31 | id == 31
31 | category_id == 5
31 | category_order == 3
31 | category_name == Inflammation
31 | category_color == #C47AC0
31 | slug == allergies-asthma-methylation
31 | title == Can You Manage Allergies and Asthma by Balancing Methylation? (MTHFR)
31 | meta_description == MTHFR mutations may be the culprit behind rising rates of asthma, allergies, and eczema. Are you at risk? Check your genes here.
31 | summary == <p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><strong>The incidences of asthma, allergies, and eczema are rising! Interestingly, MTHFR mutations, folate deficiency, and folic acid fortification could be the culprit. Read this post to learn more about how MTHFR may contribute to allergies, and ways that you can address them based on your genes.</strong></p>
31 | overall_score_text == Allergy Score (Based on MTHFR Gene)
31 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/Can-You-Manage-Allergies-and-Asthma-by-Balancing-Methylation_JPG.jpg
31 | author_id == 7
31 | author_name == Nattha Wannissorn
31 | author_title == PhD (Genetics)
31 | author_order == 35
31 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Nattha.jpg
31 | author_intro == <p><strong>Nattha received her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto and her undergraduate degree in Molecular and Computational Biology from the University of Pennsylvania.</strong></p>    <p>Aside from having spent 15 years in biomedical research and health sciences, Nattha is also a registered holistic nutritionist, a certified personal trainer, has a precision nutrition level 1 certification, and is a certified functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner. As a holistic practitioner with a strong science background, Nattha is an advocate of science literacy in health topics and self-experimentation.</p>
31 | reviewer_id == 1
31 | reviewer_name == Jasmine Foster
31 | reviewer_title == BSc, BEd
31 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
31 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
31 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
31 | publish_date == 2019
31 | publish_date == 8
31 | publish_date == 30
31 | avg_rating == 4.5
31 | tags_id == 97
31 | tags_name == Allergies
31 | tags_id == 98
31 | tags_name == Asthma
31 | tags_id == 99
31 | tags_name == Eczema
31 | tags_id == 100
31 | tags_name == Folate
31 | tags_id == 37
31 | tags_name == Methylation
31 | tags_id == 36
31 | tags_name == MTHFR Gene
31 | permissions_favorite == False
31 | permissions_rate == False
31 | content_article == <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this post, we will talk about the roles of the MTHFR gene, folate balance, and risk of allergies.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The MTHFR gene is part of the methylation cycle, which is important for many aspects of your health, from inflammation to hormone balance and mental health. In this post, we will cover primarily the roles of the MTHFR gene in the development of allergic diseases such as allergies, asthma, and eczema.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What are Methylation and the MTHFR gene?</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Methylation means &ldquo;adding a methyl group.&rdquo; It is a chemical modification important for:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Producing the active form of folate, called methylfolate</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Epigenetics, the control of gene activity without direct changes in the DNA sequence, whereby your genes are marked with methyl groups (DNA and histone methylation)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The metabolism of hormones and neurotransmitters</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">MTHFR</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene provides instructions for producing an enzyme known as methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase or MTHFR. This enzyme produces methylfolate, the active form of folate (vitamin B9) that can be transported and used up by cells throughout the body.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The MTHFR gene produces an enzyme that affects methylation and folate metabolism. Because methylation and folate are important for immune balance, mutations inside the MTHFR gene can predispose you to allergies, especially if you are low in methylfolate or consume synthetic folic acid.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">MTHFR and the Immune System</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Immune imbalances, such as allergies, are often due to epigenetic changes in immune cells. Environmental factors, including excessive hygiene and excessive synthetic folic acid use during pregnancy, may cause the epigenetic changes that lead to allergies in young children [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4918254/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605926/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. People with MTHFR mutations have altered methylation, which alters epigenetic marks and further increase their risks of allergic diseases.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Folate deficiency can result in compromised immune function, allergies, food sensitivities, and autoimmunity by reducing the number of regulatory T cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22363800"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">MTHFR mutations lead to a reduced ability to produce methylfolate, which may increase the risk of allergic diseases, especially if the carriers of these mutations are also deficient in folate [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16766537?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26333700"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">*2272399984662187*</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does MTHFR Contribute to Allergies, Eczema, or Asthma?</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Folate is a collective term that refers to all forms of vitamin B9, such as tetrahydrofolate, methylfolate, and folic acid. Folic acid refers to the synthetic and oxidized form of folate that is typically not found in nature.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Folic acid is often used to fortify flour and food products as part of public health campaigns to reduce neural tube defects. The liver needs to convert folic acid into the active form, although it can only convert up to 250 micrograms/day [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/145/3/520/4743700"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. As a result, over 95% of Americans have unmetabolized folic acid in their blood [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/145/3/520/4743700"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When you have decreased MTHFR function, you are much more susceptible to the harmful effects of excess unmetabolized folic acid because folic acid further inhibits MTHFR function.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In mice with 50% MTHFR activity (a model for having two copies of MTHFR C677T), high doses of folic acid (10 times recommended) significantly reduced MTHFR enzyme levels and activity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4340065/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, studies on MTHFR mutations and risk of allergic disease report conflicting results. According to some, MTHFR may increase the risk of allergic diseases [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605926/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16766537"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. According to others, MTHFR mutations are not associated with allergic diseases, either in tested parents or their children [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/35/4/954/686400"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22399526"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18070159/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some studies reported that methyl donors worsened or increased the risks of allergic diseases [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22399526"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">], whereas others reported that methyl donors improved the symptoms or decreased the risks [</span><a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(15)02207-1/fulltext"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/35/4/954/686400"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. The third cohort of studies, however, reported no effects [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20298385"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Having two copies of the minor variant C677T of MTHFR may increase the risk of allergies by up to 58.5%. However, the study results have been mixed, possibly because many factors contribute to allergies.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your MTHFR Results for Allergies</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*2272399984662187*</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Risk alleles in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">MTHFR </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene reduce the effectiveness of the MTHFR enzyme. At rs1801133, two copies of the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele reduce enzyme activity by as much as 70% [</span><a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200104123441517"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fortunately, the &lsquo;AA&rsquo; genotype is rare, representing only 8% of the global population; likewise, the risky &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype at rs1801131 is only found in 7% of all people on Earth.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>MTHFR rs1801133</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Reduced MTHFR enzyme activity, increased risk of allergies&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Increased MTHFR enzyme activity, decreased risk of allergies</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>MTHFR rs1801131</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Reduced MTHFR enzyme activity, increased risk of allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Increased MTHFR enzyme activity, decreased risk of allergies</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">*2196925679736139*</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations to Improve MTHFR Function</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before starting any new diet or supplement, talk to your doctor about your genetic data to see if they're right for you.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Too little folate can cause or worsen allergies, whereas too much folate can cause cancers [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/107/2/139/4911454"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Therefore, rather than simply supplementing, you can monitor the following lab tests on </span><a href="https://www.labtestanalyzer.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LabTestAnalyzer</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and maintain optimal levels:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Red blood cell and serum folate: Folate supplementation may help with allergic diseases [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19409604"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21297321"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Folate deficiency worsens symptoms [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26561879"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency compounds with folate deficiency and makes it worse, especially when it comes to allergies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015712/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*8381929408483118*</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dietary folate is the best source of folate if you don&rsquo;t have any problems digesting or absorbing folate. Avoid synthetic folic acid and folic acid-fortified foods because too much folic acid tends to block folate processing and overall make active folate less available. Instead, eat whole-food sources of folate, such as chicken liver and leafy green vegetables.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lifestyle</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sun exposure is the best way to get vitamin D, which helps modulate the immune system and reduce allergies. Get plenty of sun exposure to increase regulatory T cells and vitamin D levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187459/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplements</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you take folate, use a high-quality vitamin B complex that includes methylfolate to reduce the risks of having unmetabolized folic acid in the blood [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28895788"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dosages should be less than 500 micrograms per day. Quatrefolic and Metafolin are two shelf-stable forms of methylfolate that are typically found in quality supplements. Again, avoid supplementing with folic acid.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have asthma, allergy, or wheeze, choline (a B vitamin that works as a known methyl donor), may help with symptoms [</span><a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(13)01700-4/pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">If you have the MTHFR mutation and suffer from allergies, make sure that your vitamin D and folate levels are optimal, eat liver and leafy greens, and avoid synthetic folic acid. Sun exposure and vitamin B complex supplements may also help.</span></p>
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31 | content_learn_more_2272399984662187_text == Based on the variants we looked at, you may be at moderate risk of methylfolate deficiency. This may predispose you to allergic diseases. You’ll need to support your immune system and ensure healthy folate status. Keep scrolling to see how. 
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rsIDs = rs1801133,rs1801131
rsStatus = rs1801133,MTHFR,chr1,11796321,G,A,C,,40,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs1801131,MTHFR,chr1,11794419,T,G,,,24,15,HET
