Methylation Treatment--19 weeks
Slowly over time a pattern is developing. I am going from feeling o.k., 1 out of 10 days, to feeling o.k. 3-4 days a week. On some good days I get a mild stimulated feeling, which is typically not a desirable response, but in this case it feels right. I'm nowhere near getting back on my bike and it will be awhile before I am likely to exercise, but the prospects now don't seem so unrealistic. In between there are some challenging days, but fatigue is much more consistently mild to moderate, and rarely severe. As previously, noted the most severe fatigue of the past 19 weeks was connected to an incidental cold virus I picked up...and I will reiterate that this virus nearly made me think I had lost all ground. I was completely exhausted and I could observe that the chemical processes that I had been successfully stimulating abruptly and dramatically slowed down. Given the fact that I had not picked up any noticeable viruses from the time I became severely fatigued until after I started methylation treatment, I have to wonder if my immune system shifted to TH1 somewhere during this time. Does this represent a protective mechanism when glutathione status becomes depleted? I really don't have a clue, but I can attest to the impact of viral illnesses on glutathione. Folks you need to get that glutathione up.
Obviously many pathogens can stimulate a strong immunological response and I obviously don't know precisely what is causing all the detox symptoms, but based on my response to other treatments, I still believe a lot of what I am dealing with is "subclinical" bacterial and fungal infections. Like others have reported, it is very much like peeling away layers. Early on, it seemed that all those layers were similar, but detox symptoms have changed over time. Presumably, this has something to do with certain infections that require higher glutathione concentrations to induce eradication.
My wife has now figured out days when I am detoxing more heavily by they way I smell, and by the bags/circles under my eyes. Usually those days are more difficult, but sometimes it feels like the methylation engine is revved up and the chemical processes are better meeting the demands created by the immobilization of the pathogens in the blood stream. When my metabolism is sped up, there is an obvious use of water. I'm not necessarily more thirsty, but it is clear my body is using more water because I can go nearly the whole day without urinating despite regular hydration. By the way, I haven't found activated charcoal to be of any particular benefit. Perhaps I haven't taken enough.
My tolerance for methylation supplements is increasing or rather my detox symptoms relative to earlier dosages of these supplements have diminished. I've found that for me adenosylcobalamin is just as useful as methylcobalamin, and I use both of these to good effect. I've also added other methylation support over the last month including Sam-E, "True Whey" and Zinc. The thing about Nondenatured whey is that it, like any of the methylation supplements, it can intensify the detox symptoms and of course the sulfite headaches are not fun. After a month or so, I can report that these sulphite side-effects have improved considerably. Still, the nondenatured whey cannot be viewed as something that provides consistent symptomatic relief. Sometimes it makes me feel better, and other times its effect is just the opposite. In those instances, however, it is clearly accelerating the detox, and the aftereffects of this detox are seemingly what is causing the adverse effects. I wouldn't summarily dismiss nondenatured whey's utility because it may be doing some good that is not immediately visible, but I have no doubt some with very poor health could get worse on this or any methylation support if done too agressively.
This is what I think has been most important to methylation support:
adenosyl + methyl (Freddd's recommended brands...thanks Freddd)
Metafolin
Folinic Acid
Zinc
Magnesium
Nondenatured Whey
Co-enzymated B-complex (P5P anyone)
I also believe my focus on omega 3's, 6's, and dietary protein was important, especially early on when I was experiencing very high levels of oxidative stress.
Things that I couldn't recommend: NAC, TMG.
Things that made/make me worse: D-Ribose (I would urge people to use caution with this, especially if you have high levels of mito damage. Perhaps I have some genetic anomaly, but this stuff creates an unmistakable adverse reaction that can be objectively measured by my heart rate, perspiration, etc.), high dose-liposomal Vitamin C (like i/v glutathione, it has the potential to do bad things in those with poor detox capability) , anything that artificially stimulates energy.
As always, take it for what it is worth, one person's opinions and observations. Feel free to correct any obvious inaccuracies or fallacies.
Slowly over time a pattern is developing. I am going from feeling o.k., 1 out of 10 days, to feeling o.k. 3-4 days a week. On some good days I get a mild stimulated feeling, which is typically not a desirable response, but in this case it feels right. I'm nowhere near getting back on my bike and it will be awhile before I am likely to exercise, but the prospects now don't seem so unrealistic. In between there are some challenging days, but fatigue is much more consistently mild to moderate, and rarely severe. As previously, noted the most severe fatigue of the past 19 weeks was connected to an incidental cold virus I picked up...and I will reiterate that this virus nearly made me think I had lost all ground. I was completely exhausted and I could observe that the chemical processes that I had been successfully stimulating abruptly and dramatically slowed down. Given the fact that I had not picked up any noticeable viruses from the time I became severely fatigued until after I started methylation treatment, I have to wonder if my immune system shifted to TH1 somewhere during this time. Does this represent a protective mechanism when glutathione status becomes depleted? I really don't have a clue, but I can attest to the impact of viral illnesses on glutathione. Folks you need to get that glutathione up.
Obviously many pathogens can stimulate a strong immunological response and I obviously don't know precisely what is causing all the detox symptoms, but based on my response to other treatments, I still believe a lot of what I am dealing with is "subclinical" bacterial and fungal infections. Like others have reported, it is very much like peeling away layers. Early on, it seemed that all those layers were similar, but detox symptoms have changed over time. Presumably, this has something to do with certain infections that require higher glutathione concentrations to induce eradication.
My wife has now figured out days when I am detoxing more heavily by they way I smell, and by the bags/circles under my eyes. Usually those days are more difficult, but sometimes it feels like the methylation engine is revved up and the chemical processes are better meeting the demands created by the immobilization of the pathogens in the blood stream. When my metabolism is sped up, there is an obvious use of water. I'm not necessarily more thirsty, but it is clear my body is using more water because I can go nearly the whole day without urinating despite regular hydration. By the way, I haven't found activated charcoal to be of any particular benefit. Perhaps I haven't taken enough.
My tolerance for methylation supplements is increasing or rather my detox symptoms relative to earlier dosages of these supplements have diminished. I've found that for me adenosylcobalamin is just as useful as methylcobalamin, and I use both of these to good effect. I've also added other methylation support over the last month including Sam-E, "True Whey" and Zinc. The thing about Nondenatured whey is that it, like any of the methylation supplements, it can intensify the detox symptoms and of course the sulfite headaches are not fun. After a month or so, I can report that these sulphite side-effects have improved considerably. Still, the nondenatured whey cannot be viewed as something that provides consistent symptomatic relief. Sometimes it makes me feel better, and other times its effect is just the opposite. In those instances, however, it is clearly accelerating the detox, and the aftereffects of this detox are seemingly what is causing the adverse effects. I wouldn't summarily dismiss nondenatured whey's utility because it may be doing some good that is not immediately visible, but I have no doubt some with very poor health could get worse on this or any methylation support if done too agressively.
This is what I think has been most important to methylation support:
adenosyl + methyl (Freddd's recommended brands...thanks Freddd)
Metafolin
Folinic Acid
Zinc
Magnesium
Nondenatured Whey
Co-enzymated B-complex (P5P anyone)
I also believe my focus on omega 3's, 6's, and dietary protein was important, especially early on when I was experiencing very high levels of oxidative stress.
Things that I couldn't recommend: NAC, TMG.
Things that made/make me worse: D-Ribose (I would urge people to use caution with this, especially if you have high levels of mito damage. Perhaps I have some genetic anomaly, but this stuff creates an unmistakable adverse reaction that can be objectively measured by my heart rate, perspiration, etc.), high dose-liposomal Vitamin C (like i/v glutathione, it has the potential to do bad things in those with poor detox capability) , anything that artificially stimulates energy.
As always, take it for what it is worth, one person's opinions and observations. Feel free to correct any obvious inaccuracies or fallacies.