How the Motherf**ker (MTHFR) Gene Screwed Me Over
I used to think I was doing everything right—eating well, moving my body, staying on top of my health. But deep down, something wasn’t right. The symptoms crept in slowly: tingling on my tongue and head, strange neurological glitches, terrifying fatigue, and then the left side of my body turned on fire.
Doctors and specialists ran tests. They shrugged. Said I had symptoms, and one sign of Multiple Sclerosis, but needed more time for a second sign to appear (a 2nd lesion on my brain).
So, I took matters into my own hands and decided to dig deeper. Part of that involved ordering a gene test. What came back hit me like a tonne of bricks: I had two copies of the MTHFR C677T gene mutation. (If you want to read about my recovery from MS, the link is here.)
I stared at the screen thinking, “What even is this gene—and why does it sound like a swear word?”
Let me break it down for you.
What is the MTHFR Gene (and Why Should You Care)?
The MTHFR gene (short for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase—but don’t worry, there’s no test at the end) is responsible for producing an enzyme that helps your body process folate into a usable form.
That enzyme is essential for something called methylation—a biochemical process your body performs billions of times every day. Methylation turns genes on and off, helps detox your liver, supports mental health, balances hormones, regulates your immune system, repairs cells, and more.
Think of methylation as the behind-the-scenes engine room of your body. When it’s running smoothly, you feel energetic, balanced, and resilient. When it’s not, all sorts of things start to unravel.
And that’s where MTHFR mutations come in.
The Highway Analogy: Making Methylation Make Sense
Let’s make this simple.
Imagine your body is a highway.
If you have no MTHFR mutation, you’re cruising down a clear freeway. Traffic is flowing, you’re making good time, and everything feels easy.
But if you have one copy of an MTHFR mutation, things slow down. Maybe there are a few potholes, roadworks, or detours. You’re still moving, but not efficiently.
If you have two copies—like me—you’re stuck in traffic with engine trouble, a broken GPS, and dodgy suspension. You still get there, but the journey is rough, and your vehicle takes a beating.
That’s exactly what was happening in my body. My methylation pathway was compromised, which meant my detox systems were sluggish, inflammation was building, and key nutrients like folate and B12 weren’t being processed properly.
There Are Two MTHFR Mutations—And I Got Both Copies of the Worst One
The two main types of MTHFR mutations are:
C677T – this affects how your body breaks down folate and is closely tied to cardiovascular health, hormone balance, and detox.
A1298C – this one leans more toward mental health, neurotransmitter production, and emotional regulation.
Each gene comes in pairs—one from your mum and one from your dad. You can be:
Normal (wild type): no mutation
Heterozygous: one copy of the mutation
Homozygous: two copies of the mutation
I’m homozygous C677T, meaning I got one from each parent. This reduces my methylation capacity by up to 70%.
Let that sink in.
Seventy per cent of one of the most critical pathways in my body doesn’t work properly. That means my ability to clear toxins, regulate hormones, and support cell repair is significantly impaired.
It’s no wonder I was feeling like a mess.
So, what is Methylation Really?
In simple terms, methylation is your body’s process of switching things on and off.
It’s like a light switch for your DNA.
Methylation affects:
How you detoxify (your liver needs this to eliminate waste and chemicals)
How you process hormones (like oestrogen and stress hormones)
Your immune response (how well you fight viruses or infections)
Mental clarity and emotional resilience
Repairing and recycling damaged cells
When it’s impaired, it can feel like your body is constantly glitching. You can become sensitive to toxins, overwhelmed by stress, and prone to illness. It also means your liver and brain are doing double time—and often losing the battle.
Connecting the Dots to My Breast Cancer
Here’s where things got even more personal.
My MTHFR mutation meant I wasn’t clearing oestrogen efficiently. Oestrogen dominance is a known driver of hormone-positive breast cancer—and guess what? That’s exactly the type I got.
I also wasn’t detoxing efficiently, so environmental toxins were building up in my system. My nervous system was inflamed. My immune response was overstimulated. And yet, no one had ever thought to test my genes.
It wasn’t until I took control of my health and looked at my own methylation pathway that things finally made sense.
This wasn’t just “bad luck.” My body had been warning me for years.
Why Most Doctors Don’t Talk About This
Here’s the part that still frustrates me: very few Western doctors look at MTHFR or methylation.
It’s not part of standard medical training. They’re taught to diagnose and treat, not to investigate your biochemical individuality. And genetic testing? That’s still considered “alternative” in many circles.
But if 40–60% of the population carries at least one MTHFR mutation, shouldn’t we be talking about this more?
You could be ticking every box—eating clean, exercising, taking supplements—but if your body can’t use those nutrients, you’re running on empty
What I Do Differently Now
Once I knew what I was working with, everything changed. I stopped pushing through and started supporting my body properly.
Here’s what I do differently now:
I avoid folic acid (the synthetic version of folate in most processed foods and multivitamins) because I can’t convert it.
I use methylated B vitamins, which are in their active form and actually absorbable.
I eat an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet to support my liver and cells.
I’ve removed as many toxins from my home and environment as possible (because my body can’t detox like others can).
I prioritise nervous system regulation and rest, because stress hits me harder and takes longer to recover from.
I make sure I sweat regularly to detoxify through my skin—I do this with my own personal infrared sauna.
I exercise to support my sluggish detox pathways, reduce inflammation, boost my mood, and give my MTHFR-compromised body the gentle push it needs to function at its best.
I no longer feel like I’m constantly fighting upstream. I’ve finally figured out how to give my body what it actually needs.
🧬 Why We Have This Gene in the First Place
I want to make something really clear: mutations in our genes aren’t random accidents. I believe—like many researchers do—that they happen for a reason. They’re usually a survival mechanism, a way our bodies adapted over generations to help us thrive in the environment we were in.
The MTHFR mutation is no different.
Experts believe this mutation developed thousands of years ago, likely as a protective response to things like food scarcity, infectious disease, or environmental conditions. In places where people couldn’t access enough folate-rich greens, or where fast cell division could make infections worse, having a slower methylation process may have actually been an advantage.
In fact:
The C677T variant likely originated in East or Southeast Asia, where it’s now common in up to 70–80% of people.
The A1298C variant appears more often in Europe and North Africa.
But here’s the kicker—what once protected us is now hurting us.
Today, we live in a completely different world. One where:
Folic acid is synthetic and added to processed foods (which people with MTHFR mutations can’t properly use),
Toxins are everywhere—from skincare to plastics to pesticides,
And chronic stress, poor diet, and overmedication are the norm.
What helped us survive back then is now making many of us sick.
Knowing your genetic blueprint gives you the power to work with your body—not against it.
This Gene Might Be a Motherf**ker—But Knowing About It is a Gift
If you’re reading this and thinking, “That sounds like me,” please know this: you are not crazy, lazy, or broken. You’re just biochemically unique. And you may need different tools than the person next to you.
Getting my gene test and understanding my MTHFR mutation helped me piece together a decades-long puzzle. It changed the way I view health, healing, and prevention.
This knowledge didn’t scare me—it empowered me.
If I’d known earlier, I believe I could’ve prevented my breast cancer. But I know now, and that gives me an edge. It’s helped me recover, rebuild, and reshape the way I live my life.
And that’s why I’m sharing this—with the hope it helps you, too.
If you’re feeling like you need someone to coach you on your health journey, please visit Vitality by Design™ as I would be more than happy to guide you and we can find out if you have this gene mutation. Book a FREE chat with me here.