#93 Overmethylation and Undermethylation with Dr. Albert Mensah

Dr. Albert Mensah of Mensahmedical.com talks to me about overmethylation and undermethylation so you can clue into this common underlying cause of of health conditions and how to address them.

Methylation involves so many functions in the body including detoxification, neurotransmitter synthesis, folate metabolism, hormone regulation, energy levels, and many other processes in the body. So, you might imagine that if you are not methylating well that you’re not going to feel good and probably have health issues.

Transcript

Click here to view the full transcript with Dr. Albert Mensah.

About Albert Mensah

Dr. Albert Mensah co-founded Mensah Medical Clinics in 2008 with Judith Bowman, M.D., specializing in the treatment of biochemical imbalances including autism, behavior/learning disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety syndromes, childhood and adult schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.

Mensahmedical.com uses a revolutionary method of treating patients with nutritional therapy, diet, testing for genetic mutations and methylation while paying close attention to metal toxicities and copper imbalances. I frankly think this is how medicine should be practiced and I applaud them for leading the way in revolutionary medical treatment.

Undermethylation

Are you a Perfectionist? Extremely Competitive? You may be undermethylated.  Most undermethylated persons in the general population tend to be high-achievers and have good mental health.  These people tend to be our doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, professional athletes and scientists who strive for high career accomplishment.  Undermethylation is also more prevalent in college populations and in affluent neighborhoods.

Many individuals diagnosed with mental illnesses have severe undermethylation which is associated with low serotonin activity.  They have a genetic tendency to be very depressed in calcium, magnesium, methionine, and Vitamin B-6 and may have excessive levels of folic acid in nuclei of brain cells.  Undermethylated persons benefit from biomedical therapy to directly correct the underlying problem using methionine, calcium, magnesium, amongst others.

Decide for yourself if you fit into this chemical biotype.  Here is a list of factors associated with undermethylation:

  • high whole blood histamine
  • obsessive/compulsive tendencies
  • history of perfectionism
  • seasonal inhalant allergies
  • low tolerance for pain
  • prior diagnosis of OCD or ODD
  • ritualistic behaviors
  • very strong willed
  • slenderness
  • history of competitiveness in sports
  • calm demeanor, but high inner tension
  • frequent headaches
  • family history of high accomplishment
  • delusions (thought disorder)
  • self-motivated during school years
  • poor concentration endurance
  • social isolation
  • addictiveness
  • phobias
  • good response to antihistamines
  • high fluidity (tears, saliva, etc.)
  • good response to SSRI’s
  • very high libido
  • diagnosis of delusional disorder
  • Planning to have kids?  It is important to know that undermethylated parents are more vulnerable to epigenetic insults that can cause autism.

Overmethylation

Are you creative?  Low motivation during your school years? You may be overmethylated.  Most overmethylated persons in the general population tend to be creative or sensitive types.  These individuals may be attracted to professions or hobbies in music and the arts, architecture, education, writing, social services or causes, and philosophy.  Often, they are “underachievers” and may experience learning issues.

Individuals with methyl-folate imbalances may have elevated levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine and low blood histamine.  They may experience high internal tension and anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, food and chemical sensitivities, and have a tendency to overreact to life experiences.  In clinical studies, about 45% of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia were found to be severely overmethylated.  Overmethylated persons benefit from biomedical therapy to reduce methyl using folic acid, Vitamin B-12, niacinamide, DMAE, choline, manganese, zinc, amongst others.

Here is a list of traits/symptoms associated with overmethylation:

  • low whole blood histamine
  • high anxiety or panic tendency
  • hyperactivity
  • low libido
  • pear shaped body
  • tendency to be overweight
  • nervous legs, pacing
  • post-partum onset of psychosis
  • adverse reaction to SSRI’s
  • dry eyes and mouth
  • belief that everyone thinks ill of them
  • low motivation during school years
  • high pain threshold
  • diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia
  • paranoia
  • depression
  • sleep disorder
  • upper body/neck/head pain
  • heavy body hair
  • food/chemical sensitivities
  • artistic or musical ability
  • copper overload/toxicity
  • history of eczema
  • self mutilation
  • obsessions without compulsions
  • absence of seasonal allergies
 If you’re enjoying the Live to 110 podcast, please leave Wendy a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Find Dr. Albert Mensah

http://www.mensahmedical.com/

in Alternative Medicine/Myers Detox Protocol Podcasts/Podcast

Dr Wendy Myers, ND is a detox expert, functional diagnostic nutritionist, NES Bioenergetic Practitioner, and founder of Myersdetox.com. She is the #1 bestselling author of Limitless Energy: How to Detox Toxic Metals to End Exhaustion and Chronic Fatigue . Additionally, Wendy is the host of The Heavy Metals Summit, the Myers Detox Podcast, and the Supercharged Podcast. Passionate about the importance of detox to live a long and healthy life, she created the revolutionary Myers Detox Protocol , and Mitochondria Detox kit after working with thousands of clients, as well as a range of supplements to help you detox from everyday living and maintain a healthy lifestyle!

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humplik
humplik
9 years ago

Hi Wendy,
Great podcast with doctor Mensah. During the interview he mentioned a diet (foods to avoid) that under methylators should follow. Do you happen to have a link to any information regarding this?

Wendy Myers
9 years ago
Reply to  humplik

I”m really sorry. I don’t have a link to any articles of this nature.

dhaneg2
dhaneg2
9 years ago
Reply to  humplik

Dr. Mensah and nutritional therapist Samantha Gilbert recently did a video webinar on foods and biochemistry – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wycIMrDKo

John Paul
John Paul
9 years ago

I am definitely an over, Have high anxiety,depression,survived lyme disease and all its co factors.This year had three heart surgeries ,three disk replacement in neck.Inner tension.All through my Lyme treatment I craved Kale,had a kale shake everyday.Then i walked away from them, when I had to be on blood thinners.I work out everyday since I was eight and am now 48.My doctors say I’m the healthiest sick person they have met. I was just diagnosed with Pyorrhea with a score of 16.75. So have been addressing that part, was doing well in the beginning but crashed, after your article I believe it’s the copper causing all my intensity.
I went through thirteen years with an abusive wife, and finally left when the doctors starting saying the stress is going to kill you.A year later going through the divorce, going through more stress, I finally moved 1900 hundred miles away from her to heal all the damage my inner turmoil has caused upon my body and mind.
Thank you for the article, I think it was another piece of the puzzle I needed.I am in Iowa, you stated that their is a clinic in Chicago.If so where and how would i contact them,is their any players in Iowa? Again thank you for the information.

Wendy Myers
9 years ago
Reply to  John Paul

I’m not sure of their locations but you can find out where they are and how to make an appointment at mensahmedical.com

Simon Tulett
Simon Tulett
9 years ago

I’m confused.

I understood from listening to Ben Lynch that leafy greens were good for people with the MTHFR mutations, hetro or homo because they contained a form of folate which was ready to be used and bypassed the MTHFR enzyme. Dr Mensah seems to contradict this.

I do know that problems with the CBS gene can cause a problem with leafy greens due to the sulfur content so this can be a contraindication for people who have the MTHFR mutation but not because of the “folic acid” content.

Are leafy greens really comparable to fortified foods when it comes to Folic acid?

It would be good to get some clarification on this point.

Thanks

Wendy Myers
9 years ago
Reply to  Simon Tulett

HI There!
Related to all this I got a brilliant clarification from Dr Walsh himself on this YouTube podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W14kkO61Ano
At timecode 1:58:38 a question is asked that he gives an answer to (1:59:00) that states that the whole thing about avoiding methyl folate and all folic acid ONLY applies to those with mental health issues (low serotonin activity) and not those with other issues related to methylation/MTHFT homozygous c667t, and this includes those on the autistic spectrum too (they do well on the folate). This can help you to reconcile the differences between Mensah/Walsh and Ben Lynch and the mthfrsupport.com crew etc. Folate is not the always the devil’s own spawn when it comes to under-methylators.

i think avoiding folic acid is a good thing for most because many cannot convert folic acid into folate if they have methylation issues, MTHFR or no. I would avoid fortified foods with folic acid and eat your greens!

Simon Tulett
Simon Tulett
9 years ago
Reply to  Wendy Myers

Thank you for the clarification Wendy.

Andy Jackson
Andy Jackson
8 years ago

What if you don’t fit in either category?

Wendy Myers
8 years ago
Reply to  Andy Jackson

Many people don’t fit into either category. This is good. It means you may not have methylation issues! But only testing can confirm this.

Wendy Myers
8 years ago
Reply to  Andy Jackson

Many people don’t fit into either category. This is good. It means you may not have methylation issues! But only testing can confirm this.

Ulysses Elias
Ulysses Elias
7 years ago
Reply to  Andy Jackson

Only a minority of people are known to have the gene mutations that lead to over and undermethylation.

And even those who do may not develop a condition of over or undermethylation

Andy Jackson
Andy Jackson
8 years ago

What if you don’t fit in either category?

Nicca
Nicca
7 years ago

Hi Wendy!
I think copper toxicity can occur in over ander unermethylators. Dr. Mensah himself says in one of his own articles that copper overload has nothing to do with over and undermethylation.

But what I would like to ask you: I have read in other blogs from practitioners that choline is good for overmethylators but bad for undermethylators. Unfortunately I can not find that statement on any site of reasearchers like Walsh. Do you know anything about it?

Greetings, Nicca