so, let's look at these molecules one by one.

pangamic acid

as per the previously posted pdf, pangamic acid is an ester of dmg and gluconic acid.

but, what was being sold in stores was just dmg, or dmg attached to something else.

the pdf mentions that this molecule is incredibly fragile and splits into it's two parts at the slightest stress. gluconic acid is just a glucose derivative. so, the chemical of interest is dmg.

dimethylglycine

this molecule appears to largely be transported to the liver upon ingestion and converted to glycine. in the process, it acts as a methyl donor, allowing energy-creating reactions to occur. so, the energy-boosting claims of dmg appear to be tied to the idea that it's a methyl donor.

it will then be converted back to dimethylglycine when utilized in certain ways, but your body stores it as glycine. 

so, there's two different ideas, here.

(1) i will measure glycine levels when i enter data for amino acids.

(2) i will concede that having lots of methyl donors will help your metabolism function, but there doesn't seem to be any specific reason why this methyl donor will help will much, on it's own, besides that. but, if you like 2 methyls with your glycine, why not try three instead?

so, i don't see any reason to key in on this specifically - not if i'm getting betaine, and not if i'm getting choline, both of which degrade to dmg over time.

claims that b15/b16 are not useful or the discoverer was perpetuating a hoax seem, then, to be somewhat overblown. it would, in truth, make sense to think that supplementing with dmg would give your body a dose of methyl donors, and this would indeed speed up your metabolism, as it converts it to glycine.

but, you may want to be careful with glycine poisoning, then, as your body builds up stores of it, as it burns through all of the meth.

and, i don't do meth. sorry.

there aren't a lot of dietary sources for dmg, anyways, so this is sort of a dead end, like b13 was. but, i've now all but decided to add some sunflower seeds to the pasta bowl for b5, and i'll take the dmg along with it, as a free & unmeasured bonus.

betaine

betaine is tmg - trimethylglycine. so, it's dmg with 50% more meth. even better, you can actually get it from a wide variety of foods. so, if you thought there was some value in consuming dmg, it's that much better with tmg.

but, here's the catch:

The conversion of choline to betaine is irreversible.

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/choline

that is the kind of key point, here; in the context of homocysteine metabolism and methionine synthesis, choline is really largely just a source of betaine, which is where the reactions we need really take place. so, choline---->betaine---->dmg, but it's the betaine that undergoes the actual reaction, and we don't seem to convert the dmg back to betaine.

the dmg is then available as a methyl donor twice more before it's stored as glycine.

there's no need for me to write an essay of this sort in this space, but i will provide you with two diagrams.

that is from the lpi, and you can go to their site to read more.

the other is from the american journal of clinical nutrition:

that picture was taken from here:

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/80/3/539/4690529#109827699

so, you can see how these three molecules work together quite easily by observing these charts, and why the two important chemicals to be concerned about, in terms of diet, in the context of this reaction, are betaine and glycine, rather than dmg or choline - although we can make good use of both, and must get most of our betaine from choline due to dietary realities. we also need choline for acetylcholine.

that oup site also explains how betaine is uptaken and transported to the liver, where these metabolic reactions take place. so, in this context as a methyl donor, dietary betaine is as useful as dietary choline, and maybe even more efficient as it skips a step. 

so, wouldn't it be nice, then, if i could substitute betaine for choline in my liver and then save my choline for my brain? i'll just sit my liver down and explain it. easy, right?

i'm going to try to get a whole lot of betaine, at least, and hope my body figures it out.

so, yes - we will now have the return of b15, in the form of betaine, here seen as a precursor to dmg. and, i'm going to aim for 550 mg of it - to replace the choline mg for mg.

choline

the choline reaction i'm really interested in is the construction of acetylcholine, not homocysteine metabolism. if i stick with 550 mg, it hopefully just gets more of the stuff into my brain. the importance of choline is clear, and i should be able to meet the rdis.

so that's my analysis of this.

we're going to measure the following:

i) glycine, as an amino acid, with dietary amounts tbd

ii) betaine, as a dmg precursor and a fat soluble vitamin: 165+ mg per meal, with 660 mg total (if possible)

ii) choline, the same way as betaine

the next update will actually measure the food contents of betaine.

disclaimer:

i've gone to town with a few things - i'm not making up vitamins but rather filling things in. i mean, there's all these "missing vitamin names". what were they, exactly? it also gives me an excuse to work in a few things like choline that are hard to otherwise define as they are essential in some amount but not technically vitamins.

note that these numbers are scavenged and should be interpreted approximately. that's partly why i'm aiming to overshoot on most of it.

	fruit bowl (12:00)											pasta salad bowl (20:00)								fried eggs (4:00)							coffee
	nec tar ine 1 129 g	ban ana 1 136 g	str awb err ies 5-6 150 g	avo cdo 2* 75 g	kiwi 1 75 g	van soy milk 250 ml	che rry ice crm 200 ml	nut yst 1 med tsp 3 g	frt crl 55 g	grd flax seed 1 tbsp 7 g	sum	red pep per 1 200 g	dur um wht fet 55 g + h20	med chd chs 60 g	car rot 1 110 g	hull hemp seed 1 tbsp 10 g	yog urt	nut yst 1 med tsp 3 g	sum	frd egg 2* 70 g	med chd chs 30 g	marg 2 tsp 10 g	whl wht brd w/ grm + flax 1 s 37 g	nut yst 1 sml tsp 2 g	jce typ grp frt 250 ml	sum	brw cof fee 700 ml	chc soy mlk 100 ml	sum	total
raison d'etre	b5,8	b5 b16	b5 b16 c	b3,4 b5,7 b8,9 f1,k	b5,8 c k	a,d b3,4 b5,7 b12	a b5 b12 b13	b1,2 b3,4 b5,6 b7,9 b12	a,e b3,5 b7,9	o-3 b16		b3,4 b9 c	b3,9	a b12 b13	a b3,9	b3 o-3	b13	b1,2 b3,4 b6,9 b12		a b2,7 b12	a b12 b13	d	o-3	b2,7 b12	c		caf fei ne
a (fat sol) (900 μg rae)	21.9 μg	4.08 μg	1.5 μg	10.5 μg	3 μg	10 %	13 %	0	15 %	0	42.5 r:38 c:4.5	314 μg	~ 1.15 μg	30 %	918.5 μg	0	-	0	167 r:30 c:137	r:29 % c:6.9 μg	15 %	10 %	0	0	-	55 r:54 c:1	0	4 %	4 r:4 c:0	268.5 r:126 c:142.5
b1 thiamin (1.2 mg)	.044 mg	.042 mg	.036 mg	0.1 mg	.02025 mg	8 %	.0528 mg	~ 155 %	20 %	.115 mg	217 u:34	.108 mg	~ 46 %	.0174 mg	.0726 mg	.1275 mg	-	~ 155 %	228 u:27	0.06 mg	.0087 mg	0	10.5 %	~ 103 %	-	119 u: 5.5	0.1 mg	3 %	11 u:8	575
b2 [g, j] riboflavin (1.3 mg)	.035 mg	.099 mg	.033 mg	.195 mg	.01875 mg	25 %	.253 mg	~ 144 %	24 %	.011 mg	242.5 u:49.5	.17 mg	~ 22.5 %	.2568 mg	.0638 mg	.0285 mg	-	~ 144 %	206.5 u:40	.684 mg	.1284 mg	0	3 %	~ 96 %	-	161.5 u:62.5	.54 mg	10 %	51.5 u:41.5	662
b3 niacin (16 mg)	1.45 mg	.904 mg	.579 mg	2.61 mg	.25575 mg	10 %	.1276 mg	~ 65 %	36 %	.216 mg	149 n:38 f:111	1.958 mg	~ 36 %	.0354 mg	1.0813 mg	0.92 mg	-	~ 65 %	126 n:25 f:101	.114 mg	.0177 mg	0	6.5 %	~ 43 %	-	50.5 n:1 f:49.5	1.36 mg	4 %	12.5 n:8.5 f:4	338 n:72.5 f:265.5
b4* adenine (75 mg)	?	1.632 mg	0.75 mg	15.9 mg	~ .339 mg	19.25 mg	.9735 mg	49.38 mg	?	?	117.5	31.8 mg	2.2 mg	4.92 mg	0.77 mg	?	-	49.38 mg	119	2.24 mg	2.46 mg	0	4.514 mg	32.92 mg	-	56	?	7.7 mg	10	302.5
b5 pantothenic acid (5 mg)	.239 mg	.454 mg	.1875 mg	2.08 mg	.13725 mg	15 %	.6391 mg	2.25 %	19 %	.069 mg	112 u:76	.634 mg	.23705 mg	.246 mg	.3003 mg	.056 mg		2.25 %	31 u:29	2.292 mg	0.123 mg	0	5 %	1.5 %	-	54.5 u:48	1.808 mg	6 %	42 u:36	239.5
b6 pyridoxine (1.7 mg)	.032 mg	.499 mg	.0705 mg	.386 mg	.04725 mg	6 %	.0528 mg	~ 133 %	25 %	.033 mg	230 u:66	.582 mg	.0781 mg	.0396 mg	.1518 mg	.06 mg		~ 133 %	186.5 u:53.5	.255 mg	.0198 mg	0	3.5 %	~ 88 %	-	107.5 u:16	~ 0	2 %	2	526
b7 [h] biotin (35 μg)	?	~ 3.212 μg	~ 1.646 μg	5.4 μg	?	~ 10.069 μg	2.86 μg	45 %	86 %	2.52 μg	204 u:73	6.6 μg	.22 μg	1.038 μg	5.5 μg	2.73 μg	-	45 %	91 u:46	~ 58.33 μg	.519 μg	4.5474 μg	3 %	30 %	-	214 u:181	0	~ 11 %	11	520
b8* inositol (myo or lipid) (1000 mg)	152.22 mg	0 mg	19.5 mg	69 mg	102 mg	20.09 mg	9.9 mg	14.85 mg	2.75 mg	13.65 mg	40	114 mg	~ 41.23 mg	5.4 mg	13.2 mg	-		14.85 mg	19	12.6 mg	2.7 mg	~ 16 mg	52.54 mg	9.9 mg	-	9	-	-	~ 0	68
b9 [m, b11, r] folic acid (400 μg dfe)	6.45 μg	27.2 μg	36 μg	122 μg	18.75 μg	n:6 f:0 %	5.5 μg	~ 35.5 %	34 %	6.09 μg	131 n:61.5 f:69.5	92 μg	~ 39 %	16.2 μg	20.9 μg	1.1 μg	-	~ 35.5 %	107 n:32.5 f:74.5	70.5 μg	18.1 μg	0	5 %	~ 23.5 %	-	48 n:24.5 f:23.5	3.5 %	2.5 %	6 n:6 f:0	292 n:124.5 f:167.5
b12 [t] (cyano) cobalamin (2.4 μg)	0	0	0	0	0	50 %	.858 μg	187.5 %	0	0	273 n:35.5 f:237.5	0	0	.66 μg	0	0	-	187.5 %	215 n:27.5 f:187.5	1.338 μg	.33 μg	0	0	125 %	-	194.5 n:69.5 f:125	0	20 %	20 n:0 f:20	702.5 n:132.5 f:570
b13* orotic acid (10 mg)	-	-	-	-	-	-	~ 17 mg	-	-	-	170	-	-	~ 37 mg	-	-	>	-	370	-	~ 18 mg	-	-	-	-	180	-	-	-	720
b14* taurine (100 mg)	0	0	0	0	0	-	2.09 mg	0	0	-	6.5	0	0	0	0	-	~ 5 mg	0	-	0	0	>0	0	0	0	-	0	>0	-	-
b15* betaine (550 mg)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
b16* choline (fat sol) (550 mg)	8 mg	4	1	4	1	11	5	1.5	1	1	29.5	2	2.5	2	1	-	-	1.5	9	68	1	0	2	1.5	-	73.5	3	4.5	7.5	119.5
b20* [aka I] l-carnitine (25 mg)	-	~0	~0	-	~0	~0	5	-	-	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
c (90 mg)	6.97 mg	34	74	25	117	4	0	0	25	~0	279	350	0	0	7	0	-	0	357	0	0	0	0	0		100+	0	0	0	736+
d (fat sol) (15 μg)	-	0	0	0	0	45	0	0	6	0	51	0	0	2	0	0	-	0	2	12	1	30	0	0	-	43	0	18	18	114
e (fat sol) (15 mg)	.993	2	1.5	16	10	0	2	0	36	0	67.5	13	1	1	2	7	-	0	24	9	.5	20	1.5	0		31	0	0	0	122.5
f1* linoleic acid omega-6 (g) (17 mg)	-	.1086	.09	2.534	.187	1.5	.300	0	1.2	.414	6.3336	.0738	.540	.3462	.0828	2.87	-	0	3.9128	3.23	.1731	1.5	.5	0	-	5.4031	~0	.8	.8	16.45
f2* alpha linolenic acid omega-3 (g) (1.6 mg)	-	.0638	.065	.165	.0319	.2	.200	0	.2	1.597	2.5227	.041	.024	.219	.0014	.93	-	0	1.2154	.228	.1095	.5	.75	0	-	1.5875	~0	.12	.12	5.45
f1:f2 ratio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.51	-	-	-	-	-	2:1	-	3.22	-	-	-	-	-	-	3.40	-	-	-	3.02
k (fat sol) (138 μg)	2.84	2	1	39	38	5	0	0	-	-	85	10	1	1	12	0	-	0	24	9	.5	10	.5	0	-	20	0	2	2	131
q1* coenzyme q10 (mg) (30 mg)	-	.272	.075	-	.0375	.625	.0308	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
q2* pyrrolo quinoline  quinone (mu-g)	-	3.536	-	-	2.025	.063	.2101	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
s* salicylic acid (mg)	-	~0	~1	-	~ 0.375	~0	~0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

* not really.

complete requirements

fat soluble:

- a: 120% of pre-formed + 100% of convertible rae, total daily. 30% + pre-formed per meal.

- d: 30% + per meal, 120% total

- e: 30% + per meal, 120% total

- k: 30% + per meal, should not exceed 100%/meal, >120% & <200% total

water soluble (bs & c):

- 300+% total w/ 100% for each meal

- b1: 125% w/ each meal

- b2: 131% w/ each meal

- b3: 125% w/ each meal, but not more than 200% in fortified sources.

- *b4 (adenine): 75 mg w/ each meal

- b5: 110% w/ each meal

- b6: 118% w/ each meal

- b7: 171% w/ each meal, with 857% total as a goal.

- *b8 (inositol): 300 mg w/each meal, 1200 mg total

- b9: 100% w/each meal, but not more than 400% from fortified sources, per day.

- b12: 250% w/each meal, including 30+% pre-formed w/each meal. 120% pre-formed per day.

- *b13 (orotic acid): 10 mg w/ each meal

- *b14 (taurine): 30 mg w/ each meal, 120 mg total

- *b15 (betaine): 165 mg w/ each meal, 660 mg total

- *b16 (choline): 30% + per meal, 120% total

incomplete requirements legend:

>300% without meeting 100%/meal

+75<=100% each meal    [=+200%<=300% total]

+50<=75% each meal   [=+100<=200% total] 

<=50% each meal    [<100% total]

specific brands used:

- natura vanilla soy milk (light)

- chapman's black cherry ice cream

- bulk barn nutritional yeast

- vector cereal

- black diamond brand medium cheddar cheese

- selection brand pasta [metro/food basics]

- bulk barn nutritional yeast

- black diamond brand medium cheddar cheese

- irrestibles brand olive canola oil [metro/food basics]

- dempster's whole grain double flax bread

- bulk barn nutritional yeast

- natura chocolate soy milk

- no specific brand or type of coffee

diet options:

daily:

 2 ) pasta salad bowl:

- yogurt is high in b5 and b8 and b12 and choline.

- one tbsp of imitation bacon bits (isoflavones, maybe)

- lemon/lime (probably for phytonutrients) 

- garlic cloves (probably for phytonutrients)
- oregano & pepper (probably for phytonutrients)

- red clover (if locatable or foragable, for phytoestrogens)

- alfafa?

- sunflower seeds are high in b5 & high in e, with small amounts of choline but high amounts of omega-6. it doesn't really add up here, but may be better in the pasta bowl (after i work out the yogurt). b15/dmg.

- rice bran is similar to sunflower in b5, but lower in omega-6 and lower in choline. also, less e. it would be better if i find myself strictly concerned about b5, but in the pasta bowl. this seems unlikely.

- dried whey is a little lower in both b5 & higher in choline, but also has a little b12 & has almost no fat. it's almost like the missing part of the yeast. i'm having trouble finding it though and don't think the isolate available at bulk barn is comparable. it seems to be largely seen as a waste product in yogurt production. it may be broadly useful across plates.

3) eggs:
- salami (45 g) (25% b1, 12% b3, 5% b5, 11.5% b6, 0% b9, 20% b12)

- rice (100 g) (60% b1, 35% b3, 4% b5, 6% b6, 69% b9)

- soy meat () <----only choice, really

- orange juice (1 cup) (15% b1, 4% b2, 5% b3, 5% b5, 5% b6, 19% b9, 207% c, added e?)

- grapefruit juice is high in inositol

- cranberry juice (unsweetened. need added c, has e)

- tomato juice

need: 6% b1, 75% b3, 45% b4, 65% b5, 15% b6, 25% b8, 55% b9, 60% b12, 10% k

==========

the list of everything i need to get.

added are green

13 vitamins:
1) A
2) B1 (thiamine)
3) B2 (riboflavin)
4) B3 (niacin)
5) B5 (pantothenic acid)
6) B6 (pyridoxine)
7) B7 (biotin)

8) B9 (folic acid)
9) B12 (cyano-cobolamin)
10)  C
11) D
12) E
13) K

15 amino acids:
1) histidine
2) isoleucine
3) leucine
4) lysine
5) methionine
6) phenylalanine
7) threonine
8) tryptophan
9) valine
10) arginine
11) cysteine
12) glycine
13) glutamine
14) proline
15) tyrosine
+ measure 6 non-essential

4 fatty acids:
1) linoleic acid
2) ala
3) dha
4) epa

23 minerals:
1) calcium
2) phosphorus
3) potassium
4) sulfur
5) sodium
6) chlorine
7) magnesium
8) iron
9) zinc
10) copper
11) manganese
12) iodine
13) selenium
14) molybdenum
15) chromium
16) fluoride
17) bromine
18) cobalt
19) tin
20) vanadium
21) silicon
22) boron
23) nickel
24) lead?

carotenoids (not including pro-vitamin a)
1) lutein
2) zeaxanthin
3) lycopene
4) phytofluene
5) phytoene
6) astaxanthin
7) capsanthin
8) canthaxanthin
9) cryptoxanthin

chlorophyll:
1) chlorophyll a
2) chlorophyll b

other molecules required for proper metabolic functions:
1) choline (cannot synthesize properly)
2) coQ10
3) lipoic acid
4) glutathione precursors
5) ergothioneine  (cannot synthesize)   <-----mushrooms
6) pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) (cannot synthesize)   <-----kiwis
7) queuine  (cannot synthesize)    <-----cheese [made in stomach by bacteria]
8) taurine (cannot synthesize properly) <----cheese

9) betaine (more than a choline precursor?)

10) creatine? (avoidance? creatine increases muscle mass (which is bad.) but also improves brain function (which is good). careful.) 

glucose:
i'm more concerned about diabetes than weight gain, so...
the glycemic index is:
running total...

fiber:
i don't need many different types, i just need some. i'm not worrying about this.

& water

also, let's measure flavonoids:

anthocyanidins:
1) pelargonidin
2) delphinidin
3) cyanidin
4) malvinidin
5) peonidin
6) petunidin
7) rosinidin

flavonols:
1) isorhamnetin
2) kaempferol
3) myricetin
4) quercetin
5) fisetin
6) kaempferide

flavones:
1) luteolin
2) apigenin
3) techtochrysin
4) baicalein (to avoid!)
5) norwogonin
6) wogonin
7) nobiletin

flavanones:
1) eriodictyol
2) hesperetin
3) naringenin
4) hesperidin
5) isosakuranetin
6) pinocembrin
7) sterubin

isoflavones:
1) daidzein
2) genistein
3) glycitein
4) biochanin A
5) formononetin

i should try to measure some further phytoestrogens:
1) matairesinol
2) secoisolariciresinol
3) pinoresinol
4) lariciresinol

5) coumestrol

& finally, let's also measure:
1) saponins
2) ursolic acid (& precursors)
3) cafestol
4) resveratrol
5) ellagic acid
6) coumarin
7) tyrosol
8) hydroxytyrosol
9) oleocanthal
10) oleuropein
11) gingerol
12) phytic acid