Have you been googling for ways to improve your health and come across suggestions to test MTHFR? What is MTHFR and what does it have to do with any of your conditions? 

If you are one of the 60 percent of people with a genetic defect in the MTHFR gene, it could affect your ability to successfully manage conditions such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, cardiovascular states/high blood pressure, joint inflammation/pain, or brain-based symptoms.

MTHFR is the acronym for MethyleneTetraHydroFolate Reductase, an enzyme involved in processing folate, or vitamin B9, into a usable form the body can assimilate. It’s also necessary to metabolize folic acid, a synthetic form of folate used in supplements.

Thanks to the popularity of gene testing, people can now learn whether they have a mutation in the MTHFR gene. If so, it means their methylation pathways are impacted and contributing to health challenges.