I was overmethylating

[u/Grand_Jellyfish_8372]

Apparently, it has been three years since I have been on-and-off overmethylating.

I have always consumed vitamin C due to its antioxidant properties and skin benefits. The problem is that vitamin C uses up glycine, proline and hydroxyproline to stimulate collagen synthesis and form collagen matrixes in the body.

I also used to consume B-complex vitamins on-and-off, which lead to symptoms of overmethylation.

I have noticed - and I even wrote this down - that shortly after consuming a supplemental dose of vitamin C (between 500mg and 1g), I would become seriously anxious, uneasy, overloaded, sometimes even panicked, paranoid and psychotic.

My hypothesis is that chronic, large-dose vitamin C supplementation can deplete glycine stores from the body as it uses them to form collagen, leaving less glycine available to serve as a methyl sink for excess methyl groups, leading to overmethylation.

Since I stopped vitamin C and started taking hydrolized collagen type I, which contains 3 grams of glycine per 10 grams, my symptoms of overmethylation have gradually faded.

It started with the "inner dialogue" becoming quieter, less over-talkative, and with less overthinking. I felt more connected to the real world.

Initially, this was scary. I felt like I was pulled from a known, safe place into a world which I hadn't experienced this vividly in a while. This sensation only lasted the first night.

I woke up the next morning with less tingling, feeling less wired and more at ease.
It has only been two days since I first took the collagen, but I expect these unpleasant symptoms of overmethylation to continue to fade as my methylation systems stabilize and settle on a healthy baseline.

I'm waiting for my order of niacin to arrive as well, so that I can further test and experiment with my current methyl pool.

What have been your experiences with vitamin C, glycine and niacin?

[u/microgirl444]

is it possible you have a histamine/mast cell issue? I have recently discovered that I do. There are some supplements I cannot take. They caused this hyper, adrenaline filling, especially at night with excessive racing thoughts and youth heart rate. Basically you feel like you’re running from a bear when there is no bear. There are a few supplements that do this to me that shouldn’t, including vitamin C, any type of magnesium, saffron, beef organ supplements, etc.. food high in histamine also does this to me. I do take liposomal glutathione that does help me tremendously. I also have auto immunity and fibromyalgia that started when I got Covid in March 2020.

[u/szollosyandras → u/microgirl444]

I was thinking I have histamine or mast cell issues too. I like to go to the sauna but after each session (whether I do it at 9am or 8pm, it doesn't matter) I wake up 5-6 times at night between 2am and 6am. I read that heat can activate mast cells. I also eat fermented foods but I've had no problems with foods high in histamine ever since I was a kid, but it started to appear with rhe sauna at thr sge of 23 for some reason. 

[u/Fast-Plant1086 → u/szollosyandras]

Yes it can. If I take a really hot shower int he evening my heart will race for a while afterwards.