MTHFR is often spoken about as a single gene, but in reality it sits at the centre of an entire biochemical network that influences almost every system in the body. When methylation is impaired - whether through MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, SHMT1, BHMT, MAT1A or other variants - the effects ripple outward into energy production, neurotransmitters, hormones, detoxification, inflammation, cardiovascular function, gut health and the nervous system’s ability to regulate itself. For many people, this network explains chronic symptoms that have never quite made sense in isolation.

Through Lifecode Gx testing, I explore the full one-carbon cycle: how folate and B12 are converted, how homocysteine is recycled, how SAMe is produced, and how methyl groups are allocated to crucial processes such as serotonin and dopamine synthesis, oestrogen metabolism, histamine breakdown, mitochondrial repair and the clearance of toxins and medications. Variants in MTHFR (C677T, A1298C) may reduce enzyme capacity; MTR and MTRR affect B12 recycling; BHMT influences shortcuts in the liver that compensate when methylation is strained; and COMT, MAOA and MAOB determine how efficiently the body processes adrenaline, dopamine and stress hormones. When these pathways are slowed, the body begins to accumulate stress at biochemical, emotional and physiological levels.

Methylation issues can contribute to anxiety, depression, ADHD traits, irritability, overwhelm, sleep disturbance, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, infertility, pregnancy complications, histamine intolerance, migraines, immune reactivity, autoimmunity, cardiovascular risk, poor detoxification and sensitivity to medications or supplements. They may also exacerbate trauma responses, making someone more prone to hypervigilance, shutdown, emotional flooding or difficulty coping with change. This is why understanding methylation is not merely biochemical; it is deeply interwoven with mental health and nervous-system regulation.

Medications further influence these pathways. Antidepressants, antacids, oral contraceptives, blood-pressure drugs, metformin, methotrexate, steroids and painkillers can all deplete B vitamins, increase oxidative stress, impair folate metabolism or interfere with methylation demand. For clients with MTHFR or related variants, these interactions can worsen fatigue, mood instability, inflammation or detoxification problems without anyone recognising the link. My work involves safely mapping these interactions and supporting clients and their doctors to make informed decisions.

Functional testing deepens the picture: elevated homocysteine, low B12 or folate, mitochondrial dysfunction, organic acid markers of impaired methylation, neurotransmitter imbalance, gut dysbiosis, high histamine, inflammation, oxidative stress, impaired detoxification or poor hormone clearance. Rather than addressing each result separately, I interpret how they weave together in the context of a person’s genetics, medication load, trauma history, lifestyle and symptoms.

Healing methylation requires far more than “take methylated B vitamins.” It is a living, relational process involving nutrition, targeted supplementation, nervous-system support, trauma work, emotional coherence, detoxification, gut repair, mitochondrial restoration and, crucially, pacing. Over-methylation can be just as destabilising as under-methylation, and each plan must be precise, individualised and constantly attuned to how the system responds.

By integrating genetics, functional medicine, nutritional therapy, emotional and relational healing, homeopathy, and careful medication mapping, I create a personalised approach that stabilises methylation at the root. This work supports clearer thinking, regulated mood, improved energy, better sleep, balanced hormones, resilient detoxification and a more grounded, adaptive nervous system — allowing the whole person to come back into coherence.