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Can TMG replace methylfolate?

Messages
30
I need ridiculous amounts of methylfolate to get my methylation going, which is quite costly. I’ve never tried TMG. Can I substitute TMG for methylfolate—at least partially—to cut my costs? Or do they perform distinctly different tasks in the methylation cycle? I’m not versed in the biochemistry so I really have no clue.

(I do take a lot of MB12 too, but I know for sure I can’t omit that one, so that’s not even up to debate.)
 

Critterina

Senior Member
Messages
1,238
Location
Arizona, USA
They perform different tasks, although each has a role to play in converting homocysteine to methionine, so both help methylation. Folate works with B12. TMG works alone. I use folate from Piping Rock, but I understand you may be able to buy bulk powder to lower your cost.

So, can you substitute? Maybe. You can certainly try. You don't have your genetics tests done, do you? That might help predict how helpful it would be.
 
Messages
30
OK, thanks, Critterina. So, since MF and MB12 are synergists I will probably need some amount of both either way. But maybe adding TMG to the mix can reduce my need for a daily 30+ mg of MF. I’ll give it a shot. No, I haven’t done any genetic testing so I’ll have to rely on subjective experience.
 

Critterina

Senior Member
Messages
1,238
Location
Arizona, USA
OK, thanks, Critterina. So, since MF and MB12 are synergists I will probably need some amount of both either way. But maybe adding TMG to the mix can reduce my need for a daily 30+ mg of MF. I’ll give it a shot. No, I haven’t done any genetic testing so I’ll have to rely on subjective experience.

To some extent, we are all our own guinea pigs - experimenting on ourselves. 30 mg MF is quite a lot! Yes, if you can get the same effect from TMG, that sounds like it might be more plausible.

One thing I did - by accident, but it was very informative - was that I should have taken TMG, but I took DMG. OMG! Where TMG makes the reaction go (by taking a methyl group and putting it on homocysteine leaving DMG as a product, DMG effectively stops that reaction because there's too much product already for the reaction to proceed efficiently. I'm not sure how to describe the effect, but it wasn't a good one: agitated or angry, I guess, except I had the physical manifestations without the emotion of anger. My piano teacher was having a hard time getting me to hit the keys hard enough to make a sound, and when I took DMG, I was banging on them! It was like I was getting out some frustration, physically.