MTHFR
I have MTHFR. It's also known as methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. It's not a disease, rather it's a genetic mutation. Most people have not heard of it. I hadn't heard of it until just a few months ago when my blood results came back.
I was told that I got one mutated chromosome each from both my mom and dad. It is not uncommon to have. Almost half of the population has it. MTHFR means that my body is not able to accept the regular form of folic acid. I need to take an activated form of folic acid, also called folate, Metafolin or L-5-MTHF, as my multivitamin daily.
MTHFR manifests itself in so many ways. For me it was connected to my debilitating fatigue but for others it can be linked to depression, anxiety, miscarriages, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and so on.
My son also has MTHFR. I'm glad that we learned this early on because we are able to control possible health risks through proper diet and lifestyle. Finger prick tests are available to check for MTHFR this way the experience is not so traumatic and taxing for the child. Since Constantine has MTHFR he takes a daily multivitamin with folate.
Learning about MTHFR has helped me better understand my health condition. If you have the mutation there is no way to avoid it but the beautiful thing is there are actionable steps you can take to improve your health.
Along with my multivitamin with folate, I currently take a powerful probiotic, liposomal glutathione, digestive enzymes, and ProOmega CoQ10. These supplements are helping me to function on a daily basis. It is best to consult with a functional medicine doctor because every person's needs are different. In my case, there has been slow but steady progress.
As I have mentioned before learning about this mutation was a blessing. If I had not seen a functional medicine doctor I would be on antidepressants now, which might have addressed my symptoms but done nothing to address the root cause.
Functional medicine is key to getting the health questions we have better answered. Through the help of a functional medicine doctor we learn that consuming the right kind of foods is medicine and allowing proper rest and exercise is vital to living and feeling our best.
Resources
A very helpful article series by Dr. Doni Wilson, NP, CPM, CNS
Functional medicine website Find a functional medicine doctor near you.
A Story of Healing: Detoxification and MTHFR
Resources for Clean Eating
“MTHFR manifests itself in so many ways. For me it was connected to my debilitating fatigue but for others it can be linked to depression, anxiety, miscarriages, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and so on.”