Posted 4/6/2016 7:42 AM (GMT -5)
Having the MTHFR mutation means that you may not be detoxing fast enough for your body to get rid of the toxins that killing the Lyme is producing. Hence all treatment needs to be low and slow other wise the toxin build up is too much.
I did quite a bit of reading and researching, in order to try and get all my ducks in a row, so to speak and posted about it on this site. This is what I can to understand, I don't know how much of it will be of help to you??? It will depend on what gene mutations you have.....This was my post......
I don’t know if this will help at all, but this is kind of a collaboration of what I have come to understand from all my reading. It is NOT a complete explanation of all the complex interconnections of all the chemistry. I am NOT an expert at this, this is ONLY what I have understood from what I have read, and everyone knows what learning stuff off the internet can get you, lol!!
It doesn’t contain the science jargon that Lyme brains just love, ha, ha; I did try to write it out a simply as possible….in layman’s English, lol.
First the CBS. It generates gluthathione, taurine and cysteine when it is working properly. This is good. It also produces sulphite/sulphate and ammonia – too much of these are bad. (In a CBS mutation it does this process too much, so too much bad stuff).
During infection it uses homocysteine to make antioxidants. With a mutation it means it does that more, so you use up too much homocysteine (via the MTR and BHMT, more on that in a mo) so there is not enough to make SAMe.
Therefore you would need SAMe, BUT SAMe also stimulates the CBS upregulation, ergo you may make the problem worse if you don’t fix the CBS problem of too much sulphur/ammonia first.
In addition killing Lyme produces ammonia, so you have a bigger need to get rid of it. You can use L-arganine, which is something that breaks down ammonia; you can take charcoal to soak it out of your gut. There’s more science, but it made my brain hurt and these two things seemed to make the most sense.
Since SAMe is needed to make CoQ10 and cartanine and supplementing SAMe isn’t good right now you could supplement these if you needed to.
OK, the MTHFR C677T. If you have a MTHFR mutation it means you may need methylfolate. You need methyl folate because, with the mutation, your body is a bit rubbish at using folic acid from food etc. If you take extra folic acid this won’t help because your body is a rubbish at using it in this form. You take methlyfolate (5-MTHF) because this is what your body can use. You can take too much of this and get methylfolate side effects. (The symptoms, like achy joints and sore muscles, irritability and headaches etc, could also be ones you have from Lyme so it may feel like your symptoms are increasing). You need to start really low and slow with doses and alter its use dependant on how you are feeling. If it makes you feel bad stop taking it/lower the dose.
Now the MTR. The MTR uses B12 and methylfolate to make other stuff. The problem with a mutation is that you use too much B12. You can therefore supplement with B12 – which type of B12 you need (methyl, adnesol, etc) will depend on any other gene mutations that affect the type you body needs and how well it uses it.
The MTHFR and the MTR mutations also mean that there isn’t enough methylfolate and B12, which can result in a lack of SAMe, ‘cos these are needed to make it. Hence SAMe supplementation may be needed.
Finally, the COMT. This is to do with methylation – how those chemical reactions, with Folate and B12 etc, work – and therefore how well you detox, which is so important when dealing with Lyme. There are combinations of gene variations, and it is all very confusing, and it basically plays a part in determining which B12 you need and how much.
Since it IS all terrible confusing the ‘trial and error’ method seems to be the way. That is to say we don’t all need the same/all/any supplementation; Don’t just take any of the supplements, or at a given dose just because (you have a mutation/your doc says so etc, etc) but you have to work out what your own body needs, seemingly based on it’s response; Your diet has a lot to do with the stuff you put in your body, not just the supplements (eg eating high sulphur foods with a CBS mutation you are trying to treat ain’t gonna help/eating foods rich in folates may mean less supplementation of folate, et, etc); start any supplementation at REALLY low doses and work up gradually; If you feel worse stop taking it. Hmmm, this sound alarmingly like a Lyme protocol…….LOL!!
There are an alarming number of possible gene variation combinations and more gene mutations reported by the likes of genetic genie/nutrahacker etc. This is just my understanding of where I have got to so far. Please don’t use any of this for treatment; it’s not sciencey enough for that, lol. It’s basic and incomplete, but I hope that it gives you a bit of basis for understanding?