Methionine

What it Does, How to Get It

Methionine is one of the potential glutathione precursors. Methionine (Met) and cysteine are sulfur containing proteinogenic amino acids and powerful antioxidants. They help prevent numerous health problems.

Met also works as a histamine inhibitor which could be beneficial for those suffering from schizophrenia as their histamine levels are usually higher than normal.

How This Page Saved Me From Surgery

Let me tell you a behind the scenes story about this page. A few years after writing this, I tore a rotator cuff in my left shoulder. Having been an orthopedic nurse, I spoke to a doctor and found an easy way to heal it without surgery. Only catch, it required a year of therapy (read self directed daily exercise).

One year later, all was well. But I did not do any strength training to build my muscles back. And I tore it again, only this time it was so bad, I could not stand the pain. When rolling over, it felt like my arm was being ripped out of my socket. After about three painful and sleepless nights, it was time for seeing a doctor and the inevitable surgery.

Reaching for the phone, the thought occurred to me. Doctors call me when they cannot get pain under control. Why am I calling a doctor. I should get the pain under control first then call the doc and get the surgery.

So, then and there, I started looking for the pain managing chemical substances found naturally in foods. Starting with apples, looking at the various chemical constituents, I started my quest. It was not more than one day when beets came across my screen. You know, the red root vegetable that bleeds on your mashed potato and butter volcano when you were a kid veggie.

On reading that beets have methionine, memories of researching and writing this page came to mind. I quickly ran to the store abn bought two red beets. Slicing and consuming one of them, as expected, that night, nothing happened. Yea, things do not always happen right away. Some things take time. I expected it to take at least a week.

Repeating the diet change the next day, the same thing happened, nothing. Awaking the next morning though there was a surprise. I slept all night. It should be noted that it could have been from sheer exhaustion of not sleeping for the past several days. But there also was no pain either. It was totally gone.

Methionine: Essential for Glutathione Production?

Although Met can be associated with increased homocysteine levels, it can also help to reduce those levels. One important thing to note, too much is just as bad as not enough. It is best if you get it from foods and not supplements.

It is an essential amino acid (which means it cannot be manufactured in the body). It needs to be a part of our diet. It helps with the breakdown of fats. It helps to prevent a buildup of fat in the liver and arteries.

It also helps in another way. It helps detoxify heavy metal toxins such as lead, helps diminish muscle weakness, prevents brittle hair, and protects against radiation.

If it does not convert properly it will become transformed into homocysteine which can lead to other health problems.

Elevated Homocysteine Levels

High homocysteine levels have been associated with increase thrombosis (blood clots in the veins) and cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis). It is considered corrosive to the collagen and elastin in our bodies.

There are reports of an increased number of fractures among elderly who have elevated homocysteine levels. This is possibly related to how it interferes with collagen cross linking and not the bone density.

Elevate homocysteine levels are more predictive of a heart attack than cholesterol levels. In a 2011 study of predictors in Stroke Magazine, cholesterol did not even make the list.

Attempts to reduce levels in the elderly are only used as a preventative and not necessarily a curative measure.

Methionine levels are low with liver disease.

Methionine is turned into food for the brain. It becomes choline. To prevent depletion, lecithin which is loaded with choline, is an excellent dietary supplement.

Evidently, the methionine of beets turns homocysteine into cysteine which the body then turns into glutathione. The process is quite complex. What I know is that it works.

Likewise the many who have tried it and have ended their arthritis pain will tell you the same, it works!

Eating one raw beet can help lower your homocysteine levels. Beets have the right mix of nutrients to accomplish this transformation. Although we need some homocysteine, too much can be harmful to your health.

Note: There are a number of other simple ways to lower homocysteine levels and improve your health.

Lysine and methionine are included as part of animal feeds. The methionine is chemically produced in this application. Thus it enters our food chain. To avoid the potential of it being in your food chain requires becoming an educated consumer.

It is best if your food comes from animals that are strict vegetarians. Meat you eat does not need to be certified organic. It could be safe if the meat is from animals that are only range fed and not given food additives.

You may hear of s-adenosyl methionine. It is a form of methionine that is already partially converted to cysteine. Also known as SAM, it can have undesirable side effects.

Food Sources

It is available in sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, beans, lentils, onions, soybeans, garlic, fish and meats. Vegetables have smaller amounts with peppers, spinach and beet root being the best sources.

B12 is the cofactor.

It is available from health food stores. However it can be toxic above certain levels. It is probably best derived from food sources and not supplementation for this reason.

Melatonin is another brain food you might be interested in. When your done checking out this glutathione booster, you will be touting as I do, that life and especially a good night’s sleep can indeed be a bowl of cherries.

Glutamine is another important part of the intracellular glutathione production. Do you know which foods are rich with it?

Silymarin (Milk Thistle) also has notable glutathione producing properties, protects and stimulates liver cell production.

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