RE: Valentina & other methylation experts

[Guest guest]

> We are doing a trial or reducing the TMG thinking with the B12 she

may no longer need it, but wanted to see if anyone else might know the

answer to this question and help us be more certain as to the

direction of the experiment.

The only thing I can add to your thought process is that my #3 was

highly over-emotional on mB12 until I reduced the dose and added folic

acid.

Dana

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you for the " expert " title I really don't know, don't

understand about these things more than anybody else... Sometimes I feel

blind...

And BTW, I am still working at that " folic acid pathway " drawing. I am

just trying to research some more, to be able to give you as much

information as I can. Maybe I will have it done tomorrow.

> Our little girl has always been an undermethylator and responded well

> to TMG and other methylators save for B12 and folinic acid. Early on

> methyl B12 caused aggressive behavior

The only explanation I can think of is that B12 caused more Serotonin to

Melatonin conversion and maybe she got low in Serotonin?

Again, I don't really know, but I remember you saying that you suspect

she is low in Serotonin anyway?

Maybe the added B12 lowered Serotonin indirectly?

I think a lot of kids have " bad " reaction to B12 initially. My son did

too, for about 2 weeks, and after we stopped the B12 for a while and

then lowered the dose, he was fine. I am thinking that the body needs a

little time to adjust, just like with anything else...

> We have done another trial with B12, with slightly different results

> now. No aggressiveness, hypertalking or hyperactivity. I assume the

> improvements to be from chelation.

> But here is my question. In the beginning, before supplementing with

> methyl donors e.g TMG, we had overemotional behavior i.e. weepiness

> over minor incidents. The TMG certainly improved the mood. But not

> with the TMG and the B12 we are seeing a small increase in the

> overemoting again.

> My question, finally is, can overmethylating someone cause the same

> mood problems as someone who is undermethylated? Or do they need more

> methylators?

, do you know her plasma cysteine? Or homocysteine?

I think, in trying to help the " methylation process " a lot of people

forget about the sulfur that is so needed for so many processes in the

body. I certainly don't know the answer to your question. But there is

more to this than just methylation. You also have to consider how the

transulfuration pathway is affected when you give B12 and TMG. And in my

opinion this is very important.

What tests do you have? I would be interested if you know her sulfur

status.

What do you use for chelation? And how does she feel on the chelation

days?

Did you ever try epsom salt baths with her? How is she doing?

What about foods? Does she also become sensitive when she eats foods

high in sulfur?

I believe that a lot of our kids absorb B12 very well. We give high

amounts of B12 and not enough of other supplements. More SAMe will

influence the folate status. Also, some kids are low (or high) in

sulfur, which is also part of this " methylation pathway " and giving B12

and TMG will surely affect how much sulfur is available in the body for

things like sulfation or glutathione.

Also, as you say, chelation changes things. My son used to do great 3-4

years ago with TMG. Now he becomes too emotional when I give it.

It is interesting how methylation affects the neurotransmitters

(dopamine, serotonin, etc.). More SAMe means faster breaking down of

these neurotransmitters. This means less dopamine available for example.

I am sorry I cannot help you more, .

I would think that you can " overmethylate " an " undermethylator " ,

especially when we are talking about a small child. Maybe she is

growing, getting healthier and doesn't need that much supplementation

anymore.

Valentina

[Guest guest]

For what it is worth several mercury detox clinics told me that B12 can

methyate mercury, and I have a seriously bad reaction to it. The only way

they would give it is as an IV or shot and then only when no mercury was

present in the blood.

_____

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of Valentina Scharpf

Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 9:44 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Valentina & other methylation experts

,

Thank you for the " expert " title I really don't know, don't

understand about these things more than anybody else... Sometimes I feel

blind...

And BTW, I am still working at that " folic acid pathway " drawing. I am

just trying to research some more, to be able to give you as much

information as I can. Maybe I will have it done tomorrow.

> Our little girl has always been an undermethylator and responded well

> to TMG and other methylators save for B12 and folinic acid. Early on

> methyl B12 caused aggressive behavior

The only explanation I can think of is that B12 caused more Serotonin to

Melatonin conversion and maybe she got low in Serotonin?

Again, I don't really know, but I remember you saying that you suspect

she is low in Serotonin anyway?

Maybe the added B12 lowered Serotonin indirectly?

I think a lot of kids have " bad " reaction to B12 initially. My son did

too, for about 2 weeks, and after we stopped the B12 for a while and

then lowered the dose, he was fine. I am thinking that the body needs a

little time to adjust, just like with anything else...

> We have done another trial with B12, with slightly different results

> now. No aggressiveness, hypertalking or hyperactivity. I assume the

> improvements to be from chelation.

> But here is my question. In the beginning, before supplementing with

> methyl donors e.g TMG, we had overemotional behavior i.e. weepiness

> over minor incidents. The TMG certainly improved the mood. But not

> with the TMG and the B12 we are seeing a small increase in the

> overemoting again.

> My question, finally is, can overmethylating someone cause the same

> mood problems as someone who is undermethylated? Or do they need more

> methylators?

, do you know her plasma cysteine? Or homocysteine?

I think, in trying to help the " methylation process " a lot of people

forget about the sulfur that is so needed for so many processes in the

body. I certainly don't know the answer to your question. But there is

more to this than just methylation. You also have to consider how the

transulfuration pathway is affected when you give B12 and TMG. And in my

opinion this is very important.

What tests do you have? I would be interested if you know her sulfur

status.

What do you use for chelation? And how does she feel on the chelation

days?

Did you ever try epsom salt baths with her? How is she doing?

What about foods? Does she also become sensitive when she eats foods

high in sulfur?

I believe that a lot of our kids absorb B12 very well. We give high

amounts of B12 and not enough of other supplements. More SAMe will

influence the folate status. Also, some kids are low (or high) in

sulfur, which is also part of this " methylation pathway " and giving B12

and TMG will surely affect how much sulfur is available in the body for

things like sulfation or glutathione.

Also, as you say, chelation changes things. My son used to do great 3-4

years ago with TMG. Now he becomes too emotional when I give it.

It is interesting how methylation affects the neurotransmitters

(dopamine, serotonin, etc.). More SAMe means faster breaking down of

these neurotransmitters. This means less dopamine available for example.

I am sorry I cannot help you more, .

I would think that you can " overmethylate " an " undermethylator " ,

especially when we are talking about a small child. Maybe she is

growing, getting healthier and doesn't need that much supplementation

anymore.

Valentina

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

Hi Valentina:

I appreciate your attempts to assist me with understanding this. We do not have

any specific tests, but what I can say for sure is that she appears to have low

plasma cysteine, by the way she responds to diet and chelators. She can take as

many sulfur foods as you can give; milk, eggs, meat, broccoli and onions, no

negative reactions in the past to those, but who the heck knows, now may be too

much.

I think this is lessening as in the beginning she used to be much better on the

chelators(more proof she was low plasma cysteine and sulfur) and would even

lose some improvements when taken off them. Andy's recommendation to keep her on

the chelators longer, sometimes 5-7 days (he said as long as three weeks, but we

would have passed out) was certainly helpful in holding onto the improvements

we saw while on the chelators. Now, improvements are on or off or both as she

is pretty good now, language/cognition/abstract

thinking/empathy/attention/motivation/social are all within acceptable limits,

some much better than age levels, just working on the methylation problem. She

is now, by everyone's account, a pretty typical delightful/silly/ornery, soon

to be 5 year old.

And since she is so much better the improvements/problems are so much more

subtle that it gets a lot harder to point to something and find a causal

relationship. Not like in the beginning, when there would be a big surge of

language/behavior or problem with something that you could point to and

definitely say it was the chelator or a supplement. Could be we're watching too

closely as that is always a problem with these kids. If they did not have these

issues, some of this stuff would just be ignored. One thing we can say for sure

about our kids, they do not get ignored!

As to homocysteine, from bloodwork a month ago would be high as I understand the

markers for high homocysteine would be MCH and MCV which were high/normal, but

these levels came down after just one month on methyl B12, when we took the

ferritin levels. Objective proof she is absorbing it orally, as you said.

This is our second attempt with oral methyl b12. First was six months ago, bad,

aggressive, hypertalking all the time. Now no aggression, no hypertalking, just

the occasional overreaction to something that wouldn't have raised that level of

distress for her before. I guess the main question I have is it worth it to

push giving the higher level methyl B12 with the addition of more folic acid,

and/or the lowering of the TMG, or should we just reduce the amount of B12?

Thanks for continuing to work on the chart. I look forward to seeing it.

Re: [ ] Valentina & other methylation experts

,

Thank you for the " expert " title I really don't know, don't

understand about these things more than anybody else... Sometimes I feel

blind...

And BTW, I am still working at that " folic acid pathway " drawing. I am

just trying to research some more, to be able to give you as much

information as I can. Maybe I will have it done tomorrow.

> Our little girl has always been an undermethylator and responded well

> to TMG and other methylators save for B12 and folinic acid. Early on

> methyl B12 caused aggressive behavior

The only explanation I can think of is that B12 caused more Serotonin to

Melatonin conversion and maybe she got low in Serotonin?

Again, I don't really know, but I remember you saying that you suspect

she is low in Serotonin anyway?

Maybe the added B12 lowered Serotonin indirectly?

I think a lot of kids have " bad " reaction to B12 initially. My son did

too, for about 2 weeks, and after we stopped the B12 for a while and

then lowered the dose, he was fine. I am thinking that the body needs a

little time to adjust, just like with anything else...

> We have done another trial with B12, with slightly different results

> now. No aggressiveness, hypertalking or hyperactivity. I assume the

> improvements to be from chelation.

> But here is my question. In the beginning, before supplementing with

> methyl donors e.g TMG, we had overemotional behavior i.e. weepiness

> over minor incidents. The TMG certainly improved the mood. But not

> with the TMG and the B12 we are seeing a small increase in the

> overemoting again.

> My question, finally is, can overmethylating someone cause the same

> mood problems as someone who is undermethylated? Or do they need more

> methylators?

, do you know her plasma cysteine? Or homocysteine?

I think, in trying to help the " methylation process " a lot of people

forget about the sulfur that is so needed for so many processes in the

body. I certainly don't know the answer to your question. But there is

more to this than just methylation. You also have to consider how the

transulfuration pathway is affected when you give B12 and TMG. And in my

opinion this is very important.

What tests do you have? I would be interested if you know her sulfur

status.

What do you use for chelation? And how does she feel on the chelation

days?

Did you ever try epsom salt baths with her? How is she doing?

What about foods? Does she also become sensitive when she eats foods

high in sulfur?

I believe that a lot of our kids absorb B12 very well. We give high

amounts of B12 and not enough of other supplements. More SAMe will

influence the folate status. Also, some kids are low (or high) in

sulfur, which is also part of this " methylation pathway " and giving B12

and TMG will surely affect how much sulfur is available in the body for

things like sulfation or glutathione.

Also, as you say, chelation changes things. My son used to do great 3-4

years ago with TMG. Now he becomes too emotional when I give it.

It is interesting how methylation affects the neurotransmitters

(dopamine, serotonin, etc.). More SAMe means faster breaking down of

these neurotransmitters. This means less dopamine available for example.

I am sorry I cannot help you more, .

I would think that you can " overmethylate " an " undermethylator " ,

especially when we are talking about a small child. Maybe she is

growing, getting healthier and doesn't need that much supplementation

anymore.

Valentina

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

Lots of information and misinformation about methylation. Actually there is a

moderator on a well known board that is saying methylation is the only way to

rid the brain of mercury.

I know Andy said he took methyl B12 when he was chelating himself, so don't

think it would necessarily methylate mercury or he wouldn't have done so, but,

hey, I'm no expert, not by a long shot.

Re: [ ] Valentina & other methylation experts

,

Thank you for the " expert " title I really don't know, don't

understand about these things more than anybody else... Sometimes I feel

blind...

And BTW, I am still working at that " folic acid pathway " drawing. I am

just trying to research some more, to be able to give you as much

information as I can. Maybe I will have it done tomorrow.

> Our little girl has always been an undermethylator and responded well

> to TMG and other methylators save for B12 and folinic acid. Early on

> methyl B12 caused aggressive behavior

The only explanation I can think of is that B12 caused more Serotonin to

Melatonin conversion and maybe she got low in Serotonin?

Again, I don't really know, but I remember you saying that you suspect

she is low in Serotonin anyway?

Maybe the added B12 lowered Serotonin indirectly?

I think a lot of kids have " bad " reaction to B12 initially. My son did

too, for about 2 weeks, and after we stopped the B12 for a while and

then lowered the dose, he was fine. I am thinking that the body needs a

little time to adjust, just like with anything else...

> We have done another trial with B12, with slightly different results

> now. No aggressiveness, hypertalking or hyperactivity. I assume the

> improvements to be from chelation.

> But here is my question. In the beginning, before supplementing with

> methyl donors e.g TMG, we had overemotional behavior i.e. weepiness

> over minor incidents. The TMG certainly improved the mood. But not

> with the TMG and the B12 we are seeing a small increase in the

> overemoting again.

> My question, finally is, can overmethylating someone cause the same

> mood problems as someone who is undermethylated? Or do they need more

> methylators?

, do you know her plasma cysteine? Or homocysteine?

I think, in trying to help the " methylation process " a lot of people

forget about the sulfur that is so needed for so many processes in the

body. I certainly don't know the answer to your question. But there is

more to this than just methylation. You also have to consider how the

transulfuration pathway is affected when you give B12 and TMG. And in my

opinion this is very important.

What tests do you have? I would be interested if you know her sulfur

status.

What do you use for chelation? And how does she feel on the chelation

days?

Did you ever try epsom salt baths with her? How is she doing?

What about foods? Does she also become sensitive when she eats foods

high in sulfur?

I believe that a lot of our kids absorb B12 very well. We give high

amounts of B12 and not enough of other supplements. More SAMe will

influence the folate status. Also, some kids are low (or high) in

sulfur, which is also part of this " methylation pathway " and giving B12

and TMG will surely affect how much sulfur is available in the body for

things like sulfation or glutathione.

Also, as you say, chelation changes things. My son used to do great 3-4

years ago with TMG. Now he becomes too emotional when I give it.

It is interesting how methylation affects the neurotransmitters

(dopamine, serotonin, etc.). More SAMe means faster breaking down of

these neurotransmitters. This means less dopamine available for example.

I am sorry I cannot help you more, .

I would think that you can " overmethylate " an " undermethylator " ,

especially when we are talking about a small child. Maybe she is

growing, getting healthier and doesn't need that much supplementation

anymore.

Valentina

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

> For what it is worth several mercury detox clinics told me that B12 can

> methyate mercury, and I have a seriously bad reaction to it. The only way

> they would give it is as an IV or shot and then only when no mercury was

> present in the blood.

>

I don't think I've ever heard of this before, but if that is true (which I don't

think it is) then wouldn't this be great?

And how would B12 be different in an IV? I mean what is the logic for not giving

it orally, but OK IV or shot? Then B12 doesn't methylate mercury anymore?

Valentina

[Guest guest]

> Lots of information and misinformation about methylation. Actually there is a

moderator on a well known board that is saying methylation is the only way to

rid the brain of mercury.

>

> I know Andy said he took methyl B12 when he was chelating himself, so don't

think it would necessarily methylate mercury or he wouldn't have done so, but,

hey, I'm no expert, not by a long shot.

I really don't know much about what exactly mercury does in our bodies, but from

what everybody seems to agree with, isn't inorganic mercury the form of mercury

we are afraid of? Isn't this the form

of mercury that we are having problems with? That doesn't cross the cell

membranes easily?

So... I have no idea if B12 methylates mercury. But if it does, wouldn't one be

happy about it? Isn't methylmercury a form of organic mercury? Wouldn't we be

able to get rid of it easier?

But then again, I really don't believe that B12 does that. If you apply the same

logic, lots of other things in our bodies would methylate mercury.

Valentina

[Guest guest]

I really don;'t know about B12 but I am certain from my research that

probiotics can break the cell wall of candida in the stomach, which can then

release the mercury it has bound up, and it can be methyated. This is not

desirable. Removing mercury and mercury that has already been methyated is

desirable. The makers of NDF and NDF+, which in my experience work

fantastic, but mobilize too many metals for my body to handle, make this

statement:

" And you wouldn't want to give therapeutic doses of probiotics with any of

them at the beginning of detox when the challenges are usually done because

the probiotics can methylate mercury. "

I know that NDF has dead probiotics so the cell wall of the candida is

broken but not methyated. NDF+ which targets the brain more has live

probiotics. I still don't understand this exactly, but it is my

understanding B12 has the same effect as the probiotics in the gut.

I believe I methyated mercury in my gut using NDF+ by accident. I even got

Mees lines on my nails, and burning over every inch of my body. Its been 6

months and I've only had one bowel movement. I have trouble standing or

balancing, numbness and burning in my hands, feet, etc.

I can't say that B12 does this for everyone, but I know if I take it I have

a severe reaction like a lesser version of the NDF+. Whereas B6 and other b

vitamins do not cause this. I took a lot of B12 one day and went mental,

walking around in circles, barely unable to concentrate, angry as hell too.

Cheers,

_____

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of Valentina Scharpf

Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 3:12 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Valentina & other methylation experts

> Lots of information and misinformation about methylation. Actually there

is a moderator on a well known board that is saying methylation is the only

way to rid the brain of mercury.

>

> I know Andy said he took methyl B12 when he was chelating himself, so

don't think it would necessarily methylate mercury or he wouldn't have done

so, but, hey, I'm no expert, not by a long shot.

I really don't know much about what exactly mercury does in our bodies, but

from what everybody seems to agree with, isn't inorganic mercury the form of

mercury we are afraid of? Isn't this the form

of mercury that we are having problems with? That doesn't cross the cell

membranes easily?

So... I have no idea if B12 methylates mercury. But if it does, wouldn't one

be happy about it? Isn't methylmercury a form of organic mercury? Wouldn't

we be able to get rid of it easier?

But then again, I really don't believe that B12 does that. If you apply the

same logic, lots of other things in our bodies would methylate mercury.

Valentina

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

Yes, yes, too much methyl b12 can make you aggressive and make you unfocused and

lose motivation.(someone I know told us that, btw), but that does/did not mean

you are methylating it.

I can't say that B12 does this for everyone, but I know if I take it I have

a severe reaction like a lesser version of the NDF+. Whereas B6 and other b

vitamins do not cause this. I took a lot of B12 one day and went mental,

walking around in circles, barely unable to concentrate, angry as hell too.

Cheers,

_____

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of Valentina Scharpf

Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 3:12 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Valentina & other methylation experts

> Lots of information and misinformation about methylation. Actually there

is a moderator on a well known board that is saying methylation is the only

way to rid the brain of mercury.

>

> I know Andy said he took methyl B12 when he was chelating himself, so

don't think it would necessarily methylate mercury or he wouldn't have done

so, but, hey, I'm no expert, not by a long shot.

I really don't know much about what exactly mercury does in our bodies, but

from what everybody seems to agree with, isn't inorganic mercury the form of

mercury we are afraid of? Isn't this the form

of mercury that we are having problems with? That doesn't cross the cell

membranes easily?

So... I have no idea if B12 methylates mercury. But if it does, wouldn't one

be happy about it? Isn't methylmercury a form of organic mercury? Wouldn't

we be able to get rid of it easier?

But then again, I really don't believe that B12 does that. If you apply the

same logic, lots of other things in our bodies would methylate mercury.

Valentina

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

I'm sure your drawing is fine, it's my brain that simply gets overwhelmed. But

on the bright side, she appears to be adjusting to the higher level of B12, 2.5

grams orally with an improved mood.

I will print this out and give it a lot of thought. I couldn't articulate an

explanation to the chart that I linked you to, but I did understand it.

Thanks Valentina,

Re: [ ] Valentina & other methylation experts

,

I tried my best, but drawing such a thing is complicated. I am not sure how

simple or complex one would want this picture to be, in order to be useful.

Please go to the files section of the forum and find the file called

" folate.jpg "

Or you can go here:

http://f3.grp.fs.com/v1/sOHPQySNaIhu7yrGmWnHYvGpwpMUHxxmZLYr_Yc8Jb_bFF8mJ1U\

Ukz7dRhqaC6sGgif_FAVmIEtCKpi0d4AjZ-QbYKR4r9Y/folate.jpg

Please print this picture. It looks a little more organized

Start with Methionine, or whatever is of interest to you and... follow the

arrows.

My understanding is that folate from the diet, once it is converted to THF it

goes preferentially towards 5-MethyleneTHF and 5-MethylTHF. If there is a B12

deficiency and so " Methionine Synthase " (MS) is deficient, then folate becomes

trapped as 5-MethylTHF.

The dotted lines in my drawing show how certain products influence different

enzymes/reactions. There should have been more there, but I will try to explain

here...

- from SAMe towards MTHFR and MS - negative - meaning that when there is

plenty of SAMe around it inhibits those enzymes from producing more products.

- there should have been another line showing how SAMe influences positively

the transulfuration pathway. When there is plenty of SAMe, the need for

remethylation of Homocysteine stops and so it goes towards

Cysteine/Glutathione/Sulfate/etc. production.

- SAH (S-Adenosylhomocysteine) influences negatively all the methylation

reactions if it accumulates.

- When 5-MethylTHF and 5-FormylTHF accumulate will influence negatively the

enzyme 2.1.2.1 - Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT). THF will go towards

purine synthesis.

- The enzymes 2.1.2.5 and 4.3.1.4 are actually part of a bifunctional enzyme

that helps bring more 1-carbon units to the folate pool from histidine

degradation. Defects in this enzyme lead to FIGLU-uria.

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) comes from GTP (guanidine triphosphate) - well, you

see the arrows... If no 10-FormylTHF, then no purines and no BH4 will be

available. That means that there will be less Tyrosine, L-Dopa and Dopamine (and

Noradrenaline and Adrenaline), less 5-HTP and Serotonin, etc.

Also, the enzyme " Nitric Oxide synthase " (NOS) needs BH4 as a cofactor. If

there is not enough BH4 around, super oxide will be produced instead of Nitric

Oxide (NO). Another form of NOS (the inducible NOS) produces peroxynitrite

instead of NO in the absence of its cofactor. All these products are extremely

reactive.

I believe that people insist too much on finding out if they are

undermethylators or overmethylators.

I also believe that the transulfuration pathway (which is very important in my

opinion) is neglected.

Well, I really hope this helps. This is a very simplistic way of looking at

these pathways.

If you have questions... please ask.

Valentina

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

,

I tried my best, but drawing such a thing is complicated. I am not sure how

simple or complex one would want this picture to be, in order to be useful.

Please go to the files section of the forum and find the file called

" folate.jpg "

Or you can go here:

http://f3.grp.fs.com/v1/sOHPQySNaIhu7yrGmWnHYvGpwpMUHxxmZLYr_Yc8Jb_bFF8mJ1U\

Ukz7dRhqaC6sGgif_FAVmIEtCKpi0d4AjZ-QbYKR4r9Y/folate.jpg

Please print this picture. It looks a little more organized

Start with Methionine, or whatever is of interest to you and... follow the

arrows.

My understanding is that folate from the diet, once it is converted to THF it

goes preferentially towards 5-MethyleneTHF and 5-MethylTHF. If there is a B12

deficiency and so " Methionine Synthase " (MS) is deficient, then folate becomes

trapped as 5-MethylTHF.

The dotted lines in my drawing show how certain products influence different

enzymes/reactions. There should have been more there, but I will try to explain

here...

- from SAMe towards MTHFR and MS - negative - meaning that when there is plenty

of SAMe around it inhibits those enzymes from producing more products.

- there should have been another line showing how SAMe influences positively the

transulfuration pathway. When there is plenty of SAMe, the need for

remethylation of Homocysteine stops and so it goes towards

Cysteine/Glutathione/Sulfate/etc. production.

- SAH (S-Adenosylhomocysteine) influences negatively all the methylation

reactions if it accumulates.

- When 5-MethylTHF and 5-FormylTHF accumulate will influence negatively the

enzyme 2.1.2.1 - Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT). THF will go towards

purine synthesis.

- The enzymes 2.1.2.5 and 4.3.1.4 are actually part of a bifunctional enzyme

that helps bring more 1-carbon units to the folate pool from histidine

degradation. Defects in this enzyme lead to FIGLU-uria.

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) comes from GTP (guanidine triphosphate) - well, you

see the arrows... If no 10-FormylTHF, then no purines and no BH4 will be

available. That means that there will be less Tyrosine, L-Dopa and Dopamine (and

Noradrenaline and Adrenaline), less 5-HTP and Serotonin, etc.

Also, the enzyme " Nitric Oxide synthase " (NOS) needs BH4 as a cofactor. If there

is not enough BH4 around, super oxide will be produced instead of Nitric Oxide

(NO). Another form of NOS (the inducible NOS) produces peroxynitrite instead of

NO in the absence of its cofactor. All these products are extremely reactive.

I believe that people insist too much on finding out if they are

undermethylators or overmethylators.

I also believe that the transulfuration pathway (which is very important in my

opinion) is neglected.

Well, I really hope this helps. This is a very simplistic way of looking at

these pathways.

If you have questions... please ask.

Valentina