Methylfolate lowers noradrenalin?

[dannybex]

Is that what this study is saying?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7566370

"Focusing on the tyrosine-noradrenalin axis in cerebellum we showed 5-methyltetrahydrofolate causes a significant reduction in the apparent K+ evoked secretion of noradrenalin to only 12.9% of control release."

But here's the part that's especially confusing:

"Evidence supports the idea that this could actually be due to increased synthesis leading to; depletion of reserves, possibly through leakage, exocytotic inhibition via activation of presynaptic receptors or end product inhibition by noradrenalin at the pteridine cofactor level of tyrosine hydroxylase…"

Increased synthesis of what? Depletion of what?

I'm just wondering if this study might explain why methylfolate (after years of on and off experimentation), clearly helps me sleep a lot better -- by lowering noradrenalin (a.k.a. norepinephrine) levels...

???

 

[South]

Another example of useless language in reports written by researchers. Nobody can understand what they are trying to say. It's ridiculous.

Here's a link that discusses folate's role in noradrenalin (using its more common name: norepinephrine), as well as folate's role in serotonin and other neurotransmitters. This one was a bit more readable for me. It did not seem to say that folate lowers norepinephrine in any way, unless I'm missing something.

http://www.researchgate.net/profile...monoamines/links/0912f50e5b8da9e8f2000000.pdf

 

[Valentijn]

"Evidence supports the idea that this could actually be due to increased synthesis leading to; depletion of reserves, possibly through leakage, exocytotic inhibition via activation of presynaptic receptors or end product inhibition by noradrenalin at the pteridine cofactor level of tyrosine hydroxylase…"

Increased synthesis of what? Depletion of what?

They also mention "turnover", so maybe they're referring to the process of epinephrine synthesis, where norepinephrine is converted into it?

 

[alicec]

In North America the hormone is called norepinephrine but the rest of the world calls it noradrenaline, so I guess the name that is more common depends upon where you live.

The paper shows that methylfolate reduces secretion of noradrenaline and the scientists are speculating about the mechanism of this effect. As the paper referenced by @South shows, methylfolate plays a role in stimulating synthesis of monoamines, so on the face of it, you might expect to see an increase in secretion with methylfolate treatment. The scientists suggestions, however, just underscore how tightly controlled these pathways are and how changes might produce unexpected effects.

The suggestions include, that methylfolate could be increasing synthesis of noradrenaline which in turn depletes reserves of some intermediate in the pathway leading to synthesis (various options are canvassed), or that the increased end-product feeds back and inhibits something in this pathway (a common mechanism for tightly controlling very active substances) with the ultimate effect of slowing it down.

They then suggest that there is evidence of increased turnover of the pathway (which could deplete intermediates) and that there is some evidence that the feedback inhibition could be occurring at the step which uses BH4. They discuss this further in the full paper (which I didn't read).

The paper is a snapshot in time and gives a little insight into events in this neurotransmitter pathway but you would need to know a lot more and over a longer time period to come to conclusions about how methylfolate supplementation in a whole human being would impact on this pathway.

With best wishes
Alice

 

[dannybex]

Thanks very much @alicec and everyone.

When I first tried methylation supps back in 2011, I experienced extreme reactions -- increased anxiety big time, so much so that I stayed away from them for another ten months. In hindsight, those reactions were no doubt due to starting too many supps at once, not to mention other non-related methylation supplements, and dietary issues, as I have since noted that small doses of methylfolate in late 2011 coincided with being able to stand longer or walk further, and calm me down.

Hindsight, sigh. Where's that Time Machine when we need it?