Posted by Larry Hoover on September 2, 2007, at 11:21:11
In reply to TMG - SAMe, posted by Jamal Spelling on September 1, 2007, at 7:40:18
> Is it true that TMG gets converted into SAMe, and if so, what is the conversion rate? I see that there are TMG supplements which claim to be better than SAMe on the basis that (i) TMG gets converted into SAMe, and (ii) TMG has greater molecular stability than SAMe. TMG supplements also seem cheaper.
>
> JamalTMG does not get converted into SAMe. It is the methyl donor in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, but only via the enzyme betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (betaine is another name for TMG). This process is usually thought to be secondary to the folate-dependant process, but that one can stall in depressives. That leads to a build-up of homocysteine (the downstream product of SAMe utilization), and a shortage of methionine for recycling back to SAMe. It may be the causative factor for increased incidence of atherosclerotic disease seen in depressives.
The betaine enzyme is inducible, so taking TMG should result in two beneficial outcomes: depletion of homocysteine, and increase in available methionine. Free methionine is thereafter reacted with adenosine in the liver, to form SAMe. I'm making the point explicitly because taking SAMe could exacerbate an already unhealthy situation. If the normal homocysteine recycling process has stalled, leading to a functional deficiency in SAMe, then taking an exogenous SAMe supp would increase the homocysteine levels even further. I suppose you might take a SAMe supp and TMG, but I've never heard any reports of that, so I couldn't vouch for it.
TMG is very much cheaper than SAMe. I think I last paid $8 for a half a pound of TMG. Moreover, some SAMe supps are of an unusual form, as the tosylate salt. Tosylate is a short form for toluene-sulphonate, the salt of toluene-sulphonic acid. I haven't ever found any good toxicological data to form firm conclusions, but many derivatives of toluene have unwelcome health consequences on chronic exposure. I have unanswered questions about tosylates, not explicit concerns of safety.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:780153
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20070816/msgs/780353.html