By Rachel D. Egan, PMHNP-BC

The MTHFR gene governs how we metabolize dietary folic acid. In the perfect world, our bodies would break folic acid down into the next chemical step, l-methylfolate. This is important in part because l-methylfolate is responsible for transporting serotonin from the gut up to the brain. Over 90% of our serotonin is actually stored in our gut, so in order to get the benefit from it on mood, anxiety, sleep and hunger regulation, we need it to move up to our brain.

People with mutations at the MTHFR site do not convert their folic acid effectively into l-methylfolate, meaning they don’t have that healthy serotonin flow to the brain. This puts them at risk for mood and anxiety symptoms at baseline. Furthermore, if folks with this mutation are then put on SSRI medications, those medications will have a harder time working, because the robust serotonin supply does not exist for them to work on. This put people at a higher risk for side effects with this class of medication.

The MTHFR mutation can also lead to high levels of homocysteine. There is a correlation between high homocysteine levels and depression. Additionally, MTHFR can impact maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, and can also cause cardiovascular concerns.

If you are interested in exploring your MTHFR status and receiving counseling regarding it, please reach out to us to discuss!