Dr Brady's Daily Nutrient Needs Based on Homocysteine Score • MTHFR Living

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Daily Nutrient Needs Based on Homocysteine Score

http://mthfrliving.com/health-tips/supplementing-for-mthfr-b12/

Recommended Approach Based on Homocysteine Level

One of the generally understood problems of MTHFR defects is that they cause high homocysteine. Homocysteine (Hcy) is a naturally occurring amino acid that is produced as part of the methylation cycle and is an important indicator of how efficiently you are methylating. High Hcy is implicated as a factor that can cause many serious problems from heart disease to Alzheimers. Dr. Brady, author of The H Factor Solution recommends a number of supplements that work synergistically with dosages based on Hcy values shown in the table below. He believes that your Hcy level is the best indication of whether the B vitamins are doing their job as opposed to checking B12 or B6 levels for example.

Daily Nutrient Needs Based on Homocysteine Score

Nutrient	No Risk H < 6	Low Risk 6-9	High Risk 9-15	Very High Risk Above 15
Folate	200mcg	400mcg	1,200mcg	2,000mcg
B12	10mcg	500mcg	1,000mcg	1,500mcg
B6	25mg	50mg	75mg	100mg
B2	10mg	15mg	20mg	50mg
Zinc	5mg	10mg	15mg	20mg
Magnesium	100mg	200mg	300mg	400mg
TMG	500mg	750mg	1.5-3g	3-6g

When I first had my husband's Hcy measured, it was in the very high risk category at 17.4 (and that was after supplementing him for several months with folate and B12). Four months later, after following a combination of these three approaches, it's at 11.1. And while there is conflicting research as to whether lowering homocysteine correspondingly lower the risk of heart disease, Alzheimers, etc, he feels a lot better and I anticipate continuing improvement.

The methylation cycle has four key steps that change homocysteine into methionine, methionine into SAMe, and then SAMe back to homocysteine that needs a methyl donor so that it can start the cycle over again. The enzymes that facilitate this metabolic process need the cofactors B6, B12 and folate, the active forms of B vitamins. TMG, also known as betaine, is an important methyl donor and is included in all the protocols discussed here. Many people may be deficient in betaine due to metal toxicity, inflammation and stress. Dr. Brady considers TMG as the best (and most cost-effective) way to generate SAMe in the body, which he calls the "master tuner". SAMe helps make or activate important neurotransmitters that can help with mood, chronic pain and food cravings. Interestingly, TMG is an FDA-approved treatment for a rare genetic condition (CBS deficiency) that causes high homocysteine because it "methylates" homocysteine, removing it from circulation.

Note that while most other approaches recommend double the amount of B12 in relation to folate, Dr. Brady's does not. What he does recommend is that as your health improves, you may not need as much of these nutrients as you did initially and can lower your dosage. He also recommends dividing the doses of the B vitamins within the day. B vitamins are water soluble and will leave your body based on your hydration status (yep, that's the Bs in bright yellow urine). We take sublingual B12 and folate when we wake up and after lunch. That seems to work well for us. I've heard some feel well dividing them into three doses. Most people don't recommend taking them later in the evening because they are energizing and not conducive to sleep.