Methylation (b vitamins) making me tired and giving me brain fog and making me much much worse, help

[mthfr_lifter]

Hello, for the last year I've felt that my mental functioning has been slowing down and is not quite what it used to be. I'm only 25 and I notice that simple questions will take me longer to answer and I have quite a bit of mental strain. I know this is partly due to habits and negative self-talk. I am a totally different person, and I do not like myself at all. So please, any suggestions you have would be greatly apperciated. Any supplements, lifestyle changes, or anything in between.. I'm willing to do anything to return to who I was.

However, I did a 23andme a ~7 months ago to hopefully get some insight as to what is going on. I found out I have quite a bit of mutations but upon research, it seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. I did however notice that Nutrahacker,promethease,genetic genie, and livewello stated that, perhaps, methylated b vitamins may help (nutrahacker was the opposite 3/4 recommendations said to avoid methylated compounds).

I started taking 5000mcg methylcobalamin, 800 mcg methylfolate. I was taking Jarrow's b-right and a methylated multi called BioVite. That seemed too much. I lowered the dose to just the Biovite (250mcg methylcobalamin and 400mcg of methylfolate).

I do feel better after making the change, but it's only a tad better and I am experiencing worse symptoms from taking methylated vitamins.

My question is, was nutrahacker correct? Should I avoid most methylated compounds and switch to adenosylcobalamin or Hydroxocobalamin and switch the methylfolate to folinic acid?

I live a fairly healthy lifestyle. I do not eat processed foods, I don't eat gluten (I am currently testing for gluten sensitivity), gut health, nootropics, water consumption, I workout 5 days a week, watch my blood sugar, have no added sugar, herbal supplements... at this point I don't know what to do.

I want to shake this fog i'm in.. for the last year I've have this unshakable depression, brain fog and overall low motivation. I was the polar opposite of this. Please, if it's within your power to help, do so; I will pay it forward..believe me.

homozygous mutations:
CYP2D6 S486T (GG)
VDR Bsm (TT)
MAO A R297R (T)
CBS C699T (AA)


heterozygous mutations:
COMT V158M (AG)
COMT H62H (CT)

MTHFR C677T (AG)
MTR A2756G (AG)
MTRR A66G (AG)
MTRR A664A (AG)

BHMT-02 (CT)
BHMT-08 (CT)

AHCY-01 (CT)
AHCY-19 (CT)

CYP1A2 164A>C (AC)
CYP1B1 L432V (CG)
CYP1B1 N453S (CT)
CYP1B1 R48G (CG)
CYP2A6*2 1799T>A (AT)
CYP2D6 100C>T (AG)
CYP2D6 2850C>T (AG)
CYP2C19*17 (CT)



Thank you very much. I really appreciate any and every response.

 

[Mary]

I do feel better after making the change, but it's only a tad better and I am experiencing worse symptoms from taking methylated vitamins.

It's possible your potassium is tanking. B12 and methylfolate can cause potassium levels to be depleted, because they can cause cells to divide more rapidly, increasing the need for potassium. Symptoms of low potassium can be severe and can include fatigue, arrhythmia, muscle spasms and so on. You can do a google search for symptoms and see if they match. My potassium tanked rather badly a few days after starting methylfolate (already had been taking MB12 for years). I had to titrate up to 1000 mg. potassium gluconate a day and still take 800 - 1000 mg, plus a glass of low-sodium V8 (which has 900 mg. potassium), in addition to any potassium in other foods.

Should I avoid most methylated compounds and switch to adenosylcobalamin or Hydroxocobalamin and switch the methylfolate to folinic acid?

I don't know the answer to this but if you're not doing well on your methyl supplements, then I would try switching. However, whatever you do, I would go slowly, and again, watch for symptoms of potassium deficiency. It's extremely common, and also easy to fix. The main thing to remember is not to take a huge amount all at once, but divide it throughout the day.

I want to shake this fog i'm in.. for the last year I've have this unshakable depression, brain fog and overall low motivation. I was the polar opposite of this.

Did something happen a year ago? Or is that when you started taking the methyl supplements?

 

[alicec]

I do feel better after making the change, but it's only a tad better and I am experiencing worse symptoms from taking methylated vitamins.

You started with a big dose. Even though you cut back later the big dose may well have kicked off increased need for several things. This would manifest as worsening of symptoms.

I agree potassium is a strong possibility, or you may have needed more methylfolate, or both.

My question is, was nutrahacker correct? Should I avoid most methylated compounds and switch to adenosylcobalamin or Hydroxocobalamin and switch the methylfolate to folinic acid?

Nutrahacker is not a reliable source of information. The idea that some SNPs mean sensitivity to methyl groups is just a theory with no supporting evidence. Plenty of people with the "offending" SNPs have no trouble with methyl groups.

Certainly some people are sensitive to methyl groups but it has nothing to do with SNPs in COMT etc.

Here is a post about useful resources in analysing SNPs.

Here is a post about introducing these active vitamins. It was written for a very sensitive person. You may not really be so sensitive but given your experiences, proceed cautiously.

Of the SNPs you list, the first COMT, the MTHFR, MTR and first MTRR would have a small slowing effect on the respective enzymes.

 

[Eastman]

Hello, for the last year I've felt that my mental functioning has been slowing down and is not quite what it used to be. I'm only 25 and I notice that simple questions will take me longer to answer and I have quite a bit of mental strain. I know this is partly due to habits and negative self-talk. I am a totally different person, and I do not like myself at all. So please, any suggestions you have would be greatly apperciated. Any supplements, lifestyle changes, or anything in between.. I'm willing to do anything to return to who I was.

Some on this forum have found zinc helpful for brain fog, others selenium.

But the causes of brain fog are many. Some blood/lab tests would be helpful for diagnosis, eg. for blood pressure, inflammation markers, bacterial/viral infections, heavy metal/chemical toxicity, hormonal imbalances etc.

The SelfHacked blog has a pretty comprehensive post on brain fog that you can check out if you have not already done so.