Methylation is the second most common biochemical process that happens in every cell and every organ of the body. The only process that happens more frequently is oxygenation. Methylation happens more than a billion times per second in the body. Simply put, life would cease to exist without it. So what exactly is methylation you ask? It’s the addition of a methyl group, which is a carbon atom linked to three hydrogens, to many chemical compounds. Some of the more know by-products of methylation include creatine, carnitine, CoQ10, phophatidylcholine, melatonin and many more. In order to use several of the B vitamins, the body needs to methylate them first. For example, the natural form of B12 is cobalamin. In order for the body to absorb and utilize B12, it must convert B12 4 different times, the last of which a methyl group is attached making the end product methylcobalamin.
Some of the many important processes dependent upon methylation include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Detoxification
2. Protein synthesis
3. Folate metabolism and cardiovascular health
4. Hormonal regulation
5. Reduces inflammation
6. Protects mitochondria (the “powerhouse” of the cell)
7. Helps increase muscle mass
There are many other functions that methylation influences as well. Stay tuned for next week’s topic on the benefits of methylation for the athlete.
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- Supports Detoxification
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- Supports Healthy Methylation – (of Estrogen, Dopamine, Epinephrine, Heavy Metals, and Environmental Toxins)
- Supports Eye Health