Doctor's Data Lab offers a plasma methylation profile test

[richvank]

Hi, all.

As many of you know, I have been encouraging people who have ME/CFS, or suspect that they do, to take the methylation pathways panel offered by the Health Diagnostics and Research Institute in New Jersey or its parent lab, the European Laboratory of Nutrients, in the Netherlands. I still like this panel a lot. It looks at the methylation cycle, the folate metabolism, and glutathione, all on one panel. I have often encouraged people, where feasible, to do some other testing as well, including a plasma amino acids test, because the two together complement each other and give more information.

I now want to comment on the "Methylation Profile; plasma" that is offered by the Doctor's Data Lab in Illinois. This panel measures the following in the blood plasma: methionine, cysteine, SAMe, SAH, homocysteine, and cystathionine, and it also evaluates the SAMe to SAH ratio. It requires overnight fasting because of the effect of meals on the plasma levels. The nice thing about this panel is that it evaluates all four of the metabolites in the methylation cycle (methionine, SAMe, SAH and homocysteine) and both metabolites in the transsulfuration pathway (cystathionine and cysteine). It thus gives a picture of both these parts of the metabolism together. It doesn't supply all the data that can be obtained with the two panels I mentioned above (though they do not include homocysteine), but the cost would likely be less, and it will provide data that can be acted upon. It will show if there is a methylation deficit, it will indicate whether there is enough feed for the methylation cycle (methionine), and it will indicate whether there is adequate flow in the transsulfuration pathway.

I have not seen the results of this panel for anyone with ME/CFS yet, but I would like to encourage you to consider it. As with the other panels I have suggested, I do not have any financial connection with this one. This is not a sales pitch, but information. With regard to the cost, I am not able to give you a number, because it depends on how much your doctor marks it up to cover his or her handling and interpretation of the results. So far, this panel is not being offered through DirectLabs dot com, so a doctor's order will be required.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[sandralee]

Hi Rich,

I'm in the process of trying to organise the Health Diagnostics methylation panel from Australia, and am waiting to hear back from my local path lab regarding arrangements for blood collection and transport.

As nothing has been confirmed at this point, do you recommend that I still proceed with this panel in the absence of the plasma amino acids, or switch to the Doctor's Data Panel.

I already have urinary amino acids and urinary organic acids, but I realise that these are probably completely different to the plasma panel. I want to choose the test which will give me the best information to work with.

Kind regards,

Sandra

 

[richvank]

Hi Rich,

I'm in the process of trying to organise the Health Diagnostics methylation panel from Australia, and am waiting to hear back from my local path lab regarding arrangements for blood collection and transport.

As nothing has been confirmed at this point, do you recommend that I still proceed with this panel in the absence of the plasma amino acids, or switch to the Doctor's Data Panel.

I already have urinary amino acids and urinary organic acids, but I realise that these are probably completely different to the plasma panel. I want to choose the test which will give me the best information to work with.

Kind regards,

Sandra

Hi, Sandra.

In your situation, I would suggest staying with the Health Diagnostics methylation pathways panel, for two reasons: The first is that your urine amino acids test should give you a good indication of your methionine level. The second is that the 48-hour time limit to get the Doctor's Data samples to the lab may be difficult to guarantee from Australia, given Customs and other possible delays. Health Diagnostics also asks for 48-hours max, but they have special enzyme blockers in the sample vials that actually work somewhat longer than that.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[sandralee]

Thanks Rich.

Sandra

 

[rydra_wong]

Awesome! I have been looking for a panel to measure SAMe and could not find one! Do you know of anywhere to get just the SAMe that you can do directly to customer? I doubt any of my doctors would be set up to get that specific test from whatever unusual lab offers it...

P.S. I eat eggs every day so I get my methionine and DHA (brain food) and I got my homocysteine to a perfect 6.1 with Fredd;s protocol, but I still have symptoms and since there are multiple paths to clear homocysteine I wanted to make sure I am not just flushing it all down the CBS drain (I am CBS +/+). Oh, well I can't be since my carnitine is in a sweet spot too. (Probably the people on this site wouldn't think so but compared to a normal person I am not only much slower but I am a fragile bag of protoplasim CONSTANTLY being adversely affected by something and having to fight my way back to health only to be knocked off my feet by the next thing, and the next, ad nauseum).

But that still leaves neural homocysteine which could be way off since the absolute only path to get rid of THAT is via methylcobalamine and methylfolate. I continue to worry about that because I read one time (either here ior at imminst.com) that someone was able to balance their blood pressure with folate alone and I am not even close to being able to do that (suggesting that my folate pathway still doesn't work.