Dr. Verma: What Is MTHFR?
Dr. Verma-Dzik is the owner and founder of Ridgefield-based Fairfield Naturopathic Health. A board-certified Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Verma is also a certified medical acupuncturist who practices holistic medicine in the treatment of acute and chronic health conditions.
In this week’s segment, Dr. Verma talks about MTHFR.
For those of you who have read my article on electrolytes, I mentioned a condition called MTHFR. I’m sure as you read through that article, some of you were wondering what MTHFR is.
What Is MTHFR and What Can You Do About It?
MTHFR stands for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, and it is an enzyme that is responsible for converting folic acid into its active methylated form so that the body can use it through many biochemical processes. These processes are required for proper liver detoxification, to keep our cells healthy, for DNA and RNA repair, to help with our energy and for neurotransmitter production, the chemicals responsible for sleep, mood and behavior.
When the methylation process is not functioning optimally in the body and there is an MTHFR SNP, a genetic mutation, it is associated with numerous conditions, such as migraines, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, frequent miscarriages, autoimmune diseases, thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and many more.
So, what can you do if you have MTHFR? Simple steps include eating a healthy diet that is rich in leafy greens and B vitamins and avoiding folic acid fortified foods. You also want to make sure you consume foods that have natural folates in them, not synthetic.
It’s important not just to eat healthy, but also to avoid exposure to toxins the best you can by drinking filtered water, avoiding fish high in mercury, cooking with uncoated, stainless steel cookware, and eating organic foods to decrease the toxic load on your liver so that it can properly detoxify.
I also recommend taking a multivitamin with the methylated forms of folic acid and B12. However, if you are taking the methylated forms and feel worse or the same, then other pathways within your body need to first be addressed in order to be able to process these vitamins the way your body needs to.
Unfortunately, it is not always as simple as taking the methylated form of folate through supplementation. For some, taking methyl folate prior to addressing issues that may be blocking the methylation pathway will actually make them feel worse. Therefore, it is wise to seek treatment through an experienced Naturopathic Physician who knows how to treat MTHFR, especially if you are suffering from any of the above conditions. Once proper treatment is received, you will learn how to live with MTHFR regain your health.
When it comes to preventative medicine, I recommend all my patients are checked. It is one gene that we can take control of to achieve better our health. Testing can be done through either blood testing or saliva through commonly known labs.
Is it covered by insurance? Insurance companies do not always cover it and it can become costly. Fortunately, I use functional medicine labs which are far less expensive.
To learn more about MTHFR, please contact me at 203.247.9496 or via email drv@fairfieldnaturopathichealth.com.
Dr. Veena Verma-Dzik, ND, FIAMA has an office at 20 Prospect Street inside Susi Laura Massage in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Visit here website here.