Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve found myself unable to stop the frequent burps that would blast their way out of my mouth. I wasn’t being lazy, and I certainly wasn’t trying to be gross… I just couldn’t help myself.
It was if my stomach was being pumped full of air.
I found it frustrating and embarrassing, and I wanted it to stop. I just wasn’t sure what to do about it. When it comes to problems like these, doctors tends to write them off as inconsequential.
Now, earlier in the year I wrote about the power of self-experimentation. I’ve been experimenting with nootropic substances for years to improve my memory and focus, and have had fantastic results. Unfortunately, I never thought to apply this same passion for experimentation to other aspects of my health, such as my propensity for burping and farting.
A few months back, I decided to go over my 23andMe results once more with the help of Genetic Genie. It’s a free service that highlights genetic mutations in your 23andMe data. Pretty neat, right?
Well, while I was pouring over the data, I noticed something interesting. I had two mutations that make my body power through cobalamin (Vitamin B12) at an alarming rate, which in turn raises homocysteine levels which in turn… gives a person terrible gas, among other things.
A blood test confirmed the massively elevated homocysteine levels, and I began supplementing with Methylcobalamin and Hydroxocobalamin, two of the most bioactive forms of B12.
Days later, and I had substantially less gas. Weeks later, and I hardly find myself burping at all. To say I’m happy about this would be a massive understatement, and I might never have discovered the source of this affliction if I hadn’t spent an evening pouring over my SNP (Single-nucleotide polymorphism) data for fun.
So why am I telling you this story? After all, the chances of you having this exact same problem are minuscule. Simply put, it’s to encourage you to take charge of your own health and – if you find a doctors answers unsatisfactory – to try and come up with solutions of your own. The Internet is a powerful tool, and with a bit of research can be used to turn up mountains of useful information. Your body is kind of important, you know? It’s time you learn how it really works.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on the Internet. If you kill yourself, please don’t sue and/or haunt me. Also, I realize I’ve grossly simplified the details here. I could have talked about methylation, the difference between true sequencing and what 23andMe does, and a slew of other topics that would have likely turned many readers away. If you’re interested in that stuff, let’s chat in the comments below.
