Does methylation increase acetylcholine in the brain?

[DogLover]

What is once again illustrated by Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes in the link above is that one neurotransmitter (NT), in this case acetylcholine (ACh), is intimately involved in other neurotransmitters. No surprises. So, to try to reduce the one offending NT isn't likely going to be very effective. Perhaps a better approach would be ask the question 'Why are my NTs out of whack?' and support underlying systems.

Yes, from what I read, watch and experience, my problems are consistent with high ACh and I can indeed knock those horrible feelings down with Benadryl and KAVA, but I always wanna know why? Why is my ACh high? Is it because serotonin is low? Why would serotonin be low?

Diet? Gut? Mold? DNA?

Over the last year or so I've been making gentle gradual gains in energy and mood by supporting SE and DA production with supplements of tyrosine and tryptophan, methelation with Bs and probably more importantly, eliminating garbage from my diet.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

The last time I tried it was to help me sleep and I had an adverse reaction to it. It made me more anxious and more awake.

Totally same..... it made me want to jump out of my skin and turn it into moccasins and a nice little rain hat ....

Have you tried Unisom ? This is the second time today that I've rec'd it, so I want to state clearly that I have absolutely no connection to any company, corporation, person, entity, or cash register associated with Unisom .... it just really works for me, sleepwise .....

It works incredibly well for me for sleep issues .... but just a quick warning: I'm pretty sure it's an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. I wouldn't swear to it, but maybe do a fast google if that part worries you ....

 

[DogLover]

Totally same..... it made me want to jump out of my skin and turn it into moccasins and a nice little rain hat .... (speaking of Benadryl)

Yes, it seems that it can go either way with Benadryl. Some people it drives them batty, and others, like me, it calms them down. It makes me think that this all boils down to some immune response. Probably driven by the gut, but who knows?

 

[ljimbo423]

Have you tried Unisom ?

My sleep is good now. As long as I take 100 mg a day of vitamin B-1 and at night 30 minutes before bed, I take 600 mg holy basil, 25 mg 5 HTP and .5 mg or 500 mcgs melatonin, I sleep well.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

I take 600 mg holy basil, 25 mg 5 HTP

Holy Basil and %HTP also turned on me, after beng OK for quite a while.

.5 mg or 500 mcgs melatonin

I do tolerate melatonin well, and most nights it does the trick, along with a solid dose of mag gly and a teeny tiny amount of glycine in the form of a littl gelatin powder ...

I sleep well.

An absolute blessing !!!

I can only go so long on poor, spotty, or absent sleep, which is when the 1/4 or 1/3 Unisom is like a total life-jacket, and seems to edge my system back into more normal rhythms, at least until the next time ....

 

[dannybex]

I think I have high acetylcholine levels. Anything that increases acetylcholine makes me depressed, fatigued and anxious. Things like choline, phosphatidyl-choline and huperazine, all make me feel horrible. Because they all increase acetylcholine.

Improving methylation makes me feel better and more energized. So in my experience, it doesn't raise acetylcholine levels.

Yeah, I agree. Methylation may gradually help to improve choline synthesis, but as Dog Lover has pointed out (and I have a few posts on PR over the years) many foods, and many herbs inhibit acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine -- and B12 and carnitine are two things that help increase the activity of that enzyme. So they should LOWER acetylcholine.

 

[Neer]

Hey look into PEMT gene mutation. It might be connected to increased acetylcholine level. It basically creates phosphatidylcholine.

This is my personal theory, a slow expression of PEMT might leave more choline to be converted into acetylcholine.

 

[xploit316]

It turns out it was not acetylcholine. I experimented with some Alpha GCP and Citicoline, and it had a totally different effect. At first it made me feel better, helped with depression and focus, but then quickly became too much and caused restless legs and brain fog, but a different feeling from what I was originally describing. Supplementing choline actually did not cause anhedonia or depression which was surprising.

I think my problem was excess neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinpehrine), but not acetylcholine. I believe benadryl reduces all neurotransmitters in general. I have the MAO warrior gene so I assume anything that boosts these too much will end up causing anhedonia. Of course I could be totally wrong, and it could be something else unkown.

B2 helps, R5P is more powerful. It increases MAO and breaks down neurotransmitters. I'm still trying to figure out a good balance.

@jwat87 Do you make any diet changes that triggers neurotransmitters? I have noticed turmeric, high fibre foods, eggs trigger depression in me.

 

[DogLover]

Eggs is a fairly common one for sensitivity from what I’ve read. High fiber foods makes me think of digestion, do they cause constipation or the runs?

 

[Neer]

It turns out it was not acetylcholine. I experimented with some Alpha GCP and Citicoline, and it had a totally different effect. At first it made me feel better, helped with depression and focus, but then quickly became too much and caused restless legs and brain fog, but a different feeling from what I was originally describing. Supplementing choline actually did not cause anhedonia or depression which was surprising.

I think my problem was excess neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinpehrine), but not acetylcholine. I believe benadryl reduces all neurotransmitters in general. I have the MAO warrior gene so I assume anything that boosts these too much will end up causing anhedonia. Of course I could be totally wrong, and it could be something else unkown.

B2 helps, R5P is more powerful. It increases MAO and breaks down neurotransmitters. I'm still trying to figure out a good balance.

I was feeling pretty bad last night and the evening before last evening.

I was debating what would help. Magnesium to help with COMT mediated catecholamines clearance or riboflavin to help with MAO meditated clearance?

The first evening I took magnesium. It didn't have the desired effect, although it was good.

The second evening I took riboflavin. It was very good.