Could Your Body’s Chemistry Be Sabotaging Your Mood?
What is Overmethylation and How Does It Affect the Body?
You may have heard the term “methylation” around in health conversations, genetics, or functional medicine but for many people, it still feels confusing or overly scientific. In reality, methylation is one of the most important biochemical processes in the body, quietly working in the background to keep us functioning, balanced, and resilient.
Methylation is a biochemical process that involves adding a small chemical tag called a “methyl group” to DNA, proteins, neurotransmitters, and other molecules in the body.
This process plays a crucial role in many aspects of health, including:
Immune function - helping your body respond appropriately
Energy production - supporting mitochondrial function and cellular vitality
Mood regulation - influencing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine
Detoxification - assisting the liver in processing hormones, toxins, and chemicals
Cardiovascular health - helping regulate homocysteine levels
For some people, particularly those with an MTHFR gene variation, methylation may not function optimally without the right nutritional and lifestyle support.
What is Overmethylation?
Overmethylation occurs when this process becomes too active, essentially going into biochemical “overdrive.”
Rather than supporting balance, excessive methylation can disrupt neurotransmitter activity in the brain.
One key pattern often seen in overmethylation is:
Higher serotonin levels
Slower breakdown of dopamine
At first glance, this might sound beneficial. After all, dopamine is associated with motivation, focus, and reward.
However, too much dopamine activity or an imbalance between neurotransmitters can actually leave people feeling:
Emotionally unstable or reactive
Mentally overstimulated
Flat, unmotivated, or disconnected
Anxious or irritable
Struggling with focus or consistency
This is why overmethylation is often misunderstood. It’s not simply “too much of a good thing” it’s about balance.
How to Spot Overmethylation
Overmethylation can look different from person to person, but there are some common clinical patterns that often appear in testing.
People who are overmethylating frequently report that they don’t feel well on:
SSRIs (antidepressants)
The oral contraceptive pill (OCP)
From a biochemical perspective, I often look for:
Low zinc levels
High copper levels
Elevated estrogen metabolites
High homocysteine
These markers can indicate that methylation pathways and related nutrient systems need rebalancing.
What Can Help?
Support for overmethylation is highly individual, but some commonly supportive nutrients include:
Folate - to support balanced methylation rather than excessive activity
Zinc - to help regulate copper and neurotransmitter balance
Vitamin C - to support detoxification and hormonal metabolism
B vitamins - to nourish energy production and nervous system function
However, it’s important to note that supplementation should be guided by testing rather than guesswork.
Why Personalised Care Matters
Methylation is complex, and overmethylation cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone.
This is why working with an experienced practitioner is so valuable.
Through a combination of:
Genetic testing
Blood nutrient analysis
Hormone and metabolite testing
Detailed symptom assessment
A practitioner can build a clearer picture of how your body is functioning and tailor support accordingly.
If you’ve ever felt emotionally off, struggled with motivation, or noticed that medications like antidepressants or the pill don’t seem to agree with you, exploring your methylation status could be a powerful next step.
Your biochemistry is unique and your support plan should be too.
References
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/2/566
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32961717/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6218441/
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/78/8/647/5715575
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0098299716300930