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Help with Walsh methylation protocol test results?

Messages
7
Hi everyone,
I just got my results for the Walsh protocol lab tests. In addition to having borderline pyroluria, I had high homocysteine, low histamine, low methionine, low sam-e, high SAH, and low sam-e/SAH ratio. The doctor is booked for a while so I won't be discussing these results with him for a couple of weeks, but I'm really curious as to what these results mean. I am a bit confused because I thought that having low histamine means I am an overmethylator. But doesn't low sam-e and low methionine mean that I am an undermethylator? I guess this is a bit more complicated than I had originally thought. Can anyone help me interpret these test results?
Thanks!
Norman
 

Pyrrhus

Senior Member
Messages
4,172
Location
U.S., Earth
Welcome!
I am sure many people can identify with an eagerness to understand lab results before meeting their doctor.

I am not familiar with the Walsh protocol, but high homocysteine, low methionine, and low SAMe can be signs of a B vitamin deficiency, specifically B12 and B9(folate). This would result in a low methylation capacity that can be corrected with the correct B vitamins.

I don't know what low histamine might have to with this, and I'm not sure there is a scientifically accurate definition of "overmethylator" anyway.

My 2 cents. Hope this helps.
 
Messages
7
Hi, thank you! The Walsh protocol is based on the work of Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, who is considered one of the founders of orthomolecular medicine (megavitamin therapy) along with Linus Pauling and Abram Hoffer. Dr. William Walsh worked with Dr. Pfeiffer for a number of years and apparently refined the treatments. Histamine is one of the main diagnostic tests they use to determine if you are overmethylated versus undermethylated, and so the supplements prescribed are usually determined by your histamine level, I think. They mainly treat neuro-psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety, autism, and other issues. Whether or not this protocol is scientifically accurate is debatable. I don't know anyone else, personally, who has been through this program. But there are many good reviews online and they do offer CME (continuing medical education) credits and have apparently trained nearly 1,000 doctors in this protocol, so it seems they have a pretty decent following. I've been treating myself with high doses of vitamins for years and have gotten pretty decent results, but I'm hoping I can get better results using this program. When I searched on google, I saw many posts about the Walsh protocol in the Phoenix Rising forum.
Best regards
 

ljimbo423

Senior Member
Messages
4,705
Location
United States, New Hampshire
I agree with Pyrrhus. It looks like having high homocysteine (hcy) would be because it's not being converted to methionine.

You need B-12 and folate (specifically methylfolate (MTHF) I think), to make the conversion of hcy to methionine, methionine would then convert to Sam-e. Raising levels of both methionine and Sam-e.

Maybe this diagram will help.


1597864303631.png
 
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Messages
7
I actually already take a lot of methylfolate and B12 that another alternative medicine doctor (not a Walsh protocol doctor) had prescribed to me a few years ago, along with TMG, zinc, 5-htp, choline, vitamin C, B6, magnesium, K2, and D3. I also take niacin because it dramatically reduces my high cholesterol and it helps my mood too. This particular combination I've been on has helped a lot with mood issues, but definitely still have room for improvement, which is why I sought out the Walsh protocol. Many years ago I took sam-e and felt completely amazing for a few weeks but it fizzled out, so I've always been curious about that, and sam-e is a big part of the science behind the Walsh protocol.