COMT Supplementation (SAMe?)

[ryane]

Hi guys,

I am really battling with excess adrenaline which i suspect is from my COMT genes - I'm homozygous for COMT V158M and H62H, as well as MAOA R297R.

I read somewhere that small doses of SAM-e can help somewhat? Has anyone tried this - im worried about it being a methly donor. If so, do you take a small amount before bed?

Any other COMT recommendations?

 

[sregan]

I just read somewhere that Vitamin D3 will speed up COMT. My daughter is COMT++ and I've seen it work wonders for her but didn't know (if that's the case) that it might have been boosting her sluggish COMT. I'll post a link to the article if I can find it.

Not the original article I read it from but this seems to substantiate: click here

Vitamin D deficiency decreases the expression of the enzyme catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT), required for dopamine and serotonin metabolism.

 

[sregan]

This link says: "COMT activity is increased by methylcobalamin, methyl folate and other B vitamins ..." (i.e. methylation)

 

[Learner1]

Hi guys,

I am really battling with excess adrenaline which i suspect is from my COMT genes - I'm homozygous for COMT V158M and H62H, as well as MAOA R297R.

I read somewhere that small doses of SAM-e can help somewhat? Has anyone tried this - im worried about it being a methly donor. If so, do you take a small amount before bed?

Any other COMT recommendations?

Without knowing your methylation genetics or nutrient status, it'd be hard to know.

I am homozygous for the COMT SNPs, but have actually been depleted in dopamine due to other factors, so you can't always go by SNPs alone. I need to take large doses of tyrosine to keep my dopamine levels normal.

As for SAMe, the expert doctors I work with do not prescribe it. They typically get the methionine cycle going with adequate MB12, P5P (B6), riboflavin, magnesium, and if needed, TMG and only if its needed, methionine, then ensure enough folate (5-MTHF or folinic acid) is going in.

Then they ensure there's enough glycine, NAC, glutamine, and P5P to make glutathione, And enough B1 and molybdenum for transsulfuration.

Ideally testing nutrient status will give you some goid info with which to proceed.

With MAO, you want to look at tryptophan status, too.

And there are a lot of reasons to keep vitamin D levels optimized.

 

[alicec]

I'm homozygous for COMT V158M and H62H, as well as MAOA R297R.

Only the first COMT SNP has any effect and does slow the enzyme to some extent. It is extremely common and confers some benefits. The wild-type confers different benefits. In other words the SNP should not be viewed a necessarily a problem.

The other two SNPs have no effect on the protein product of the respective genes. It is identical to the product of the wildtype gene. You shouldn't be concerned about these SNPs - they do nothing.

Magnesium is the cofactor for COMT. Adequate magnesium will ensure maximal possible stimulation of the enzyme.

The enzyme is a methyltransferase so the various B vitamins that are used in the methylation process simply ensure that the enzyme has enough resources to carry out its function. They don't actually affect the enzyme.