Posted by Larry Hoover on November 19, 2002, at 14:23:51
In reply to Re: The truth about the french paradox?, posted by Larry Hoover on November 19, 2002, at 13:56:03
> One word: homocysteine. Oxidative stress (a result of any kind of stress) causes homocysteine to build up in the blood. Do a search on TMG, in this group, and you'll come up with some information I provided earlier.
Aaak! Search only works on the first six months of the year.
There is a cyclical biochemical process which involves sulphur-bearing amino acids. Dietary or reconstituted methionine is reacted with adenosine to form the methyl-donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe). The S just tells you that the adenosine is attached to the sulphur atom.
SAMe is an essential component in a host of essential biochemical processes, including the synthesis of neurotranmsitters. After SAMe gives up its methyl group, the adenosine is removed, and you end up with homocysteine. Homocysteine is recycled, via enzymes that employ the co-enzyme B-vitamins folate and B-12. The net effect is to take a methyl group from B-12, and stick it back onto homocysteine, giving you methionine all over again.
The problems arise when your body goes into a stressful period. Homocysteine is poorly recycled, and the buildup of homocysteine damages the heart and arteries, promoting atherosclerosis. That is one of the reasons that depressives are advised to supplement with B-vitamins.
There is also an alternative pathway that is activated by consumption of trimethylglycine (TMG, which also goes by it's archaic name, betaine (meaning amino acid from Beta, latin for beets)). TMG and homocysteine, with the enzyme betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase, gives you methionine and dimethylglycine (DMG). DMG can go on to promote other beneficial thingies, too.
The stress also interferes with glutathione synthesis, because the trans-sulfuration pathway is messed with, but that's a whole 'nother story. Anyway, to protect glutathione, alpha lipoic acid is a good idea. 200 mg/day ought to do it.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:128270
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021116/msgs/128325.html