MTHFR Mutation

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Has anyone had success managing this gene mutation with supplements or lifestyle changes? If so, what worked best for you?

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  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    I hadn't heard of it before, but grassfedsalsa.com explains it well and also gives some dietary and supplement advice.
  • memaw2weston
    memaw2weston Posts: 1 Member
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    Deplin is a medical food that literally will
    Change your life with this mutation. Ask your dr about it!
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Yes, L-methylfolate is the more bioavailable/more easily metabolized version of folic acid. Does have implications for synthesis of various monoamines/neurotransmitters (can be relevant in disease state management for a whole host of cognitive disorders). I have roughly a couple dozen of people in my area on it; requires lab work for confirming however, often I find most psychiatrists will prescribe out of instinct/history of response to conventional therapy.

    With the way healthcare advances go, I am doubtful incorporating genetic testing into determining optimal drug therapy will move into mainstream/standard of practice medicine. Only seems to be utilized by specialists
  • raygunn_viola
    raygunn_viola Posts: 88 Member
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    I have the same mutation. My doctors haven't told me to do anything different
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
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    I tested positive for that mutation when pregnant with my second child. I am heterozygous with the C677T variant. The doctor advised me to continue the prenatal vitamins I had already been taking at the time of diagnosis, and I had to take a baby aspirin every day. Otherwise, the normal allele seems to be compensating for the mutation as I’ve never had any complications or had to have any special treatment outside of pregnancies.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,905 Member
    edited June 2019
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    Has anyone had success managing this gene mutation with supplements or lifestyle changes? If so, what worked best for you?

    Keep active.
    Stay off BCPs.
    Get Clexane shots if you're flying long distances.
    Folic Acid
    Magnesium
    Vit B12

    Works for me! I haven't had a leg full of blood clots since 2009.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    My son has this mutation and takes methylfolate. He doesn't like big pills so I was able to find chewables on Amazon.
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Has anyone had success managing this gene mutation with supplements or lifestyle changes? If so, what worked best for you?

    Keep active.
    Stay off BCPs.
    Get Clexane shots if you're flying long distances.
    Folic Acid
    Magnesium
    Vit B12

    Works for me! I haven't had a leg full of blood clots since 2009.

    You should actually AVOID folic acid and things enriched with it like a lot of processed breads.

    For those who want to test for this, the cheapest route is to buy a cheap ancestry only 23andme kit. Once they process it, you can download the raw data and run it through a snp database like Promethease.
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
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    Yes, thank you everyone!

    My boyfriend did genetic testing with his doctor because he isn't responding well to medicine and this was supposed to help them understand what kind of medications would work better for him. He has looked up the L-methylfolate and bought some on Amazon so we will see what improvements that brings. As i'm researching it, it shows things like keeping certain foods in your diet and regular exercise are also really important, but I just wanted to hear what has worked in people's day to day lives to try and steer him in the right direction.

    It seems to be fairly common, but the list of mental illnesses it can contribute to is daunting.
  • slbbw
    slbbw Posts: 329 Member
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    I am homozygous for the A1298C mutation.
    Folic Acid bad, Methylfolte good.

    I do find I feel best on a Magnesium and B12 supplement, so the above comment I found interesting. When i was pregnant they had me on baby aspirin, but based on literature the A variant does not seem to produce the same issues with clotting.

    Complete anecdotal data that may only pertain to me, but with Vit D, Mag, B12, MethylFolate and Tyrosine and regular exercise I have been weaned from my antidepressants and am feeling great. Unsure if that is MTHFR related or just my particular biochemistry.
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
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    @slbbw thank you, I am very happy to hear that for you! I am hoping some of these things will also help his depression and anxiety. It seems no medications work, and some make it much worse for him.