Methylation Cycle & Menopause

The human body performs countless chemical processes every day, and the methylation cycle makes many of those processes possible. By switching various chemical and genetic signals on or off, methylation allows the body to adjust to a wide range of circumstances. Methylation levels react in concert with the process of menstruation in females, leveling off with the advent of menopause. While this event usually occurs in middle age, methylation can play a role in both early menopause and post-menopausal health problems.

Methylation

• Methylation helps the body adapt to changes in its environment by adding methyl groups to, or subtracting them from, various chemical processes in the body. A methyl molecule consists of 3 hydrogen atoms bound to a single carbon atom. A methylation "cycle" describes any of hundreds of such additions or subtractions of methyl groups to other physical compounds. These cycles act as a kind of switch that turns various body systems on and off. Methylation cycles directly affect body structures, playing a role in a wide range of chronic conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, immune system diseases and cancer.

Menopause

• A hormonal transition period known as menopause marks the end of a woman's fertility. Sexually mature women produce eggs, and every month, the uterus removes unfertilized eggs in a process called menstruation. As women enter middle age, their bodies produce less of the hormones that cause and manage menstruation, making the menstrual periods less regular until they finally stop. Menopausal women may also experience such symptoms as mood swings, hot flashes and sleep disturbances.

Relationship

• Methylation levels appear to follow the progression of menstruation and menopause. According to the National Academy of Sciences, methylation in the uterus increases during the years of menstruation before peaking around age 52 and the leveling off. The methylation level then remains fairly stable in the post-menopausal years.

Early Menopause

• While methylation seems to participate in the normal progression of menstruation to menopause, methylation can also set the stage for conditions leading to early menopause. For instance, the methylation cycle can activate or deactivate the genetic "switches" that cause or permit cancer, and traditional cancer therapies such as radiation or chemotherapy can lead to early menopause. The methylation cycle also controls vulnerability to immune diseases, and some of these illnesses can also cause early menopause.

Treatment

• Menopause can make women more prone to certain health problems in their later years, such as weakened bones. Doctors can prescribe hormone therapy or other supplements to help control these conditions. Some of these supplements may include chemical or compounds known as methylation precursors, or facilitators, to encourage the body's natural healing processes or guard against illnesses caused by insufficient methylation.