Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer MTHFR gene variants may reduce methylation efficiency, a biochemical process essential for producing serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Research by Wan et al. (2018) and Miller (2008) suggests impaired folate metabolism can be associated with increased risk of depression and anxiety. Functional testing, including…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Impaired methylation pathways, often linked to MTHFR gene polymorphisms (C677T and A1298C), may contribute to chronic fatigue, brain fog, and reduced stress tolerance. Even when standard serum B12 and folate levels appear normal, functional deficiencies in 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and methylcobalamin can limit mitochondrial…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Glutathione is the body’s primary intracellular antioxidant and may play a critical role in thyroid protection. Because thyroid hormone synthesis by thyroid peroxidase (TPO) requires hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), adequate glutathione is needed to neutralise excess reactive oxygen species and protect thyroid follicular cells…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer MTHFR testing identifies variants in the Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) gene, which encodes the enzyme responsible for converting folic acid into 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), the biologically active form of folate. Up to 50% of the population may carry at least one MTHFR variant (C677T or…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer A Methylation Panel is a functional blood test that measures S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), homocysteine, and methionine to assess real-time methylation activity within the methionine cycle. The SAMe:SAH ratio serves as a key functional marker of methylation capacity, reflecting how efficiently over 200…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is a key enzyme in one-carbon metabolism that converts dietary folate into its active form, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). While “activated” B vitamins such as methylfolate and methylcobalamin may benefit some individuals with MTHFR C677T or A1298C variants, they are not universally…
