Defective gene can affect feel-good cycle

MTHFR offers new insight into mental illness.

No, I promise I’m not being rude.

While you may not yet have heard of it, MTHFR is the acronym for methylene tetra hydro folate reductase, a gene that produces a crucial enzyme (it is not a rude text message).

MTHFR is important in many functions of the human body but this article will focus on its connection to mental health issues — depression, autism, schizophrenia, ADHD and bipolar disorder.

Inside every one of us there are many different biochemical processes occurring every second.

One such process is methylation.

In regards to mental health, methylation helps convert common B vitamins (such as folate, B6 and B12) to a more usable form, methyl folate.

This form gets pushed further along the methylation pathway, eventually producing the neurotransmitters we need to keep us feeling good: serotonin and dopamine.

If there is a fault anywhere in this cycle our neurotransmitter production is affected and we are more likely to experience mental illness.

This is where the MTHFR gene comes in.

The MTHFR enzyme controls this methylation cycle so if we happen to have a mutation in the gene, the cycle will not be efficient.

The end result is our neurotransmitter production is affected.

As with all genes, we inherit one copy from mum and one from dad.

We might be lucky enough to get two perfect MTHFR genes.

Or we may get one or two not-so-good copies which can cause a reduction of up to 70 per cent in the methylation cycle.

It is estimated up to 40 per cent of us carry a mutation in this gene, which may help to explain the strong genetic link in mental health disorders.

But, just having a defective gene is not enough to cause an issue.

We can walk around with defective genes and be perfectly OK.

It is only when something in our environment causes these genes to switch on (like eating poor-quality processed foods or living a highstress lifestyle) that they start to be problematic.

Finding out if you have a MTHFR issue is as simple as a blood test.

And if you do happen to have a mutation on the gene, then there is plenty you can do.

Each individual needs a program, but the following are strategies we can use to help boost our methylation pathways:

■ Eat loads of green leafy vegies and broccoli which are high in natural folate.

■ Avoid supplements and foods containing folic acid as your body will not be able to metabolise this synthetic form of folate.

■ Eat wholesome, unprocessed foods.