3 Common Methylated Vitamins

Methylated vitamins are essential for many vital processes in the body, yet they're often overlooked. In this post, we’ll explore the importance of three key methylated vitamins: methylfolate (B9), methylcobalamin (B12), and riboflavin 5'-phosphate (B2), and how they support your health.

What Are Methylated Vitamins?

Methylated vitamins are vitamins with a methyl group attached to their molecular structure. They are the more bioavailable form and, therefore, more active in the body, which is crucial for people with genetic variations affecting their self-methylation ability.

Methylation is a critical biochemical process in gene expression, DNA integrity, detoxification, and neurotransmitter synthesis. When the body’s methylation pathways are under-functioning, it can increase the risk of chronic disease, poor neurological health, cancers, and hormone imbalances.

Why Is Methylation Important?

Methylation plays a central role in several important functions:

• Gene Expression and DNA Integrity: Proper methylation helps regulate how your DNA is expressed, ensuring your genes function as they should.
• Detoxification: Methylation aids the body’s detoxification processes, helping remove toxins and waste products.
• Neurotransmitter Synthesis: Methylation is necessary for producing neurotransmitters that regulate mood, sleep, and brain function.

Environmental factors, such as diet, hormones, stress, drugs, or exposure to environmental chemicals, can influence methylation. Poor methylation is often linked to aging and increased risks of diseases like cancer and neurological disorders. Abnormal DNA methylation has been observed in several cancers, including colon, stomach, cervical, prostate, and breast cancers.

The Role of Methylated Vitamins

Vitamins methylfolate (B9), methylcobalamin (B12), and riboflavin 5'-phosphate (B2) are some of the most commonly methylated vitamins. They play vital roles in supporting the methylation cycle, ensuring optimal body function.

Let’s take a closer look at three of these key nutrients.

1. Folate (Vitamin B9)

Folate is the generic term for vitamin B9. Its methylated version, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate [methylfolate, 5-MTHF, (6S)-5-MTHF, or L-methylfolate], is pivotal for DNA synthesis and repair, making it essential for healthy cell function and growth. It also facilitates the creation of the body’s primary methyl donor, essential for countless biochemical reactions. Studies show that a diet rich in folate-containing foods can increase DNA methylation of genes, supporting healthy gene expression.

Leafy greens (spinach, kale, brussels sprouts), lentils, chickpeas, lemons, bananas, melons, and liver are naturally methylfolate-containing foods.

We can’t synthesize folate in our bodies and must consume it regularly because of its water-soluble nature. It is increasingly difficult to get adequate sources and cooking can reduce it’s bioavailability.

Folic acid is the oxidized, monoglutamate precursor form of folate that was introduced as a way to fortify foods in the 1940’s. This form does not exist in nature, is not biologically active, and has to by synthetically made. When we consume folic acid, the body has to convert it to the active form, methylfolate, to be utilized. The problem is that approximately half or more of the world’s population has a methylation variation that decreases our ability to convert folic acid to active methylfolate.

2. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is crucial for red blood cell formation, nerve function, and DNA synthesis. It also reduces homocysteine levels, which can benefit heart health and reduce inflammation.

The most common and synthetic form of vitamin B12 in dietary supplements is cyanocobalamin, but methylcobalamin (it’s biologically active counterpart) is what we find naturally occurring in foods and in many higher quality supplements. When we ingest cyanocobalamin, it has to be converted to methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin to be used by the body.

Animal products like meat, fish, and dairy are naturally methycobalamin-containing foods.

3. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Riboflavin, also known in it’s active form as riboflavin 5'-phosphate (Vitamin B2), is essential for many cellular functions and can be found in foods like dairy, eggs, and liver. Studies show that individuals with the MTHFR 677 TT genotype benefit from riboflavin supplementation, as it can positively influence DNA methylation in these individuals.

Supporting Methylation Through Diet

Ensuring your diet is rich in methylation-supportive nutrients like methylfolate, methylcobalamin, and riboflavin 5'-phosphate is essential for maintaining healthy methylation pathways. When these pathways function correctly, you’re more likely to enjoy better overall health and lower risk of chronic diseases and neurological disorders.

Ensuring Coverage

Incorporating methylated vitamin supplementation into a daily wellness routine can be complementary to a nutrient rich diet ensuring all foundational daily needs are met. Link here to our favorite multivitamin that contains all 3 of these methylated vitamins.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9380836/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6471069/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32334045/