Brain and Neuro Blog
Methyl, Methylation
Amino Acids
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Methane is the simplest Carbon molecule, with one carbon attached to four hydrogens. It is a light molecule so in ordinary circumstances, it is a gas. It is colorless and odorless. While today we know of “cow farts” and the effect of methane on global warming (damages the ozone layer), back in the day it was a killer of miners. It would accumulate in mines, pushing out oxygen but sometimes not discovered until it was too later. Hence the term “canary in the coal mine”, where canaries, sensitive to methane, were used to detect methane before the miners entered.
A “Methyl Group” is a methane molecule that is missing one hydrogen, which allows it to attach to other molecules (see diagram on the left). Often methyl groups are linked up in a “carbon chain”. In other cases they can form more complex branching shapes. For example, most enyzymes are complex carbon structures that contain metals such as zinc, selenium or iron, harnessing and containing their power, like the cement, steel and water surrounding the plutonium in a nuclear power generator.
Methylation is the attachment of a methyl group to another molecule. It is often used to turn genes and enzymes on and off like a switch. You can look at your genes as a library or database of information about which switches should be turned on and off. Since genes can indeed be turned on and off, your genetics only determine 20% of your health, the other 80% is lifestyle factors that turn your genes on and off in patterns that we call health or disease.
Maltose
Food & Supplements Program
Trehalose is a naturally-occuring di-saccharide (two sugars) that can be broken down in the normal small intestine. It is used for dry eye and mucosal injuries. The Product Helios, for sore mouths, has trehalose, glutamine and arginine.
References
Lysosomes Dysfunction Causes Mitophagy Impairment in PBMCs of Sporadic ALS Patients.2021.pdf
Trehalose–an intriguing disaccharide with potential for medical application in ophthalmology.2011
Solubility
Solubility in water
68.9 g per 100 g at
20 °C
Soluble in ethanol
Related Links
Ribose
Food & Supplements Program
This page is under development. Working links will provide starting information. Please let us know about your interest in this page by emailing us here, and check back soon.
Ribose is a five-carbon sugar that has special characteristics.
Solubility
Solubility in water
100 g/L (25 °C,
77 °F)
= 10 gm/100 mL = 10%