My lived experience at least vaguely reflects the symptoms of ADHD, POTS, MCAS, ehlers danlos hypermobility, binocular vision, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, adrenal fatigue, retained primitive reflexes, and MTHFR. That last one alone seems insurmountable. Will I never feel -good- with this, my environment actively assaulting my physiology?

If you don’t know, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) helps the body process folate, found naturally in broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, beets, chickpeas, oranges, papaya, sunflower seeds, beans, and lentils (Perishable, 2018). Active folate is a key component in the body’s process of making red blood cells and DNA replication. The MTHFR gene is responsible for assisting in the metabolizing of folate. With a genetic variant of this gene, the metabolism of folate is reduced. Folic acid is inactive and must be converted to an active L-Methlyfolate for the body to benefit. In addition to being less beneficial for someone with a variant, folic acid is also thought to get in the way of natural folate, preventing it from being absorbed by the cells (Wylie, 2024). 

The CDC agrees that gene variants are common, more than half the population of the U.S. has one or two copies of an MTHFR variant (MTHFR Gene Variant and Folic Acid Facts, 2024). Yet in contradiction to other sources, they also claim this is no reason to avoid folic acid. In fact, the CDC indicates that those with an MTHFR gene variant process folic acid nearly as well as those without. The MTHFR gene is responsible for producing an enzyme that breaks down homocysteine, an amino acid (Biggers, 2023). Without it, homocysteine builds up in the blood, creating problems. Studies continue to suggest that high homocysteine levels correlate with a disruption in the methylation process and further to a host of neurodegenerative diseases, cognitive impairments and conditions like ADHD and Autism (Lukovac et al., 2024). 

Why does the CDC still recommend, nay -insist- on synthetic folic acid as the be all end all? The relationship between the MTHFR gene variant and specific folate vs. folic acid issues seem clearly highlighted by research. In addition, studies indicate that synthetic folic acid accumulates in the body and is harmful. It can lead to immune dysfunction, increased tumorgenesis, acceleration of leukemia, colorectal and prostate cancer (Tafuri et al., 2018).

Unfortunately, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

References

Biggers, A. (2023, November 24). MTHFR mutation: Symptoms, testing, and treatment. MedicalNewsToday. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326181

Lukovac, T., Hil, O. A., Popović, M., Jovanović, V., Savić, T., Pavlović, A. M., & Pavlović, D. (2024). Serum Biomarker Analysis in Pediatric ADHD: Implications of Homocysteine, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Ferritin, and Iron Levels. Children. MDPI, 11(4), 497. https://doi.org/10.3390/children11040497

MTHFR Gene Variant and Folic Acid Facts. (2024, May 15). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/folic-acid/data-research/mthfr/index.html

Perishable. (2018, December 5). Folic Acid vs Folate – MTHFR Gene Support. MTHFR Gene Support. https://mthfrgenesupport.com/homepage-1/folic-acid-vs-folate/

Tafuri, L., Servy, E., & Menezo, Y. (2018, January). The hazards of excessive folic acid intake in MTHFR gene mutation carriers: An obstetric and gynecological perspective. Clinical Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine. DOI:10.15761/COGRM.1000215

Wylie, S. (2024, August 25). MTHFR & why not to take folic acid during pregnancy – LCON. London Clinic of Nutrition. https://londonclinicofnutrition.co.uk/nutrition-articles/mthfr-and-why-not-to-take-folic-acid-during-pregnancy/