Dr Lynch: Comparison of Homocysteine Support Products - MTHFR.Net

http://mthfr.net/comparison-of-homocysteine-support-products/2011/09/13/

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If the whole point of adding L-methylfolate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 is to reduce homocysteine levels in the individual, then I believe finding the lowest optimum amount of each ingredient is a necessity.

Homocysteine is also lowered by more than just L-methylfolate, methylcobalamin and pyridoxal-5-phosphate. Homocysteine is directly lowered by trimethylglycine known as betaine or TMG. Why don't these prescription medications use TMG? I don't know.

It is also known that riboflavin, vitamin B2, is required to help reduce elevated homocysteine levels in those with homozygous C677T MTHFR mutations. One may say that adding riboflavin is not needed because the homozygous C677T mutation is not significant in the population. I absolutely disagree.

Riboflavin is inexpensive and if one is going to such an expense to help lower their homocysteine levels, then why not add the most active form of riboflavin possible?

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Why take more of L-methylfolate if it is not needed? L-methylfolate can only process so much homocysteine as it approaches homocysteine metabolism from one angle.

Adding TMG is a great idea as TMG completely reduces the need for high dose L-methylfolate as TMG bypasses the genetic mutation in MTHFR and is able to lower homocysteine directly. This means, that if a formula has added TMG, then the ability to lower the amounts of L-methylfolate and active B6 is possible to do.

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Let's summarize what we know about lowering homocysteine:

• inactive standard form of folic acid doesn't work well at all for those with MTHFR mutations – especially the C677T mutation
• active L-methylfolate works very well in lowering homocysteine as it bypasses the genetic defect of the MTHFR C677T mutation
• TMG, also known as Betaine or Trimethylglycine, works well in lowering homocysteine safely and effectively
• Vitamin B2, known as riboflavin, is needed by homozygous C677T MTHFR mutations in order to lower homocysteine effectively.
• Vitamin B12 is needed in order to prevent a vitamin B12 deficiency and to also help lower homocysteine by donating a methyl group. This is why methylcobalamin is the preferred form of vitamin B12. If the individual takes an already methylated form of vitamin B12, the ability for it to help donate a methyl group in the reaction to lower homocysteine is immediate. Basically, methylcobalamin helps transform homocysteine to methionine. There is a less commonly known MTHRR mutation (MTRR A266G) which requires methylcobalmin in order to get homocysteine levels dropped.
• Vitamin B6, the active form, is the backbone to get L-methylfolate and vitamin B12 to actively lower homocysteine. Without vitamin B6, this reaction does not take place. That said, vitamin B6 helps lower homocysteine.

If I had to choose one prescription drug to help lower homocysteine: Metanx.

However, I prefer getting the job done of lowering homocysteine with the least force possible and covering all angles in as pure and inexpensively as possible.

Optimizing homocysteine levels may be obtained with the above nutrients. HomocysteX Plus provides all the above supportive nutrients in one – and it is completely without synthetic folic acid.

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Best,

Dr Lynch