Today I want to talk about methylation testing, including genes like MTHFR—what this testing actually tells you, why it’s become so popular, and why, in many cases, it’s over-rated and over-treated.
One of the most misused and confusing issues I see is genetic testing for MTHFR and methylation pathways. Because of the sheer amount of misinformation around this topic, I decided to create this video to bring some much-needed clarity.
Genetic testing has become inexpensive, accessible, and heavily marketed. As a result, many people now receive reports listing genes like:
And they’re often told:
This is where we need to slow down.
Because having these genetic variations is not unusual, and treating them without context can actually cause more problems than it solves.
Methylation is a fundamental biochemical process involved in:
It’s important—but it’s also robust and redundant.
What does that mean?
Your body has multiple pathways supporting methylation and constantly adapts based on:
Which brings us to a critical point.
These tests identify SNPs—single nucleotide polymorphisms.
A positive result simply means:
“You have a common genetic variation.”
For example, MTHFR is one of the most talked-about genes—but it’s just one enzyme in a very large system.
Having an MTHFR variant:
Why?
Because these genes show potential vulnerability, not how your body is actually functioning right now.
One of the biggest mistakes we see is this:
The gene result is treated as the problem.
But clinically, we don’t treat genes.
We treat real problems.
Methylation issues are determined by what your body is doing—and how you feel—not by a genetic printout alone.
If you want to know whether methylation truly needs attention, these matter far more than SNPs:
One of the most useful markers we have.
Both deficiency and excess matter.
High levels—especially from supplements—can contribute to symptoms that look:
If someone feels well and functional markers are normal, we don’t treat a genetic variant simply because it exists.
Even when methylation is impaired, it’s often secondary to gut dysfunction, not a primary genetic issue.
Fixing methylation without addressing the gut is often backwards.
Because testing is framed as “finding what’s wrong,” many people are put on:
If you don’t need them, you can become over-methylated—and feel worse.
Symptoms of over-methylation may include:
You may be told this is part of the process.
Often, it’s not.
It’s over-methylation—and it can create new problems instead of solving old ones.
They matter when:
Even then, treatment is usually:
—not a lifelong protocol based on a genetic report.
This is how we explain it to patients:
“These genes tell us where you might be vulnerable in your methylation pathways.
They do not tell us that something is broken.
And they don’t automatically tell us what to treat.”
Understanding MTHFR and methylation testing can prevent wasted money, unnecessary supplements, and a lot of avoidable suffering.
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