loony when I streaked my dark brown hair with blond, then disliked it so strongly that rather than wait for my hair stylist to return to town, I covered it with a flat shade of brown.  My internal rhythms were pounding and beating way too fast.

I've been on the supplements for 6 months. For about five months I definitely had more energy, wasn't tired all the time. My vision improved so much that I can now read three lines lower on the doctor's eye chart than I did last year. I hear music undertones I've never heard before. Now I know why the Beatles are so amazing. I finally can hear why.

But for the past week or so I'm on edge as in the old days before I tool the blood test for MTHFR. What's going on?

Yesterday I took the remedy suggested for an overload of methyl folate, namely niacin to reduce SAMe that's a byproduct of too much methylation, I felt better within 5 minutes. So it must be too much.

According to Dr. Lynch at www.MTHFR.net, the side effects of too much are: irritability, insomnia, sore muscles, achy joints, acne, rash, severe anxiety, palpitations, nausea, headaches, migraines. Fortunately, I've been spared the rash, acne, insomnia, palpitations, headaches, and migraines.

Tomorrow I cut back to 1400 methyl folate and 700 B12. And if I'm still wired and anxious, I'll cut back even more the day after tomorrow. The essential thing for me to remember is to use the niacin if I get too feisty.

I wonder if a person at first needs to build up the body with methylation, then cut back after a while. I've alerted my family members who have the mutation to notice if they get too anxious or have other side effects so they can also cut back. But hurrah for methylation. I'll keep you posted.