Folic acid in diet and health of your genes.

Folic acid and your genetic variant

How a gene test could help you prevent serious health concerns

The Human Genome Project is devoted to providing the latest in human genes and is famous for making the first human gene map back in 2003. Thanks to their research, developments in genetic testing make it possible to catch health conditions before their development and know how your body in reacting. This is a huge step in the medical field because it is now possible to treat and prevent different health conditions before they emerge.

Also with the new research found, we are able to use a low-cost test to find out if our genes are vulnerable, and then decide which nutrients would help in those weak spots.

In one of our genetic tests, the “Sport & Fitness” the focus is on various genes and enzymes. MTHFR is an important gene that gets run through the test. MTHFR or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase is an enzyme in the chemical reaction that creates folate by adding a methyl group to folic acid.

This activated folate or 5MTHF uses “methylation” to transport the methyl group to more nutrients and other materials. Folate is important for your body because it is necessary for cell creation. It is also a key ingredient in the formation and process of neurotransmitters, the creation of immune cells and hormones, and also aids in generating energy and detoxifying chemicals. The effects would be devastating there were a lack of folate, or if this were to activate incorrectly.

One thing that creates problems in the “methylation” process is stress. When methyl from the 5MTHF is being transported to other necessary locations, stress will hinder this transfer. This means that if you are stressed, your body is missing out on vital nutrients, so it is important to get these nutrients.

One example of the importance of “methylation” is found in the liver. The liver’s main job is to processes different substances using enzymes. It also relies on methylation to detoxify different substances. For example, your liver will process alcohol whenever you drink it. However, if you are stressed out or lacking necessary nutrients your liver will not be able to perform at its peak which leads to the process not being completed, and the side effects are symptoms commonly accompanying hangovers.

You can find out which variant of MTHFR gene you has from tests below:

Folic acid and our genes

Other symptoms from the lack of our bodies converting folic acid to methylfolate include: allergic reactions to different substances, high blood pressure, strokes, blood clots, depression, anxiety, and certain cancers. It can even affect your thyroids, cause headaches, and insomnia.

Once you have been tested, the easiest treatment is to increase our folate by taking it orally in an already activated form. The biggest step is to know if you need this treatment. The Sport & Fitness test takes on a new importance once you see all the harmful things that could happen to your body, and the easy treatment if it is caught beforehand.

Even without knowing if your genes are operating correctly, it is a good idea to take some precautions. Most of us know already that we have stress daily and are often left open to different toxins. One precaution is that instead of taking a multivitamin that has folic acid in it, look for a multivitamin that has “folate” or “methylfolate” in it. Try to avoid any food with folic acid and try to consume more activated folate. If you cannot find a multivitamin, there are some foods which contain folate. This is found mainly in vegetables and other foods like spinach, okra, bell peppers, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, beans, avocado, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, oranges, and papaya. While these foods do contain some folate, if you have a serious health concern, it is important to take other measures in order to make sure you do not have any on-going health issues.