Methionine Supplement: Benefits, Side Effects, And Dosage

Read this to learn about methionine supplements. What are its benefits, side effects, and dosage recommendations?

Drinking Methionine Supplement

Methionine is one of the 20 aminos your body needs. It is available as supplements on the market but you can get it from foods too. Methionine supplement is one supplement with lots of traction for treating various disorders and infections.

Your body needs the amino methionine for normal tissue growth, as well as tissue repair. Your body cannot make this amino, so you must obtain it from your diet. If you can’t get enough from your diet, you must make it up with supplements.

Experts consider methionine to be an essential amino because the human body can’t make it. More so, methionine is very special because it is one of the very few aminos that contain sulfur. And it’s vital for your health.

Methionine can help improve the elasticity and tone of your skin. It also promotes hair health and helps strengthen the nails. That’s why a diet rich in methionine is very important. You can also take methionine supplements to treat some disorders and infections.

Up until now, the research on methionine is not yet robust. Experts are still trying to carry out more studies to validate methionine supplements’ efficacy for treating diseases. But then, it is already proven to be efficient for treating certain conditions.

As you read on, we will tell you about the health benefits and possible side effects of methionine supplements. We will also talk about its dosage recommendations.

Health Benefits of Methionine Supplement

Let’s start with the fact that methionine contains sulfur. Its sulfur content can benefit your body in many ways. Some of them are as follows:

  • It would nourish your hair, nails, and skin
  • Sulfur can help protect your body cells from damage due to pollutants  Facilitates the detox process in your body
  • Slows aging down
  • Boosts nutrient absorption. Zinc and selenium are examples of nutrients that are better absorbed in the presence of sulfur
  • It aids the removal of mercury, lead, and other heavy metals from your body.
  • Prevents the excess buildup of fat in your liver by facilitating its breakdown
  • Can help increase lecithin production in your liver and lower your cholesterol levels

Aside from the benefits of is sulfur, methionine supplements also have the following benefits:

1. Treatment of Acetaminophen Overdose

Oral methionine (taken by mouth) within ten hours of acetaminophen (or Tylenol) overdose can help treat acetaminophen poisoning. This is because methionine can prevent Tylenol byproducts from damaging your liver. 

However, there are other treatment options for Tylenol toxicity. More so, methionine might not be as effective as some other treatment options.

2. Preventing colon cancer

Experts have mixed opinions from research on methionine and colon cancer. In 2013, a report shows that the consumption of methionine from your diet can decrease the risks of colon and rectal cancers.

There is a need for more studies and long-term follow-up to confirm how effective methionine is for preventing cancer. Meanwhile, experts say that as much as methionine can help prevent cancer, it might not be good for treating cancer.

Some studies have shown that low-methionine diets are beneficial for some cancer types. Some cancer cell types require methionine for their growth. Limiting methionine rather than taking supplements would be beneficial for treating these cancer types. 

3. Alzheimer’s Disease

Expert studies suggest that methionine might improve brain function and memory. As such, it can help treat and/or prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Bodybuilding and Methionine Deficiency

Methionine plays a vital role in protein synthesis. As such, some bodybuilders use supplements to help increase their muscle mass. 

L-Methionine deficiencies typically impair protein synthesis in all parts of the body. This can also affect the building of lean muscles, which requires protein synthesis.

Aside from this, the deficiency can also impair post-workout recovery. You can, however, prevent and treat L-Methionine deficiencies by taking Methionine supplements. This will promote muscle building, as well as treat the other effects of deficiency.

Possible Adverse Effects and Contraindications

Methionine can sometimes cause some mild adverse effects. These include vomiting and nausea, as well as irritability and drowsiness. Experts even say that nausea is a common adverse effect people get from the use of methionine supplements.

Children and infants can safely use methionine. But you must consult your child’s doctor before giving methionine supplements to your child. If you give your child excessive methionine, it might cause impaired growth.

You should also avoid self-treatment of methionine for yourself. It might be unsafe to use this supplement without proper medical advice and supervision. If you use it in excess, methionine might lead to brain damage. In extreme cases, it can cause death.

Methionine, in excess amounts, can increase homocysteine levels in your blood. This can increase the risk of heart disease.

Methionine should not be used by people who have any of the following conditions:

  • Liver disease or damage
  • Hepatic encephalopathy
  • Acidosis (excessive acidity in your blood)
  • Breastfeeding and pregnancy
  • Atherosclerosis (when your arteries harden)
  • Schizophrenia – If you have this condition, large methionine doses (over 20g daily for 5 days)

Dosage Recommendation

Experts recommend that you should take 14mg methionine per kilogram of your body weight daily. But you should take methionine, alongside cysteine. This is the amount of methionine your body needs daily as an adult.

In case you didn’t know, experts say that no other essential amino is as toxic as methionine in humans. As such, you must ask for medical advice from your doctor about the dosage and term of use before you start taking methionine supplements.

If you will use a methionine supplement, you should only take about 250mg daily. This is about 25% recommended methionine daily intake. 250mg methionine supplement daily is a safe dose.

If you have acetaminophen overdose, you might need to take as high as 2.5g of methionine supplement every 4 hours (for not more than 4 times). But then, if you have Tylenol overdose, you should get immediate medical attention to avoid fatal health consequences.

Methionine is unique among all the aminos. Your body cells need this amino to function well because it can help your body produce many other vital molecules. More so, you can’t get methionine except through diet or supplements.

Aside from cell function, methionine is also vital for DNA methylation. Experts even say that a methionine supplement, if taken in the right doses, can help increase lifespan. But this supplement might affect your health if you take excessively high doses.

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