A third of the many women struggling with infertility cannot figure out why they are faced with these problems conceiving – it’s a mystery to their doctors, the specialists, and all involved. New research suggests that the cause could be an MTHFR gene mutation. This is a mutation that affects men and women equally and it’s all about how you utilize folate in your body – a vital nutrient when it comes to your fertility. Those with the mutation cannot properly absorb and utilize folate.
As we start to hear more about MTHFR in the media, I want to let you in on my perspective: if think that we should ALL act as though we have this gene mutation, regardless of whether testing shows that we do or not. Why? Because our ability to metabolize toxins is already compromised due to increased chemical exposure, and taking the methylated form of folate can help your body manage all of this whether you have the mutation or not.
Following the recommended guidelines for managing this problem can only come to good, in my view. My husband suffers with one of the signs of MTHFR gene mutation – IBS – and so he takes the methyl form of folic acid as a supplement and lives a lifestyle as free of toxins as possible, just incase this is something he is dealing with. If you are trying to conceive right now, then acting as though you too have this gene mutation, regardless of the symptoms or signs you might experience, is going to help you and support the health of your future baby.
That said, let me give you a little more information on what this gene mutation is, what it means, and why it’s important for your fertility.
What is the MTHFR gene mutation?
The faulty enzyme MTHFR (which stands for methyl-tetrahydrofolate reductase – what a mouthful!) is responsible for methylation, which is a core process that occurs in all cells that aids cell repair, detoxification, neurotransmitter production, and supports a robust immune system function.
As part of the cell repair process, when functioning correctly, this enzyme helps to produce and repair DNA and RNA and ensures cells are created to do what they are supposed to do in the body. With detoxification and neurotransmitter production, this enzyme supports the conversion of amino acids into neurotransmitters. It is essential for turning our food into healthy, functional hormones. MTHFR also ensures immune system function via the formulation of red and white blood cells and platelets. A gene mutation will cause inflammatory build up in the body and this will become the source of many serious health problems.
How does this impact my fertility?
The most important piece of information to retain about this MTHFR gene mutation is that those who have it will find that they are super-sensitive to environmental and food borne toxins. They have a hard time getting rid of these elements through the normal detoxification processes in the body and this sets them up for major illnesses and diseases, including infertility, fibromyalgia, miscarriages, blood clots, migraines, mental health issues like bipolar and depression, and inflammatory diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as breast cancer. MTHFR gene mutation has also been linked to children being born with Down’s Syndrome, Autism and Spina Bifida.
People with the MTHFR gene mutation don’t make enough glutathione, which is a primary antioxidant and detoxifier. They instead accumulate toxins in the body that lead to premature aging, a poor functioning liver, a compromised reproductive system, and fertility issues.
This may all seem frightening, but it’s not out of your control completely. As with many diagnoses of this kind, if you get into action today you can change the outcome.
5 diet and lifestyle strategies for those who have the MTHFR gene mutation (and even for those who don’t!)
- Have lots of foods that are high in folic acid and glutathione – which means plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Do more juicing. This will help you to up your intake of fruits and veggies and also help absorption of the nutrients, as you won’t be having to process all that fibre as well.
- Don’t use poor quality cooking oils – pick nutrient packed olive and coconut oil instead.
- Do not overheat your food – choose to lightly steam or sautee when possible. This will help you avoid the toxins that can be transmitted from our commonly used cooking utensils.
- Always eat organic. Eating non-organic even for just a week can have a profound impact on your body and your immediate health outcomes. Visit your local farmer’s market to get the best deals.
PLUS like my husband, take the active and most bioavailable form of methyl folate and a methyl B12 or B100 complex. You can’t take just any folic acid or folate supplement, if you do have this gene mutation folate in the unmethylated form is very difficult for your system to deal with.
How you can get tested
You can get tested for MTHFR gene mutation through a home diagnostics online service like 23andme.com and use Genetic Genie to interpret the mailed results.
Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!
to your FLO,
Alisa
Good things come in threes:
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Hi, I have MTHFR, Homozygous C677T, and I do follow those steps. I want to get pregnant soon but of course want to avoid a miscarriage. Most OBGYN’s tell me to take a baby aspirin everyday while pregnant to prevent clots. I know aspirin can have some negative effects on your intestinal lining and such. I am looking for a more natural alternative. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you
I have a heterozygous mutation of MTHFR and was tested at 23 and me with interpretation by Genetic Genie. I have been taking a small dose of methylated B12 and methyl folate as a result and have stopped my regular B complex vitamin. I am already on your protocol so have already switched to organic, and eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. I have PCOS (and have just come off of hormones….we’ll see how that goes). I have some other mutations that make it more difficult for me to break down estrogen, dopamine, epinephrine (COMT mutations) so I decided not to go too high with the methylated folate. I also eat very little processed food (just some gluten free bread and gluten free whole grain crackers on occasion) which i have heard is problematic with MTHFR mutations. Thanks for the article. I have been wondering your take on this.
I know that I have a form of MTHFR. Can you recommend a brand or source of the methyl folate and a methyl B12 or B100 complex? I’m currently taking Designs for Health B Supreme, which says “TMG and choline are included to support methylation” but I’m not sure if that’s good enough. Thanks!
Hi Alisa,
Great! Information on the MTHFR mutation gene.
I had the 23 and Me genetic testing.However I couldn’t get the health part done because of FDA guidelines.So I am missing a very big important part of that test.I don’t understand why the FDA has to get involved.This test is not hurting anyone we know what we signed up for getting this test done.The FDA has put are lives at risk by letting harmful drugs and medical devices on the market with the 510(k) clearance.meaning any drug or medical device similar to what’s out there can by pass the clinical trials.As of the present over 3,000 medical devices and or drugs have been approved by this FDA 510(k) process.
Jeanette,
Did you know that you can run your 23 and Me results through sites like Genetic Genie for free and it can give you your MTHFR status? Although 23 and Me aren’t able to at this point give the health side of the results you still get the raw genetic data. There are other sites that give you more info than just the methylation/MTHFR info but they’re usually pay sites (Livewello, MTHFR Support, Nutrahacker,etc)! 🙂
Dear Jeanette,
I, too, used 23andme.com to get my genetic testing done. With the current FDA restrictions, 23andme can not give you a health report or interpret any of your health data BUT they do provide you with the raw data. To use this to find out what your MTHFR status is, try the site my husband and I used which is http://www.geneticgenie.org. It’s a $5-10 donation to put your raw data through their site and get your MTHFR results. Hope this assists you.
–Accala
Hi! You can get your raw data interpreted by Promethease for $5. It will give you the health data. It is how I found out I am homozygous for C677T.
Hello, I only recently found about this. I’m Type 1 diabetic (juvenile) but completely stable with perfect levels – even better than some non-diabetics. Anyway I was told after about 7 months of us trying that since I’m diabetic I may not absorb folic acid as easily as other people so I needed to up my dose of folic acid to 5 mg / day. However no doctor EVER told me that there different kinds. I only recently was told this by my acupuncturist/naturopath. I switched immediately. The crazy thing is that during my 1st cycle taking it (only 3/4 of a cycle since I only found out about it a week or so after my period) I conceived. The pregnancy didn’t last but it has given me a lot more hope and I have a strong gut feeling the B/folate absorption has been an issue. I have switched my B complex & b12 to methyl forms. The question I have is why didn’t my doctor say that there different forms? I don’t get it. We have been trying for over a year & a half & by this stage I could have spent money on IVF but had a gut feeling to keep trying naturally focusing on reducing stress and with a TCM approach. I have felt from the beginning this was somewhat related to unbalanced hormones / deficiencies since all my medical tests have come back normal. Why aren’t doctors talking about this? If 1/3 of unexplained infertility could be related to this wouldn’t it be easier to just take these forms vs considering invasive procedures like IVF? It really boggles my mind…
Many doctors are not educated about MTHFR. Mine did the same thing and put me on Folguard. Another RE prescribed 5mg of prescription Folic Acid. At the end of the day, sadly, your needing their continued help or IVF is more money in their pockets. It’s a business after all…
I love that most of your suggestions are food based. Just want to say that I’ve been researching the methylation pathway and working successfully with clients for two years now and MTHFR is one gene out of many that affect detoxification, hormones, neurotransmitters and the utilization of nutrients. One major caveat is that one does not want to address folate issues until inflammation, ammonia and b12 issues are addressed first. If you find supplementing with methyl donors causes anxiety or the desire to throw plates at the wall, you definitely have other pathway issues that must be addressed first. Thanks for all your work – I get lots of newsletters that I don’t read, but I make a point to read yours!
Hi J, can you expand on this? Also are you a Naturopath? Looking for someone to help w MTHFR issues. 🙂
Thanks for the article! Is there any research about which birth control methods are best for mthfr mutants? Specifically, is there any research on mthfr and copper IUDs?
I see that my comment got deleted, and was never answered.
Hi Elizabeth,
I am not sure what happened! Please feel free to repost.
While I agree strongly with much of this article, I believe, based on peer reviewed and recent research into how folic acid can effect the developing fetus, that recommending that everyone take methylated folic acid is irresponsible. Based on what I’ve learned through my research, I even think the notion of prenatal vitamin supplementation will be challenged as we learn more about how concentrated vitamin compounds effect the human body and fetal development. Are you aware that too much folic acid in mothers has been linked to brain changes, gene changes, cord blood anomalies, and other negative consequences? The problem with mass supplementation without proper testing for genes like MTHFR is that not everyone metabolizes vitamins in the same way. And it’s impossible to selectively activate which genes and pathways through supplementation meaning that the scales could be tipped in the wrong direction without us even realizing it. I urge you to read my blog summarizing the most recent research on folic acid supplementation before making recommendations like this: http://www.crediblefeast.com/are-prenatal-vitamins-dangerous-folic-acid-follies-and-our-health/
Hi I have MTHFR and I was wondering if you can still get pregnant and not have a miscarriage if you have MTHFR while using Birth Control Pills?
I have a compound mutation of MTHFR. (Which means heterozygous for both types together). I was taking methylfolate and methylated B12 for about 8 months before I decided to get pregnant. This was my first pregnancy and it went smoothly from start to finish. I now have an adorable healthy baby, thank God.
Just putting this out there to let people know that if you’re young, are taking the right folate, and are otherwise healthy, don’t be scared to become pregnant because of your MTHFR status. My pregnancy required no medical interventions.
It’s easy to get scared off because of all the information out there about complications from MTHFR.
To my understanding, a huge segment of the population has MTHFR mutations and doesn’t know about it! That’s because it hasn’t affected them (or their ability to carry babies to term). When and why it affects a person is poorly understood.
Of course you should take all possible precautions!
Only maintain a belief in your body and don’t let knowledge of your mthfr status scare you off.
I have MTHFR and am ttc. How much methylfolate should I be taking?
Hi,
I have had 6 miscarriages and my last pregnancy was the one that spurred me into taking my own action with research. That pregnancy ended at 14 weeks and the baby had Down Syndrome – i am 30 yrs old so not in high risk category. I have other symptoms that fall into auto immune disease or PCOS categories but i am negative on the tests, I did my own research after my doctor put mw on 4mg of folic acid. so i have just sent off my 23andme test as I feel like maybe i have the MTHFR polymorphism. I am taking 1mg L-5-MTHF and also methylcolobamin B12. Ive started the Keto diet in order to remove all grains which may be fortified with folic acid and switching over to Organic as much as possible.
Do you know how long before i should start to TTC again? Is one month enough with this new lifestyle? Long enough to detoxify?
Thanks for the article!