Do I need to tweak the methylation protocol for my son?

[harpazo_hope]

I have been reading all I can about the different methylation protocols out there, and I came across this site - http://mthfr.net/taking-folate-and-feeling-badly-methylation-requires-balance/2011/11/15/ - which says "IMPORTANT!! Increased methylation may cause – and does cause – neurological symptoms."

My son once had b6 and b12 injections and suffered terrifying hallucinations shortly after. He was also on a new antibiotic, so I can't be sure what if anything external caused the hallucinations. I'm guessing the B12 was cyanocobalamin and that we have never supplemented the correct forms of anything, but I'm still concerned. I am especially hesitant because the same page says supplementing methylfolate and methylcobalamine will elevate methionine levels. My sons methionine levels are already elevated though I haven't a clue what this means.

The same web page talks of low B6 levels which my son also has.

My son is getting close to 17 years old and has been diagnosed with Lyme disease. He has a host of physical and neurological symptoms. None of the treatments/supplements we have tried so far have helped him much.

Anyway, my question is should all this information change how I go about the Active B12 Protocol? How? His B12 levels were okay. Are the recommended supplements easy to break in half?

Right now I'm thinking about supplementing B-6 and magnesium like the link above suggested and a B-complex. Then after a while adding the b9 and b12 slowly. My doctor suggests we see a geneticist.

I will also paste his NutrEval test results and my rewriting of the commentary. I'm on my own here as my doctor is not educated about this topic and we recently lost our insurance.


B-Vitamins
Thiamin - borderline
Pyridoxine - borderline
Folic Acid - borderline

Minerals
Magnesium - borderline
Zinc - Low 6.5 (reference range 7.8-13.1 mcg/g)

Need for Methylation - borderline

Carbohydrate Metabolism
Pyruvic Acid - borderline high2 6 (with reference range 7-32)

Creatine concentration - borderline high 17.8 (with reference range 3.1-19.5 mmol/L)

Neurotransmitter Metabolites
Quinolinic Acid - borderline high 7.9 (with reference range <=9.1)
Kynurenic/Quinolinic Ratio- low 0.34 (with reference range >=0.44)

Toxin Detoxification Markers
a-hydroxyisobutyric acid from MTBE - high 6.8( with reference range <=6.7)

Nutritionally Essential Amino Acids
Lysine - Low 38( with reference range of 34-226)
Methionine - High 90 (with reference range of 26-69)
Pheynylalanine - High 62( with reference range 22-61)
Tryptophan - borderline 86 (reference range 23-88)

Nonessential Protein Amino Acids
Cystine - High 114 (reference range 23-68)
Glutamic Acid - High 18 (Reference range 3-15)
Tyrosine - borderline 104 (reference range 28-113)

Intermediary Metabolites
Glycine/Serine Metabolites
Ethanolamine - High 581 (reference range 156-422)
Phosphoserine - high 69 (reference range 26-64)
Sarcosine - High 42 (reference range <=41)

Dietary Peptide Related Markers
Anserine (dipeptide) - borderline low 7 (reference range 8-118)
Carnosine (dipeptide) - low 3 (reference range 12-120)

Omega 9's - borderline 13.4 (reference range 13.3-16.6)

Saturated Fatty Acids
Palmitic - borderline 18 (reference range 18-23 wt%)
Stearic - high 19 (reference range 14-17 wt %)
Tricosanoic - high 0.25 (reference range 0.12-0.18)

Omege 6 Fatty Acids - borderline high 38.2 (reference range 30.5-39.7)
gamma-Linolenic - High 0.20 (reference range 0.03-0.13 wt %)
Arachidonic - High 21 (reference range 15-21)
Eicosadienoic - borderline high 0.21 (reference range <=0.26)

Delta - 6 Desaturase Activity
Linoleic/DGLA -borderline upregulated 6.6 (reference range 6.0-12.3

Omega 3 Index - Low 3.9 (reference range <=4.0)

lead, antimony, and arsenic were all measurable but within the reference range.

Also, his WBC is always a little high...



--2-HIBA was elevated and is a

metabolite of a gasoline additive. This was just

one decimal

point from not being above the reference range,

and I am guessing it isn't a problem...


--Kynurenic Acid/Quinolinic Acid ratio was low

which is associated with inflammation and overall

neurotoxicity. Healing Lyme by Stephen Buhner says this QA is elevated when the spirochetes infect the brain.


--He has low levels of a dietary peptide called

anserine.

"There is no clinical significance for low

anserine."


--Another dietary peptide, carnosine, was

measured to be lower than the reference range.

This is

typically low or absent for individuals who eat

low protein diets... NOT the case in our house!


--The amino acid cystine was elevated, but

without corresponding elevations in other amino

acids.

This is consistent with cystinuria - a genetic

disorder that causes kidney stones. One of the

symptoms is week fingernails, and his fingernails

have crumbled right in the middle many times. It

is also is associated with inflammatory responses

and reduced ability to detoxify if limited

glutathione results.



--Phenylalanine measured elevated...

This is linked to iron deficiency, subnormal

tissue oxygenation, anemia, pulmonary disorders,

cardiovascular

problems, magnesium deficiency, aluminum excess,

b3 and b1 deficiency, mitochondrial damage,

biopterin insufficiency, adrenocortical

insufficiency, addisons disease and insulin

insufficiency, genetic weakness AND MORE.

Symptoms with mild

moderate hyperphenylalaninuria include fatigue,

headaches, brain fog or mental confusion, nausea

or diarrhea. Artificial sweeteners need to be

avoided. We already do that.


--Ethanolamine was elevated. Magnesium deficiency

is frequently observed to coincide with this, and

could be caused by excess microbial production of

ethanolamine in the intestines and rate-limited

formation of phosphoethanolamine from

ethanolamine. A stool sample is needed to tell

the difference. Other markers for intestinal disbiosis didn't get flagged.


--Phosphoserine is an intermediary metabolite of

serine formation from phosphoglycerate

(glycolysis). It was elevated but serine is not.

Also, phosphoethanolamine is not elevated. This

suggests a rate limitation specific to the

phosphoglycerate-to-serine pathway.

This could be elevated due to a magnesium

deficiency {which he has} or b6 deficiency

{which he has} or coenzyme dysfunction of

pyridoxal 5-phosphate. This elevated

phosphoserine can cause vitamin D dysfunction, or

hormone/steroid imbalances.


--Methionine -amino acid- was elevated. This

implies rate-limited impaired metabolism of this

essential amino acid. This could have

far-reaching consequences and multiple

symptomatology. Magnesium may help.


--Glutamic acid is elevated and dicarboxylic

hyperaminoaciduria is not present.

The known conditions consistent with this are

ingestion of MSG, ingestion of nutritional

supplements containing large amounts of glutamic

acid, gout or pregout, some imbalance or

impairment in purine metabolism, metabolic or

renal acidosis. We avoid MSG, and he isn't on any supplements with glutamic acid.


--Sarcosine is elevated wich suggests three

possibilities.

1.recent dietary supplementation of

dimethylglycine.

2.Deficiencies of folic acid, THF, b2,

roboflavin. The methyl group fragment removed from sarcosine is at the oxidative level of CHO and can form

formaldehyde and slow down sarcosine's catabolism

while making it somewhat toxic.

3. Genetic weakness which is rare.

Unpublished clinical observations associate some

cases of acquired, mild sarcosinuria with past

exposures to organic chemical solvent and

petrochemicals. It's not known to be toxic,

however, folic acid supplementation is suggested

whenever sarcosine is elevated. He was low on

folic acid.


--Linoleic acid was within reference range but

below the functional physiologic range. Found in

virtually all vegetable oils. Linoleic acid

stimulates normal cellular division and cellular

repair. Inadequate LA may result in eczema-like

skin eruptions, behavioral disturbances,

increased thirst, growth retardation, and

impaired wound healing.


--Arachidonic acid was within the reference

range, but above the functional physiologic

range. AA is

also the main precursor for pro-inflammatory

eicosanoid synthesis. It may contribute to a

feed-forward inflammatory cascade and increased

immune system activation.


--Pentadecanoic acid and/or Tricosanoic acid are

above the reference range. May indicate an

increased need for b12 and biotin,

or may result from an exceptionally high water-soluble fiber diet.


--His lead, antimony, and arsenic were measurable

but not high. This is his second

heavy metals test with the same metals

elevated... but they didn't test for as many

metals this time. He's had two rounds of DMSA since testing.


--And last but not least, his zinc was very low.

He was also low on Thiamin, B6, Folic acid,

magnesium, and lysine and the papers suggest we

supplement them and omega 3's.

 

[place]

I wish I could help you but you have to become your expert as i did for my active b program. Read everything on fredd,s stuff also, search the web for the heart fixer. He has a great diagram on the methylation cycle.
I have made good progress but it has taken a lot of trial and error with symptoms. I post a question to the group like I can't focus..... And then I get suggestions on what supplement to try. It will take time but it is well worth it. I would start with the full protocol and tweak. If he has no reaction to any of it, it won't work for him.