How can MTHFR affect your health

What to do if you have a MTHFR Mutation?

Key Considerations if you have a MTHFR Mutation

First things first, you need to check if you have the MTHFR gene mutation. Not sure how to do so? Check out our "Testing for MTHFR Gene Mutations" information below.

If you do test positive for an MTHFR Gene Mutation, the first steps you need to take are:
1. Assess your environmental factors. You might be able to manage some of these factors and decrease symptoms associated with MTHFR on your own.
  - are you getting enough sleep?
  - are you too stressed?
  - are you eating a good diet?
  - are you avoiding folic acid?
  - are you exposed to heavy metals or toxins?
2. Consider your medical history:
  - Have you had a miscarriage or has anyone in your family had one? Consider the pregnancy course to guide you through preparing for pregnancy if you have the MTHFR gene (link to course information). Or join me on one of my FREE Preconception video’s
3. Begin Supplementing. Review our information on how to start supplementing if you have the MTHFR gene. It’s always important for you to work with your Health practitioner, however if you don’t have one or can’t afford one then this video will give you some guidance. (link to webinar - this will be recorded in a couple of weeks).This doesn’t take the place of a doctor or practitioner, but if you don’t have access to support, this may be a good first step.
4. See a practitioner who can give you support. If you do not have one then click here for support enquiries@mthfrsupport.com.au
5. Don’t panic! There’s a lot of false and misleading information out there. Don’t believe everything you read. Get good solid advice and I wish you a happy MTHFR journey.!!!

I like to think of this as exciting news! It means you have a roadmap to improving your health and stopping the progression of health issues that plague many people in later life. The earlier you address your health, the easier it is to bring the body back into balance.

Cheers,

Carolyn.

Testing For MTHFR Gene Mutations

Fortunately, there are simple ways to find out if you test positive for a mutation in your MTHFR gene.

Through our MTHFR gene test. By ordering our simple blood spot test or buccal swab test you can find out if you are positive for an MTHFR mutation. The test is simple and you can do it in the privacy of your own home. Our test is available nationally and internationally. Click here to order your testing kit and to learn more.
MTHFR buccal swab, available on our website (here). This is a simple swab of the inside of the mouth. You swab your mouth and send it into us for analyses. This is an ideal option for children.
Doctor/health practitioner. This method takes a bit longer than ordering our kit. You can make an appointment with your doctor or health care practitioner, who may give you a referral form to a pathology collection center. The pathologist will take a blood sample and the results are sent back to your doctor/health care practitioner for analyses. It is important to state you want to test for both of the most common MTHFR mutations (C677T and A1298C).
23andMe Genetic testing. 23andMe is an American genetic testing company that uses a saliva sample to find out your personal genetic code. This is the most comprehensive option to learn more about your inherited conditions, drug response, genetic risk factors and your other genetic traits. For more information click here.

Managing MTHFR Gene Mutations

Knowing if you are positive for an MTHFR gene mutation is important because it may affect your biochemistry to the point that your energy, hormones, mood and detoxification systems are affected. It’s important to remember, just because you have a mutation in this gene, it may not mean you have any issues. What plays the biggest part in MTHFR mutations causing problems is your environment. What you eat, the amount of sleep you get, the stress you are under, the toxins you are exposed to, all play a role in the way your genes are expressed. Your genes are always feeding off of the environment to determine which how much a gene should be expressed and what genes to turn on/off. Working to create a stress free environment is a simple way to begin managing MTHFR gene mutations.

Over the past couple of decades science has been uncovering vast amounts of information in the field of nutritional and biochemical sciences There are some basic guidelines to managing MTHFR mutations through diet and lifestyle. These guidelines revolve around consuming foods that are easy for your body to digest, do not cause inflammation and avoiding toxins overloading the body's detoxification systems. It is recommended that you:

Avoid cereal grains (because they are fortified with folic acid (not the right form of folate we want - see our Folic vs 5-MTHF article
Avoid dairy products (they put extra stress on our immune system)
Avoid processed foods (they lack nutrients and folic acid is often added)
Lower alcohol consumption (it depletes all our B Vitamins)
Quit smoking (puts too many harmful chemicals into our body)
Reduce/modulate stress (stress responses consume the most methyl groups)
Reduce environmental toxins (MTHFR mutations impair the ability to detoxify, placing extra stress on the liver)
Increase vegetable consumption (especially dark leafy greens)
Maintain a healthy weight

Diet and lifestyle is individual. What is right for you, may not be right for the person next to you. But basic guidelines are here. Our detailed diet and lifestyle guide for MTHFR gene mutations can be found here.