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Nutritional Influences on Methylation

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Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy

Abstract

Nutritional genomics is comprised of both nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. Nutrigenetics looks at the impact of genetics on the interaction between diet and disease risk prediction and is more clearly in scope of practice for medical professionals and genetic counselors. Nutrigenomics studies the measurable influence of nutrition on the genome via the metabolome and proteome and is more clearly in the scope of practice of nutritionists, dietitians, and other advanced health care professionals. Nutrigenomics offers insight into genetic differences in methylation, neurotransmitter synthesis, and detoxification and how to improve these biochemical processes. Central to methylation, the regulatory cycle that influences genomic expression is homocysteine catabolism. Homocysteine is often considered an inflammatory amino acid derivative; however, its regulation plays a primary role not only in epigenetics, but also in detoxification, glutathione generation, and many health conditions. There are two routes of homocysteine recycling and one true disposal route: (1) methionine synthase/methionine synthase reductase (MTR/MTRR), which converts homocysteine back to methionine; (2) betaine homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), which also converts homocysteine to methionine; and (3) cystathionine beta synthase (CBS), the only true disposal route that converts homocysteine to cystathionine and, ultimately, leads to the production of sulfate, taurine, and glutathione metabolites. CBS is therefore the transition from methylation to the transsulfuration pathway, which ultimately helps form the endogenous antioxidant glutathione used in phase 2 detoxification. In this way, homocysteine disposal is essential for proper glutathione synthesis. Understanding and influencing this process can help improve various metabolic processes, including turning “on” and “off” genes, synthesizing neurotransmitters, and the production of glutathione for detoxification. In fact, it is important to look beyond methylation to associated pathways including one-carbon metabolism, transsulfuration, the tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) cycle, and monoamine synthesis. Validation of individual single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) activity via laboratory and functional testing allows better insight into the epigenetic activation of genes, further elucidating the mechanisms of nutrient manipulation to improve health.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mast Cell Advanced Diagnostics/Zebra Diagnostics/SNPed, Chesterfield, VA, USA

    Jessica M. Pizano

  2. Nutritional Genomics Institute, SNPed, OmicsDx, Chesterfield, VA, USA

    Christy B. Williamson

Authors
  1. Jessica M. Pizano
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  2. Christy B. Williamson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica M. Pizano .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Noland Nutrition, Burbank, CA, USA

    Diana Noland

  2. Professor Emeritus, School of Medicine, University of Kansas Health System, Kansas City, KS, USA

    Jeanne A. Drisko

  3. Department of Dietetics & Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA

    Leigh Wagner

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Pizano, J.M., Williamson, C.B. (2020). Nutritional Influences on Methylation. In: Noland, D., Drisko, J., Wagner, L. (eds) Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy. Humana, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30730-1_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30730-1_18

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