Symptoms to Look Out for to Suspect an MTHFR Mutation

MTHFR is a gene that more and more people should be aware of.  Although in recent years, the term has been popping out in health news, the amount of attention it generated is still not at the ideal level.

The term stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. Everyone carries two copies of this gene. At its essence, the MTHFR will instruct your body to create an enzyme that is responsible for breaking down homocysteine. It is an amino acid that can be harmful to your body at very high levels.

A Mthfr Home Test Kit is a simple tool to know if you have an MTHFR mutation.

Two Gene Variants

As mentioned, everyone carries two copies of this gene, one you get from your mother and another you get from your father. The medical terms are A1298C and C677T.

When you carry two copies of C677T, it is known as homozygous. If only one copy of the gene is mutated, it is known as heterozygous. According to the data, a quarter of Hispanics are homozygous, while about 10-15% of Caucasians carry two mutations of C677T. This means they have higher levels of homocysteine.

Women with two mutated genes of C677T tend to bear children with a neural tube defect, which means the babies will need corrective surgeries to have a hope of a normal life. At this point, there’s no known cure for NTD.

Also, people with two C677T mutations are at risk of heart diseases and blood clots.

A rarer form is A1298C mutation. Most of the research surrounding this gene variant is focused on geography or ethnicity.

Symptoms of Mutation

Unfortunately, there is no set of symptoms that will immediately tell you that you carry a mutation. Each person manifests different symptoms depending on the variant, as well as how their bodies respond.

However, different research studies have linked the following symptoms with MTHFR:

  • Embolism
  • Stroke
  • Blood clots
  • Depression
  • Schizophrenia
  • Colon cancer
  • Anxiety
  • Chronic migraine
  • Nerve pain
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Acute leukemia
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Fibromyalgia
  • IBS or irritable bowel syndrome
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Down syndrome
  • Stillbirth
  • Autism
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Miscarriages
  • Neural tube defects in kids

It is important to note that the research into the MTHFR gene mutation is relatively new. The only way to know for sure is to order an Mthfr Home Test Kit.

For instance, if you have thyroid disease or high cholesterol, they tend to raise your homocysteine levels. The test kit will rule out other possible reasons and hone in on the mutation as the probable cause.

Unlike with the lab test, home test kits do not need a sample of your blood to get accurate results. Despite the misconceptions, the saliva test is as accurate as a blood test.

It is a simple process since you only need a cheek swab to complete the procedure. Home test kits are safe to use even for babies. The results will be posted on your account that you will make. Generally, it will take a couple of weeks for the results to come in.