MTHFR stands for Methylene Tetrahydrofolate Reductase. This enzyme is responsible for converting folate into the active form, L Methyl-Folate. About 30% of the population has the MTHFR mutation. The mutation reduces the efficiency of the MTHFR enzyme by between 30 and 70% depending on whether you one or two copies of the anomaly (one from each parent).
While there many MTHFR coded enzymes only two make much of difference, MTHFR 677 and MTHFR 1298.
Each enzyme is defined by a information from both parents. If you get an anomaly from one parent only then it is called heterozygous. If you get one from both parents, then it is called homozygous.
If you have these anomalies your body will have trouble making enough active folate which is linked to a number of medical conditions such as anxiety, depression, blood clots, and reduces your body's ability to detoxify.
If you do not produce enough active folate due to the MTHFR anomaly you can simply take active folate as a supplement.
It should be noted that many people with the anomaly have no health issues related to MTHFR.
However, for those that do, we suggest supplementing with L-methyl folate (active folate) for MTHFR 677 either heterozygous or homozygous.
For elevated or high normal homocysteine we recommend Methyl Matrix which is formulated to support the entire methylation pathway and to reduce homocysteine levels.
One of the reasons methylation problems are associated with brain issues is the dependence on the methylation pathway for construction of phosphatidylcholine a key component of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter and a key component of cellular membranes.
