Increasing BH4

[wiltedflower77]

Just wondered if anyone can point me to a list of ways to increase BH4 other than taking the BH4 supplement itself as its very expensive. Also has anyone had any improvement once they've managed to increase BH4 ? Thank you

 

[Prefect]

Why are you increasing it?

 

[Hip]

This study found that a regimen of L-arginine, vitamin C, and vitamin E increased BH4 levels by 32%.

Phenylalanine is known to increase BH4 levels by stimulating BH4 production. Ref: 1

NADH is required both to make BH4 and to recycle it. Ref: 1

Folate may help increase BH4, according to Martin Pall. Ref: 1

BH4 is very sensitive to oxidation by reactive oxygen species and peroxynitrite. So antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and peroxynitrite scavengers like alpha lipoic acid may help prevent BH4 breakdown.

 

[wiltedflower77]

Thanks Hip. Appreciate the info. Also saw some people try Royal Jelly but would be good to know if anyone has had any success with BH4 increase. Prefect there is quite a lot of info online about BH4. Can't explain it well as my brain doesn't hold the information that well but study by Miller I think found a link between lack of BH4 and inadequate Dopamine synthesis and cfs/fibromyalgia and depression. Yasko has written about it too. Also Martin Pall too I think. Read a load of stuff yesterday only wish I could remember it and understand it!

 

[wiltedflower77]

Forgot to say. I took arginine for a few days and it helped my anxiety and mood but had to stop as gave me awful stomach ache. So frustrating!

 

[Prefect]

Prefect there is quite a lot of info online about BH4. Can't explain it well as my brain doesn't hold the information that well but study by Miller I think found a link between lack of BH4 and inadequate Dopamine synthesis and cfs/fibromyalgia and depression

The reason I ask is I just found out I have a homozygous mutation in the 1298c MTHFR which can severely derail BH4 levels (I don't know how much stock to put on this genetic MTHFR testing, the science isn't all that proved, but still), so your post peaked my interest.

You found arginine helped your anxiety?

 

[wiltedflower77]

Yes its hard to understand the genetic mutations as it is pretty new and there are differing opinions on the effects of each mutation. I am hetero for 1298c and the 677T? However one of the only times my fatigue and depression has lifted in the last 10 years was when I first took a tiny amount of methylfolate. It only has that effect if I take it occasionally like once a month. I am not very good with brain chemistry and methylation so I don't understand what's happening other than maybe I'm under methylating and it helps that a bit. But it all seems more complicated when I read about it!

 

[Hip]

would be good to know if anyone has had any success with BH4 increase.

I guess you would need someone whose has tried actual BH4 before, and is familiar with its effects, and then have that person try the above supplements, to see if subjectively they create a similar effect.

 

[alicec]

I have a homozygous mutation in the 1298c MTHFR which can severely derail BH4 levels (I don't know how much stock to put on this genetic MTHFR testing, the science isn't all that proved, but still)

Yes its hard to understand the genetic mutations as it is pretty new and there are differing opinions on the effects of each mutation. I am hetero for 1298c and the 677T?

These two common variants of MTHFR have been studied extensively. There's little doubt about the science it's just that a whole lot of unsubstantiated and frequently just plain wrong claims circulate on the internet.

The A1298C SNP has nothing to do with BH4.

This is one of Yasko's completely unfounded claims. The SNP has the same effect as the C677T SNP (though to a lesser extent). It simply slows the normal action of the enzyme which creates methylfolate from 5,10 methylene THF.

The MTHFR enzyme does not run backwards and methylfolate does not regenerate BH4. This claim is based on a misreading of a research paper in which conditions were manipulated in the test tube to make the enzyme run in reverse.

Some enzymes in the folate cycle do run in both directions but there is no evidence that MTHFR is one of them.

There is an indirect connection between methylfolate and BH4, in that methylfolate acts as a peroxynitrile scavenger and so has a BH4-sparing effect.

 

[Richard7]

I am late to the party but the full article is here http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/0886022X.2010.541583

and if I have calculated the human equivalent doses correctly they are 16.2mg/kg arginine, 6.7mg/kg vitamin c and 3.78mg/kg vitamin e

 

[aquariusgirl]

Kuvan
Google. For more info

 

[Richard7]

@aquariusgirl
I have read about it but understand, from wikipedia, that it is very expensive. they cite a 2016 forbes article claiming it is $100,000 per patient per year for pku patients.

a quick search shows prices of $46 or more per 100mg tablet.