The MTHFR Gene Mutation: Why It Matters For Your Body

You probably don’t think about folate much on a regular basis. Most people know folate is some type of nutrient, but not much more. However, for people living with the MTHFR gene mutation, folate plays a very significant role in their overall health.

Even if you’ve never heard of the MTHFR gene mutation, it could potentially be affecting your health and causing your unsolved health problems. If you are showing signs of the gene mutation, are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant, the MTHFR test is a very valuable tool that can help you improve your health. Here’s what you should know!

What Is MTHFR?

MTHFR is an enzyme that helps the body use folate, also known as vitamin B9, in the way it is intended. Folate is uniquely different than its synthetic form, folic acid. Folate is critical nutrient in the body because it assists with DNA synthesis and repair, encourages cell and tissue growth, supports normal fetal development in pregnant women, and even promotes sperm viability in men. The importance of folate to a healthy body and developing baby cannot be underestimated.

MTHFR Gene Mutation and Folate Problems

If you have the MTHFR gene mutation, your body cannot produce the enzyme needed to properly use folate. This means that all of the critical processes folate enables become stunted. The MTHFR gene mutation causes serious problems, especially for pregnant women and their babies. The most common effects of the MTHFR gene mutation include inflammation, potential heart disease, chronic fatigue, difficult pregnancies, and neural tube defects in newborns.

Should You Get MTHFR Testing?

One simple blood test is all you need to determine whether you have the gene mutation preventing your body from properly using folate. Women with MTHFR are at risk of pregnancy complications, so this test can quickly provide the information needed to make health care changes that will improve or even save a life.

If your test confirms that you do have the MTHFR gene mutation, Dr. Kavita Rao can help you make the diet and lifestyle changes needed to improve your health. Dr. Rao will help you learn how to improve your gut health in order to support the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. This involves cutting out processed grains and refined sugars, eating more fermented foods and homemade broths, and eliminating environmental toxins from your surroundings.

Call Kavita Rao, M.D. at (727) 525-0900 today to make your first appointment and begin optimizing your health.