MTHFR

MTHFR gene

It looks like it’s an abbreviation for another word and to be honest, if you suffer from this and its symptoms, you may feel like using the word I’m hinting at.

MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. It’s getting attention due to a genetic mutation that may lead to high levels of homocysteine in the blood and low levels of folate and other vitamins.

People can have either one or two mutations (or neither) on the MTHFR gene. These mutations are often called variants. Having one variant (heterozygous) is unlikely to contribute to health issues. Some people believe having two mutations (homozygous) may lead to more serious problems. Gene mutations are inherited according to conventional medicine, which means you acquire them from your parents. At conception, you receive one copy of the MTHFR gene from each parent. If both have mutations, your risk is higher of having a homozygous mutation.

Symptoms vary from person to person and from variant to variant. Conditions that have been proposed to be associated with MTHFR include:

Cardiovascular and thromboembolic diseases (specifically blood clots, stroke, embolism, and heart attacks).

Depression.

Anxiety.

Bipolar disorder.

Schizophrenia.

Colon cancer.

Acute leukemia.

Chronic pain and fatigue.

Nerve pain.

Migraines.

Recurrent miscarriages in women of child-bearing age

pregnancies with neural tube defects, like spina bifida and anencephaly.