I recently learned that I have the MTHFR Gene Mutation which is believed to put those who have it at higher risk of Cardiovascular and thromboembolic diseases. I was advised by my lipidologist that supplementing with methylfolate (bioavailable folate) rather than synthetic folic acid could potentially lower the risk of future events but that there has been no scientific evidence substanciating this belief. I’m wondering if anyone here has tested positive and if so have you tried folate supplements? Have they helped with fatigue, brain fog and depression symptoms?
So I’ve been stumped and had to look everything up! I found this for our other members MTHFR Gene Variant and Folic Acid Facts | Folic Acid | CDC which goes into a little detail about the gene. And this one MTHFR Gene Mutations: What You Need to Know I’d also never heard of a lipidologist What Is A Lipidologist? . I’d also never heard of homocysteine Homocysteine: Function, Levels & Health Effects . Here’s something on folate Folate - Health Professional Fact Sheet Thank you for teaching me something new!
I’m guessing your lipidologist did the blood work too? I have to take a supplement for folic acid due to the methotrexate I have to take long term so the Rheumatoid checks it every 3 months along with a lot of other things. Have you questioned why they would suggest you take one over the other? May e their experience has led them to believe it’s better with their client population. I have learned over the years that we often need to question our specialists just to understand where they are coming from. If they don’t like being challenged, I get another as I need someone who is a good fit for me and I always have a plethora of questions it seems.
I obviously am not a medical person and I’ve never had any genetic testing so can’t help you. But oh my gosh what a wonderful learning experience you’ve given me! I hope you get this figured out and please let us know.
Thank you for your response! It certainly has been a learning opportunity for me as well! I was sent to the Lipidologist to assess my high cholesterol that wasn’t responding to traditional medications such as statins. She is the one who ordered the gene testing and put me on Repatha which has dramatically helped with my cholesterol. I’ve ordered a MTHFR supplement to start taking. I will report back if I feel any improvement in some of my lingering symptoms.
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I’m on Repatha as well, no genetic testing done but the prior two PCPs (the first took an early retirement to be a stay at home mom when something bad happened at the private school they were attending) ran through all of the statins, on the last one, the pharmacist refused to refill it due to horrible painful leg cramps. He put me on something that I received in the mail but then I was abruptly taken off, he didn’t do the necessary paperwork to keep me in as a test subject. He and I didn’t get along well and when I ruptured he was useless. Told me to get a new neurosurgeon he didn’t know what to do for me. But the PCP I still have put me on Repatha when I strongly refused to go in a statin again. He hadn’t sent her my record as requested. We both had called several times. I’d even asked if I just needed to get BH to drive me there and pick it up. The last time I called, I told the secretary I would report them to the State AG and the medical board if it wasn’t to her by end of the working day citing the days, times, and person I spoke to requesting my record be sent. Of course I was still in SoWok mode so there was probably the mention of the relating NCGS number
. My PCP received my record that day. Just goes to show sometimes we need to put a little force and knowledge for ourselves.
Interestingly my numbers were never really high, and the powers that be kept lowering them. My LDL became way too low as there seems to be a negative correlation between the two for me. I take it once a month now instead of every two weeks. We try to follow a Mediterranean diet but may make the switch to the MIND diet as @FinWhaleFan has mentioned several times.
I hope the Repatha works for you as well as it does for me, better in fact! Remember to hydrate the day before your bloodwork and breathe out when the needle goes in, makes life much easier for you and the phlebotomist!
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Hi,
I am a licensed naturopathic in AZ and had a SAH last year. I hope this is okay but I’d like to explain what it means to have a MTHFR mutation. I have several liver methylation pathway mutations including this one. There are many different MTHFR enzymes that help us methylate our toxins and push them out of our liver to our waste system. If we have mutations of the MTHFR gene enzymes, this slows down our detoxification pathway and toxins back up like homocysteine. We can feel more sluggish, hormone byproducts that need to go out the waste pathway recycle and create havoc with hormone regulation. So taking methylfolate bypasses the bad gene pathway and helps us get rid of toxins. Methylated B12 is also important to improve detoxification. That’s why people feel better when they get a B12 injection for “energy”.
If your test came back and you’re heterozygous for either C677T and A1298C or both this means you have one mutation of the two genes. This means that of all the folate one consumes from fruits and vegetables, there’s only about 70% of the folate enzymes available for the methylation detox cycle. If there are homozygous genes, meaning both genes are mutated, then only about 30% of the enzymes are available. Which can make one feel tired and sluggish. But it is high homocysteine that is linked to stiffer blood vessels, higher blood pressure, but it’s a small correlation. Here is what I found:
“Some small-scale genetic epidemiology studies have observed a higher frequency of the T allele in individuals who suffered an SAH, concluding that high homocysteine levels may play an indirect role in the underlying damage. However, comprehensive large-scale meta-analyses show mixed, controversial, or weak correlations, meaning MTHFR status is an incredibly poor predictor of whether someone will experience a brain bleed.” National Institutes of Health (.gov) +2
Always discuss taking supplements with a knowledgeable integrative doctor. These levels can be tested easily and are normally tested together (B12 and folate). You can have them checked at your next doctor’s appointment (the test needs to be fasting and a week off of all supplements).
I hope this is helpful,
Laura
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This is great information! Thanks so much for sharing it.
Great information, thank you for sharing!
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