DMC (DIMETHYLGLYCINE): Fatigue figbter, autism conqueror

For average, run-of-the-mill fatigue, DMG (dimethylglycine) is almost the ideal quick pick-me-up, an entirely safe energy booster that lasts for most of the day. I had prescribed the nutrient before it became one of the hottest supplements of the 1970s (mistakenly billed as ‘vitamin B15’). I continue to dispense it today as a nonspecific treatment for fatigue.

DMG is poised to be much more than a natural pep pill. Because it’s one of the so-called methyl donors, the body uses it for myriad health-promoting biochemical reactions by adding a single extra carbon cluster, thus converting one chemical into another, neutralizing toxins and protecting our genes. DMG’s success with my patients convinced me that a good number of us are walking around with a relative shortage of the methyl-donating nutrients. Published DMG research is scarce, but we can glean some indication of its other therapeutic abilities from the personal experience of the practitioners who use it.

Immune Function
DMG quadrupled the immune responses of people who took 120 mg daily for ten weeks, according to the results of one study. The researchers concluded that DMG strengthens the body’s defences on a cellular and hormonal level. It also helps cells to use oxygen more efficiently.

Athletic Endurance
DMG’s reputation was muddied because of its confusion with a similar compound, pangamic acid, that was first studied in Russia. Researchers there showed that pangamic acid improved athletic endurance by preventing a buildup of lactic acid in the body. DMG was also thought to possibly contribute to athletic performance, but the question remains open today, with few studies showing that it offers any athletic benefit. However, one of the positive experiments concluded that taking 5 mg per day enables an athlete to exercise longer before becoming physically exhausted. In another series of experiments, a dosage of 1.6 mg per kilogram of body weight gave horses some additional stamina and reduced lactic acid.

Seizure Frequency
Although animal studies suggest that DMGr may reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures, the smol clinical trials involving people have failed to find a benefit. On the other hand, anecdotal evidence from doctors who use it different. According to case reports, the number of seizures dropped significantly when people with epilepsy took 180 mg of DMG daily. When they stopped taking the supplement, they experienced considerably more episodes.