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Critique my methylation protocol?

veganmua

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
London, UK
I've stopped noticing improvements. Not sure why. Having epic brain fog. Feeling a bit crap again, my sleeping patterns are upsidedown! I don't know if it's coincidence or from what I've been taking. Should I wait it out or change it up? This is what I'm currently taking -

Seeking Health Optimum Multivitamin 8 capsules daily (as per instructions on the bottle)

B-Methylated II 1 sublingual tablet per day 2,100mcg quatrefolic & 3,750mcg methylcobalamin. (I used to be on a lower dose of mb12 and methylfolate separately)

Lecithin 550mg 3 capsules

NAC 500 mg 1 tablet

Lithium orotate 125mg 1 tablet

Flaxseed oil 1,000mg 2 capsules

Prescription 375mg Venlafaxine, divided into 2 doses, one morning, one evening.

I'm also waiting for an order of phosphatidyl serine 100mg from Amazon.

I would really appreciate some advice from some of the more knowledgeable among us! Perhaps @caledonia or @Freddd can help?

Thanks :)
 

Critterina

Senior Member
Messages
1,238
Location
Arizona, USA
Look into the effects of phosphotidyl serine on sleep patterns. If you have high night time cortisol, it may help; otherwise it can mess you up. But sleep disturbances can be the sole source of fatigue and brain fog. PS did it to me, straight insomnia.
 

veganmua

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
London, UK
Look into the effects of phosphotidyl serine on sleep patterns. If you have high night time cortisol, it may help; otherwise it can mess you up. But sleep disturbances can be the sole source of fatigue and brain fog. PS did it to me, straight insomnia.
Thanks, I'll make sure to take it in the morning!
 

caledonia

Senior Member
You could possibly be having metal detox. In which case you would want to stop taking everything, let it clear out until you feel better, then restart at a much lower dose, below the amount that makes you feel crappy. Then hold at that dose until the metals are gone. It could take six months or so.

You can do metal testing to verify that you have metals. If you've ever had mercury fillings or if you were born before the mid 1970's when lead paint got banned, you probably have metals.

Read my Start Low and Go Slow document for more info (see my signature).
 

skwag

Senior Member
Messages
222
I can tell you two things Freddd would say about your protocol.

1) I would ditch the NAC. It can flush the free MB12 from your system.
2) I would start using some quality B12. Either Enzymatic Therapy or Country Life Methyl B12 ( 5mg, the one without folic acid)

Hope this helps.
 

veganmua

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
London, UK
Thanks @caledonia and @skwag ! Do you think it would help if I made sure to take the NAC far away from when I took the B12? Also how would I go about metal testing? I was born in 1988 and have no mercury fillings.
 
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skwag

Senior Member
Messages
222
The timing of the NAC won't matter. The theory goes something like this. Excess glutathione in the body, taken either directly or made by taking glutathione precursers, such as NAC or whey, combine with MB12 and the combination is flushed from the body. A few years ago Freddd and nine others tried taking glutathione or its precursers, and all 10 had major negative effects. It set these people back significantly. I take Freddd's warning on this subject seriously.
 

veganmua

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
London, UK
The timing of the NAC won't matter. The theory goes something like this. Excess glutathione in the body, taken either directly or made by taking glutathione precursers, such as NAC or whey, combine with MB12 and the combination is flushed from the body. A few years ago Freddd and nine others tried taking glutathione or its precursers, and all 10 had major negative effects. It set these people back significantly. I take Freddd's warning on this subject seriously.
Right, I will stop taking the NAC and see how I go. It's disappointing because NAC is supposed to help with trichotillomania and dermatillomania and I was hoping to see some improvements. Thanks :)
 

caledonia

Senior Member
Yes, I'm not sure about the wisdom of taking NAC either. With the B12 and folate you should be making glutathione precursors naturally.

Metal tests can either be done by urine or hair. Yasko uses the Doctor's Data brand of tests.
http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/heavy_metals_test.html#ViewProducts
Doctor's Data Urine Toxic Metals
Doctor's Data Urine Toxic and Essential Element (if you also want to see mineral status as well as metals)
Doctor's Data Hair Elements Hair Analysis Test - she mainly uses this one to assist lithium levels

That link is not the only place you can buy them, but they seem to have the best prices and I have used them successfully before.

And I agree, all B12 is not created equal. Freddd has the best sublingual pills scoped out. I'm using liquid sublingual B12s (Douglas Labs methylcobalamin and Yasko adenosylcobalamin) and doing well with those.
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
Right, I will stop taking the NAC and see how I go. It's disappointing because NAC is supposed to help with trichotillomania and dermatillomania and I was hoping to see some improvements. Thanks :)

I would not be so quick to eliminate something that is working for you, just because Freddd disagrees with its usage. His protocol does not work for everyone, and many, including me, have had problems with it. (For more on this, you can ask @Lotus97 .)

I have used, and continue to use, NAC when I'm either detoxing heavily from over-methylating or having a bad toxic reaction caused by an exposure to an environmental toxin. It has gotten me through some very difficult crises, like this past summer when they tarred ALL the streets within a mile of my house. Even with my doors taped shut, and my expensive Swiss air filter on full blast 24/7, my liver was overwhelmed with toxicity from the road tar. Regular doses of NAC (up to 1000 mg 3X/day) provided the relief I needed and got me through that crisis. Without the NAC I could have had another major crash in my health.

There is not one right path on this journey. There is not one right protocol for everyone. My advice to you is to trust your own instincts and do what YOU feel is right. Until your methylation cycle is working effectively, NAC might be useful for you. Only you alone can assess that for sure.
 

Tiger Lily 813

Senior Member
Messages
173
I don't know how long you've been taking the Venlafaxine, but it can be stimulating for some people, so maybe taking that all earlier in the day would help with your sleep cycle.