Is your methionine metabolism working properly?
NOTE: This test is ONLY AVAILABLE TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS.
The Methionine Metabolism Test
Methionine is an essential amino acid that has a wide variety of jobs to do in the body and one of the most important of these jobs is in methylation, when you have methylation problems this can lead to serious health problems and disease. Methionine metabolism is therefore a very important indicator for many serious health problems that can lead to homocysteine imbalances, when this happens your body can’t convert important nutrients that keep you healthly such as:
- SAMe (S-Adenosyl Methionine)
- SAH (S-Adenosyl Homocysteine)
- Utilization of vitamin B12
- Utilization of Folate
- Conversion of homocysteine
- To make major protective antioxidants such as glutathione
The importance of methionine metabolism
Methionine metabolism is vitally important, often methionine metabolism can become imbalanced leading to methylation problems such as under or over methylation which comes with a variety of common health problems (See symptoms here). Methionine belongs to a wide range of biochemical reactions, including the production of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM or SAMe), L-cysteine, glutathione, taurine and sulfate.
It is the process where certain nutrients called ‘methyl donors’ are added to specific elements of DNA, our gene markers and proteins that keep them physiologically active. Methylation is a major pathway to focus on in understanding autoimmune and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, seizure disorders, dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, depression, anxiety and autism spectrum disorders.
Methionine metabolism is involved in DNA production (turning genes on and off). Methaionine is also repsonsible for producing energy, reducing inflammation, synthesising neurotransmitters, homocysteine metabolism, protein methylation, phase 2 liver detoxification and supporting immune function. When methionine metabolism becomes impaired you can expect serious health problems such as:
- Autoimmune disease
- Imbalanced homocysteine
- Liver detoxification problems
- Heavy metal toxicity
- Nutritional imbalances
- Neurological diseases/disorders (Depression, anxiety, seizures, ADD, ADHD)
- Cardiovascular disease
About The Methionine Metabolism Test
After you purchase the methionine metabolism test, you will receive a simple blood test kit in the mail. The test kit comes with:
- An authorized blood specimen order form that you take to your local accredited pathology for collection of your blood (Find a pathology near you here).
- A blood specimen test kit for the pathology to use to collect your blood sample
- Complete instructions for taking the test for you and the pathology
- Note, pathology will charge approximately $33.00 to take your sample
Test results are sent to one of our professional health practitioners within 7 – 10 business days for evaluation. Our practitioners contact you with the results and recommendations on any findings via email, mail or phone.
What do we test for?
The methionine metabolism test looks at a combination of important methionine pathways to see if they are working properly, these include:
- S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAMe)
- S-Adenosyl Homocysteine (SAH)
- SAMe:SAH ratio
- Active vitamin B12
- Serum folate
- Homocysteine
- Methionine
Methionine Imbalances
Keeping the right balance of methionine is critical, too much methionine production or supplementation can cause over-methylation. On the other hand not enough methionine can lead to under-methylation (read more about these conditions here)
Methionine metabolism problems often lead to heavy metal toxicity, this is because methionine lends itself to liver detoxification of the heavy metals which of course come with their own set of symptoms depending on which heavy metals are found.
Methionine is a good predictor of good or bad health and can help warn you about current health problems that you are not aware of and can help prevent serious health problems in the future, you can lean more about this through the symptoms associated with homocysteine.
Methionine metabolism problems can look like nutritional imbalances, this is because certain nutrients work closely with methionine such as Vitamins B2, B6, B12, folate & zinc. Therefore deficiency symptoms of these nutrients should be considered as part of a possible methionine imbalance.
Genetics & methionine metabolism
Some people are genetically pre-programmed with an inability to use folic acid and or folate properly which works directly with methionine metabolism, these people represent approximately 50% of society. The gene mutation called MTHFR is responsible for the problem. Those that have been diagnosed with the gene problem are highly encouraged to take the methionine metabolism test as these people will often have methionine metabolism problems. Those that are unsure but suspect they may have a methionine problem should consider taking the MTHFR home test here in addition to the methionine metabolism test.
Have any questions about this test? Ask one of our qualified health practitioners here.
