MTHFR and COMT, your Stress, Anxiety, Health & Happiness.
When should you allow your stress and anxiety rule your health?
These emotions and chemical responses could have an underlying issue at hand.
If, you are, not able to metabolize your B vitamins and use the form that is bioavailable, then what?
Methylation occurs at every cellular level so why wouldn’t we first look to how the system is functioning rather than what symptoms are a result?
Two genes that are responsible for these processes are known as MTHFR and COMT both of which are keys to progression in the body’s functions but also help maintain and control our brain chemistry including our mood, stress and anxiety, our immune function, inflammation, energy production, detoxification of chemicals, toxins and intermediary compounds, and health of our cardiovascular system.
In a MTHFR mutation, you might be experiencing issues with reduced Enzyme function, you may have mutations for being either homozygous or heterozygous (one of the same gene or two different alleles for the same gene). These mutations may place you at higher risk for increased levels of homocysteine – a marker of inflammation and a risk factor for heart disease, atherosclerosis and venous thrombosis.
People who have this mutation either hetero or homo may have varying degrees of creating/maintaining active form of folic acid, called folate, which allows the body to function properly. Proper levels of folate help in prevention of depression (not the sole preventative measure but a useful one).
COMT also known as Catechol-O-methyltransferase is another common mutation, which occurs with the conversion of the amino acid valine to methionine at position 158, this change causes a reduction in the ability to break down neurotransmitters.
COMT is central to our dopamine metabolism. Mutations or changes in this gene are associated with lowered resiliency or the ability to adapt to stress, an increased sensitivity to pain and the propensity to worry or reminisce.
COMT also plays an integral role in our estrogen metabolism (men and women alike) which may lower potential for cancer-causing metabolites.
Should you be wondering if these genetic mutations apply to you, lets start with some simple blood testing and discover what the root is to the dysfunction
.