Homozygous MTHFR, COMT, VDR, MTH, MTR, MTRR, MBHT - confused about all!

[Chziime]

Hi,
I am lost as to where to start with all this. I attached my knowyourgenetics.com basic report. I recently started taking a low dose of lithium orotate (1mg). Some notes:

-My symptoms are anxiety, brain fog, fatigue, POTS, hypothyroidism, and low cortisol (by 24 hour salivary test).
-My serum B12 level is slightly high. The upper range is about 900, and mine is just about 940. I don't take any B-Vitamins
-I have eaten a paleo diet for a long time
-Medications: Remeron, Zoloft, Baclofen, Depakote
-Supplements: Magnesium, Ginger

I should test for homocysteine, yeah?

I guess I can start a low dose of 5MTHF, but should I try Methyl-B12 as well? What else? I'm wary to try new things, as I have been sensitive to things ever since developing the HPA dysregulation and POTS a year and a half ago.

Thanks so much for any help!

 

[alicec]

The first COMT SNP does slow the enzyme. Supplementation with its cofactor magnesium may help to stimulate it.

MTHFR C677T would slow the enzyme. Supplementation with its cofactor B2 and its end product methylfolate may be helpful.

MTR A2756G would slow the enzyme, particularly in combination with MTRR A66G. Supplementation with cofactors zinc, B2, B3, methylB12, maybe even SAMe, might be helpful.

None of the other SNPs amount to anything.

With those SNPs you may well find some benefit from both folate and B12. Please note the high serum B12 can mean that it is not being taken up into cells - ie it can mean deficiency. Tests for plasma homocysteine and MMA (either blood or urine) would determine that.

Here is a post about introducing these active vitamins written for a sensitive person.

 

[Chziime]

Thank you very much.

How much zinc and B2 should I start with? Would just ~10mg of zinc picolinate be okay? I have a B complex without Folate or B12 called B-Minus. Recently, a small portion of the capsule (maybe 1/6) gave me some decent energy.

According to Dr. Yasko, people with the COMT mutation don't tolerate methylB12 as much, and she recommends Hydroxy and Adeno (for me).

Would a good starting list be: B2 (or just the B-Minus, depending on the dose?), zinc, and 200mcg methylfolate?

 

[alicec]

According to Dr. Yasko, people with the COMT mutation don't tolerate methylB12 as much, and she recommends Hydroxy and Adeno (for me).

Yasko has made many serious errors and is not a reliable source of information. The stuff about COMT +/+ and methyl groups is just her theory - there is no evidence to support it and plenty of people who are COMT +/+ (including myself) have no problem with methyl groups.

As I suggest in the post, start with low doses of methylB12 and increase as tolerated. Then try small amounts of adenosylB12.

Would a good starting list be: B2 (or just the B-Minus, depending on the dose?), zinc, and 200mcg methylfolate?

I have linked suggestions for background supplements (in addition to active B12 and folate). Where you start depends entirely on your own sensitivities and what you think you can cope with.

B vitamins work together so it is good to try the cover the whole complex at some base level. Later you may need to add more of individual components - eg B2 (I give some pointers about that in the post). So start with the B complex.

As for trace minerals, they can be very important and readily become depleted. That amount of zinc could be a reasonable place to start but you might like to think about some kind a trace mineral preparation again as a general background.

 

[Chziime]

Thank you!

For trace minerals, I plan to maintain a healthy diet, including plenty of grass-fed meats and chicken liver (which is far lower in copper than other livers). The only thing is that liver has a good amount of folate, which may interfere with my Solgar Folate titration...?

I started taking B-Minus, a B-Complex by Dr. Lynch without Folate or B12. I take a very low dose, between 1/10-1/8 of a capsule, and it gives me a significant boost in energy that borders on anxiety. This worries me, as it seems it could predict how I may react to the Folate and B12 I'll start in low doses in a week.

What about Potassium? My levels were good earlier this year, about a 4.6. I worry about taking supplemental potassium, as I have POTS as well as low cortisol and need to eat a lot of salt to maintain a natural electrolyte balance. Taking "sports" electrolytes caps like Thermotabs spike my blood pressure and give me discomfort.

Lastly, I'll be getting my homocysteine/MMA results later this week.

 

[caledonia]

I also found the B Minus to be over stimulating and discontinued it.

Check out my document, Start Low and Go Slow, in my signature link. I also have the SNPs Interpretation Guide and Roadblocks to Successful Methylation treatment compiled from Ben Lynch, Yasko, Heartfixer, Freddd, MTHFRsupport, and Phoenix Rising.

Bottom line, your SNPs may suggest this or that based on various interpretations, but you'll have to go through cautious trial and error to figure out what works best for you. There are two rescue supplements you need to have on hand before you start experimenting and you need to start with very low doses and gradually work your way up only if tolerated, or you may be very sorry, like needing a trip to the emergency room sorry. 1000mcg is not a low dose. 1mcg is a low dose.

Note that Ben Lynch has a new SNPs interpretation called Strategene for $45. It's designed to cut through all the confusion with interpretations. It shows your SNPs in a cycle diagram and then also the co-factors and inhibitors for those SNPs. There's a link to that in my signature link.

I haven't personally tried it as I've moved onto treating mercury toxicity (which is another way to treat methylation issues). Note that the toxic metals mercury, lead, arsenic and aluminum have a major effect on MTR, CBS, the Kreb's energy cycle and many other enzymes and pathways in the body. They are ubiquitous in our environment and once they go into your body, they don't come out easily, silently wreaking havoc on your health.

See the section on Cutler frequent dose mercury chelation in my signature link. This is the only type of chelation that I suggest.

Note that your medications may deplete various nutrients, so it can be beneficial to take supplements to compensate for those. For example, Zoloft depletes B vitamins and thus serotonin and melatonin. Just google the name of your med and "depletes".

 

[Chziime]

If I am sensitive to just 1/10 a cap of B-Minus, do you suggest I start with 1mcg of methylB12?

Would Strategene provide information about which other B vitamins I should take instead of B-Minus, complemented by a good diet.