Why The Type of Folate You Take Matters: What The Heck is MTHFR?
Folate is derived from leafy green vegetables (Foliage) and is a member of the B vitamin family, sometimes referred to as vitamin B-9.
Adequate folate is critical for the development of the nervous system in the fetus and is given to many women who are trying to conceive. Deficiency is linked to neural tube defects which are birth defects that involve the brain and spinal cord like spina bifida and anencephaly (lack of brain development in utero). Deficiency can also lead to increased miscarriages.
Methyl tetrahydrofolate (MTHF) is the active form of folate used in your body. Folic Acid (which is in many supplements and enriched foods) is not. Folic acid must be converted to methyl tetrahydrofolate before it can be used biochemically.
Many people have a slight mutation in their genes that code for methyl tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) which is an enzyme that is critically important in our bodies. About 40% of the population carry one small mutation. (myself included) But some people carry two copies of the gene mutation. This is not a life-threatening mutation. The MTHFR enzyme still works, it just doesn’t work as well.
MTHFR, the enzyme, works biochemically in helping our bodies repair faulty DNA, in detoxifying our bodies from certain chemicals, helps make glutathione, reduces inflammation that can lead to heart disease and free radicals and is VERY important in making neurotransmitters.
People who carry one or two mutations in this enzyme have a higher risk of heart disease, increased risk of miscarriage, ADHD, depression and possibly autism and chemical sensitivities. It is common in people with chronic fatigue syndrome as well.
Using folic acid as a supplement or eating a diet high in enriched foods like cereals and grains can “clog up” the methyl folate receptors which can slow down methylation and its biochemical outcomes.
I’ve heard it said that having the MTHFR mutation is like being on a four-lane highway and having it go into one lane. Things slow down and don’t move as smoothly.
While you can’t change the mutation, you can give your body what it needs to function better. Methyl folate “lubricates” the enzyme. There are other genes and nutrients also involved in methylation like B12, B6, B2 and Magnesium. These also help this methylation cycle.
Good forms of folate are methyl tetrahydrofolate, Quatre-folate, 5-MTHF (the most biologically active form) and folinic acid. And I like to include some b12 when I take folate. If you know you have this MTHFR – it’s good to take B6, B2 and magnesium as well. You don’t have to take super high doses of these things. Sometimes, a small dose of the right nutrient or nutrients can go a long way to improving your health.
Better yet, eat lots of fresh green leafy vegetables. And reduce your intake enriched grains and cereals.
Dr. Jennifer Means welcomes you for Primary Care for the whole family: Nutrition, IV Therapy, Naturopathy, and Acupuncture. Contact us at 503-641-6400.
