COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 197
● What is Methylation: An Introduction to Its Role in Health and
Disease for Functional Medicine Practitioners
Additional Resources:
● Nutritional Support for Optimal Methylation: A Guide for
Functional Medicine
● Understanding and Interpreting Methylation Tests: A
Beginner's Guide
What is Methylation?
Methylation is a vital chemical process that happens in every cell
of the body, all the time. It involves adding tiny molecules called
methyl groups that play a key role in making DNA and RNA,
turning genes on or off, balancing mood, detoxifying hormones,
producing energy, and supporting healthy aging.
For methylation to work properly, your body needs the right
nutrients4especially certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids
from your diet.
How well this process works can also be influenced by your genes
and by stressors like toxins or inflammation in the body.
Methylation Panel
Methylation Panel Tests provide valuable insights into the body’s
biochemical methylation processes. By analyzing key methylation
metabolites and genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs),
it helps identify individual nutritional support needs, including
specific amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
When to run this test:
● To assess methylation efficiency in patients with known or
suspected MTHFR or related genetic variants.
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