Dr. Tabatha BarberI teach women how to fast their way to a faith-filled, hormonally balanced, fabulous life!

Methylation and Phase 2 Detoxification Pathways

22 Feb 2023 · 2 min

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2:10

The speaker (Dr. Tabatha Barber) explains phase 2 liver detoxification focusing on methylation: 2-hydroxyestrone requires methylation (addition of a methyl group) to be deactivated for excretion. The process depends mainly on methyl-donor nutrients — B12, B6, folate (B9) — and magnesium, and deficiencies can cause a backup of intermediate metabolites. Common genetic variants (MTHFR, COMT) can impair methylation; the speaker notes personal carriage of both and the need for activated methylated B-vitamin supplements. The speaker suggests that a specific test can reveal whether an individual's liver methylation/detox pathways need support.

Questions this video answers

Vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folate (B9), and magnesium.

MTHFR and COMT.

Chapters

This part of the test, if you can see it on here, is the second phase of detoxification in the liver. Once it comes down to 2 hydroxy estrone, it has to get methylated. So it has to get a methyl group put on it to completely deactivate it for the liver to be able to excrete it out of your body. Methylation donors are B vitamins mostly, and so it requires enough B12, B6, and folate, which is B9, and also magnesium to be able for this process to proceed. And so a lot of times we'll see B vitamin deficiencies back up this process. And this is a good example. If you see we're way over here on the left with the methylation activity, meaning things are not getting methylated, so we're getting a backup. It's like the garbage got taken out to the curb through phase one detox, but then the garbage man didn't come by and pick it up off the road. So now you have garbage stacked up in front of your house, and that is not good. So the other component of this is that you can have genetic mutations that make you not methylate things as easily or as well. MTHFR is a very common mutation that you can have, and COMT is another one. I have both, actually. And so I don't think I don't methylate things very well. And so I need extra activated methylated B vitamins as a supplement as well as magnesium to complete this process, to get my estrogens deactivated and cleared out of my system. So if you did this test, you would be able to see is your liver doing their detox processes appropriately, or do I need more support on that front? So that can be super helpful.