When you have MTHFR you should know if you don’t already that eating a healthy diet is very important, but what many people won’t tell you is that there are some foods, even those considered healthy, that can be especially bad for those who have MTHFR and poor methylation. It is also crucial to avoid folic acid supplements, as they can lead to unmetabolized folic acid buildup in individuals with MTHFR mutations. Additionally, avoiding potentially harmful foods, such as folic acid-fortified products and alcohol, can support optimal health and reduce inflammation.
If your methylation is poor due to low MTHFR enzyme, the last thing you need is to be eating foods that cause methylation to speed up leading you to burn out of your essential nutrients quicker than normal. If you have recently taken the mthfr gene mutation test and found that your having trouble with methylation, staying away from the following foods can be a big help at least until you doing a lot better.
There are several foods that make our “Bad foods for mthfr & poor methylation” list, the first one is probably the one that most good mthfr practitioners will warn you about and for good reason.
Understanding the MTHFR Gene Mutation
The MTHFR gene mutation is a genetic variation that affects the body’s ability to convert folic acid into its active form, folate. This mutation can lead to a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, folate deficiency, and elevated homocysteine levels. When the body cannot efficiently process folic acid, it can result in a buildup of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease and other health issues. Understanding this mutation is crucial for managing its effects through diet and lifestyle changes.
What is the MTHFR Gene?
The MTHFR gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. This enzyme plays a crucial role in the body’s metabolism, particularly in the conversion of folic acid into its active form, folate. Folate is essential for various bodily functions, including DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation. Without proper function of the MTHFR enzyme, the body struggles to maintain these critical processes, leading to potential health complications.
The Bad Foods for MTHFR List
Folic acid and added folate
All foods (including supplements) that contain “folic acid” or have added “folate”, these are man made substitutes for the real folate that is found in leafy greens. Folic acid supplementation is often recommended, but it is important to consider the form of folate being consumed. The synthetic form of folate, commonly found in supplements, can be an affordable alternative but may have long-term use concerns. Those with MTHFR must avoid these added folates and folic acids which prevent their natural folate metabolism from working properly. You can read more about the difference between folate and folic acid here.
Foods High in Oxalates and Sulfites
Individuals with the MTHFR gene mutation may need to limit or avoid foods high in oxalates and sulfites. Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in foods such as spinach, beets, and rhubarb. Sulfites are commonly used as preservatives in processed foods, such as wine, beer, and dried fruits. Consuming high amounts of these compounds can exacerbate the symptoms of the MTHFR gene mutation, making it harder for the body to manage methylation and detoxification processes effectively.
What foods to avoid if you have an MTHFR gene mutation?
beans (black) apricots alfalfa sprouts beans (great northern) black olives (canned) chaparral (dried) beans (navy) beans (red kidney) limes beans (mung) butternut squash peel
carrots broccoli chocolate ginger root skin grape jam, commercial green zucchini (dark) Kombo (seaweed) beans (lima) mangos (large, small yellow) Nori seaweed, packaged
onions (purple) oranges, all kinds papaya (Mexican) parsnips passion fruit persimmons (Fuji, regular) radish (daikon) red skin of peanuts Tamari soy sauce tomatoes turnips, rutabaga wheat grass
Now, I know what your thinking or at least most people see this list and think, that looks like a good list of healthy foods and it is. The point is that all of these foods are high in substances that are known powerful enzyme & metabolic inhibitors, the consequences of which means reduced ATP or your energy production is reduced. This also means you also make fewer amino acids and can’t make as much protein as you should. This leads to lower immunity by reducing glutathione which is one of the bodies most important antioxidants involved in the homocysteine cycle. Including folate rich foods like leafy greens, legumes, and fortified grains can help mitigate these risks and support overall health.
How these foods affect people with mthfr
Enzyme & metabolic inhibitors affect everyone, even those that don’t have MTHFR mutations, the problem is that people with the gene problem have a hard enough time trying to keep good levels of energy, enzymes and metabolic processes going so these foods just slow everything down, they are so powerful in fact that they can bring your energy to a halt.
Here is the various ways that the above foods can make life much harder for somebody with mthfr:
Here are the various ways to incorporate folate rich foods
- Inhibits uptake of glycine and alanine
- May chelate iron so it can’t be incorporated into hemoglobin.
- Inhibits healing
- Drops the resting potential of muscle
- Causes air hunger (dyspnea)
- Can deplete zinc and magnesium needed for methylation
- Depletion of NADP
- Inactivation of NADH
- Causes oxidation of NADH and cytochromes
- Reduces oxygen uptake
- Raises cholesterol
- Can pick up an amino group from glutamine, thereby destroying it
- Depresses the reduction of GSSG to glutathione
- Inhibits protoporphyrin formation by 32% affecting blood formation and utilization of zinc and magnesium.
- Inhibits insulin stimulation of muscle respiration
- Can cause systemic acidosis
- Inhibits phosphate entry into cells
- Potassium transport into cells is inhibited
- Inhibits acetylcholine synthesis
- Inhibits pyruvate oxidation
- Causes increased utilization of glucose due to the Pasteur effect of a blocked Krebs cycle
- The lactic acid formation is increased
- Much less glucose goes to form amino acids and proteins
- Diverts fatty acid metabolism to acetoacetate
- Increases the formation of fatty acids up to 10-fold
- Inhibitor of urinary acidification
- Reduce the concentration of magnesium and calcium to 25% or 50%
- Inhibits oxidation of fatty acids
- Depresses renal function
- Can deplete the system of coenzyme A. (Coenzyme A has a nucleic acid base, adenine, plus pantothenic acid and sulfur in its makeup. You will have an increased need for these nutrients.)
As you can see there are many ways that this common healthy food can affect those with the MTHFR mutation. The only way the body has to remove the offending substances that are contained in these unsuspecting foods is methylation which means consuming these foods is much more costly to the body’s resources requiring larger amounts of vitamin B12, metabolized folate (MTHF), methionine, betaine, glycine, taurine, cysteine, choline, inositol and vitamin C.
People who are symptomatic of MTHFR should avoid these foods to help restore metabolic processes. Following an MTHFR meal plan or using an MTHFR diet pdf is not a good idea, as each person has their own set of nutritional needs based on their own genetic rules. Asking our practitioner what food are best is a much better way to understand what foods to avoid if you have MTHFR and what food will help with MTHFR.
Lifestyle and Gut Health Foundations
A healthy lifestyle and gut health are essential for managing the symptoms of the MTHFR gene mutation. A well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management can help alleviate the symptoms of the mutation. Incorporating these practices into your daily routine can support overall health and improve the body’s ability to process nutrients effectively.
Importance of Gut Health
Gut health plays a crucial role in the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, including folate. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for the proper functioning of the MTHFR enzyme. A diet rich in fiber, fruits, and vegetables can help promote a healthy gut microbiome. Avoiding processed and packaged foods, which are often high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt, can also help support gut health. By maintaining a healthy gut, individuals with the MTHFR gene mutation can improve their nutrient absorption and overall well-being.
