Methylation: 3 Reasons Why It Matters for Women’s Health

Just hearing the name “methylation” can make your eyes gloss over. I’m a Nurse Practitioner (NP), certified health coach, and functional medicine practitioner. These days, I can talk your ears off about methylation, and you should stick through the end of this because it’s an important driver of your health. But in full disclosure, I admit that when I was in high school chemistry, I must have played hooky the day we learned that methylation is the transfer of a methyl group (one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms) to various molecules, including DNA, proteins, and hormones. Um, what? 

Like I said, I don’t blame you if your eyes are already feeling heavy. But let’s dive in and learn the basics about why methylation matters for women’s health. 

What is Methylation? 

It’s a biochemical process that happens in every cell of your body—roughly all 30 trillion of them! Methylation is like a switch that can turn certain genes on or off and regulate crucial functions. Arguably, methylation’s most important function is helping detoxify harmful substances. If your body has low methylation, your tissues may store more heavy metals. 

But that’s not all methylation does. It also helps produce neurotransmitters so we feel emotionally grounded. In addition, methylation supports hormone balance. When methylation functions well, the body can effectively manage stress, regulate mood, balance hormones, and support metabolism. However, if methylation is impaired, it can lead to sluggish metabolism, mood swings, fatigue, and difficulty with weight loss. So basically, if you are struggling with peri- or menopausal symptoms, having poor methylation only makes things worse. 

Methylation and Your Health Challenges

Here’s how methylation impacts some of the most common health concerns for women at this life stage:

Weight Loss and Metabolism

Methylation supports the production and breakdown of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, influencing cravings, motivation, and mood. It’s also essential for detoxifying the liver, where hormones like estrogen are processed. If your methylation is impaired, the liver struggles to break down estrogen, leading to estrogen dominance—often associated with weight gain, bloating, and fatigue. Moreover, estrogen dominance can lead to certain cancers such as breast, ovarian and cervical. This is why it’s critical to balance estrogen with progesterone after menopause. This is something I excel at in helping women in my practice. (Holla at me, ladies! 402.379.9600.) 

Peri-Menopausal and Menopausal Symptoms

Hormonal changes during peri-menopause and menopause can be more manageable when methylation is working well. Proper methylation helps regulate estrogen metabolism, balancing estrogen with the hormone I just mentioned, progesterone. As if you didn’t need anything else to worry about if methylation is poor, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings are on steroids!

Metabolic Health and Inflammation

Poor methylation can increase inflammation, which negatively affects metabolic health. This contributes to insulin resistance, weight gain, and cardiovascular risks. Methylation also plays a role in energy production, so low methylation levels can leave you feeling tired and unmotivated, making it harder to stay active or stick to a healthy eating routine.

How Does Hormone Therapy Influence Methylation?

I use bioidentical hormone therapy to help balance my clients’ hormone levels. (You can make an appointment with me at the  Diabetes & Wellness Clinic in Norfolk, NE. They take insurance!)  

Yes, hormone therapy can influence methylation levels. However, the effects depend on the timing of the therapy. Research suggests that methylation responses vary between women who initiate HT early in the postmenopausal phase (within six years of menopause) versus those who begin therapy later (over ten years post-menopause).

A study from the Early versus Late Intervention Trial with Estradiol (ELITE) demonstrated that women more than ten years post-menopause showed modest methylation levels increase. These changes, however, were not observed in women closer to menopause who underwent the same therapy. This difference implies that the body’s epigenetic response to estrogen shifts as more time passes since menopause. The study also indicated that while methylation was altered in late postmenopausal women, it didn’t directly correlate with changes in vascular health, such as atherosclerosis progression or carotid artery thickness.

Translation: the researchers aren’t really sure how it affects women because everybody is so unique biochemically.

The moral of the story is, like I said earlier, give me a call. If you’re not looking or feeling your best, let’s talk. 

If you feel like your weight loss efforts aren’t paying off, or if peri-menopause and metabolic health challenges are wearing you down, it may be time to check your methylation levels. At Fundamental Wellness NE, I offer lab testing to determine if your methylation processes are working efficiently or if they need support. With personalized results, we can create a targeted plan to improve methylation through dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, and supplements. (I can even recommend methylation vitamins if you need them! In fact, my husband takes them.)

Don’t let your body’s internal processes hold you back—reach out today, and let’s get you back on track!

Until next time, 

Jenna Witt, NP