Started 5-MTHFR today

[JenniferG]

We saw our LLMD this week and changed a few things. He added 5-MTHF. DD has the 1298C mutation. What should I expect? And is it immediate?

[lfran]

I saw a huge improvement in anxiety in about 3 or 4 days. DS11 is C677T homozygous.

We saw our LLMD this week and changed a few things. He added 5-MTHF. DD has the 1298C mutation. What should I expect? And is it immediate?

[LNN]

I think your results are going to depend on two things. First, how well are you matching the dose of l-methylfolate to the amount the body needs. There's no universal answer on dose. It's very individual. So you pick a starting point and then need to adjust up or down based on response. So if your starting point is close to what's needed, you may see a positive response in a few days. If it's too high, you may see a bad response (rapid mood swings, anger, sudden bursting into tears - very PMS-type symptoms) in a matter of days. If it's too low, you may not see any change at all.

 

Second, with A1298C, you need more than l-methylfolate. You also want to be adding some methyl-B12 to prevent a folate trap. You also need to be adding BH4 or if you can't get that, then TMG as a supplement. Sterling Hill, a woman who runs the website mthfrsupport.com and the FB page MTHFR Support (which is public and open to everyone), writes this blog about 1298 - http://www.mthfrsupport.com/1/post/2012/1/the-importance-of-bh4-in-the-mthfr-a1298c-gene-mutation.html

A little something about BH4:

It is a natural occurring chemical compound that helps convert amino acids such as phenylalanine into other things such as norepinephrine, dopamine and seratonin.

 

Lmethylfolate is where it starts and if you have MTHFR A1298C ... you are lacking BH4. So you are taking your lmethylfolate from nutrition in berries and/or a medical food such as Deplin and then it converts into BH4. Obviously there is still a block in the methylation pathway if you are CBS and/or MTHFR A1298C ...

 

BH4 is crucial for the conversion of tyroseine and tryptophan which then converts into norepinephrine, dopamine and seratonin.

 

Amy Yasko's BH4 lecture:

 

Dr. Neil Rawlins MTHFR lecture and the importance of BH4 in the A1298C gene mutation. You must watch all 4 parts.

 

This link explains BH4 conversion:

http://cdn.neiglobal.com/content/blog/380-l-methylfolate.pdf

 

This is where Dr. Neil Rawlins is recommending we obtain BH4:

http://nutrimedical.com/products.jhtml?method=view&product.id=4013

 

So you may want to email your LLMD and ask about adding BH4 or ask if he'll contact Dr Rawlins (Kadlec Clinic, Richland, WA (509) 942-3627) to get a quick rundown on Rawlins' approach.