inflammation & autoimmunity

allergies

MTHFR

Can You Manage Allergies and Asthma by Balancing Methylation? (MTHFR)

Written by Nattha Wannissorn, PhD (Genetics) on August 30th, 2019

The incidences of asthma, allergies, and eczema are rising! Interestingly, MTHFR mutations, folate deficiency, and folic acid fortification could be the culprit. Read this post to learn more about how MTHFR may contribute to allergies, and ways that you can address them based on your genes.

What are Methylation and the MTHFR gene?

Methylation means “adding a methyl group.” It is a chemical modification important for:

Producing the active form of folate, called methylfolate
Epigenetics, the control of gene activity without direct changes in the DNA sequence, whereby your genes are marked with methyl groups (DNA and histone methylation)
The metabolism of hormones and neurotransmitters

The MTHFR gene provides instructions for producing an enzyme known as methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase or MTHFR. This enzyme produces methylfolate, the active form of folate (vitamin B9) that can be transported and used up by cells throughout the body.

The MTHFR gene produces an enzyme that affects methylation and folate metabolism. Because methylation and folate are important for immune balance, mutations inside the MTHFR gene can predispose you to allergies, especially if you are low in methylfolate or consume synthetic folic acid.

MTHFR and the Immune System

Immune imbalances, such as allergies, are often due to epigenetic changes in immune cells. Environmental factors, including excessive hygiene and excessive synthetic folic acid use during pregnancy, may cause the epigenetic changes that lead to allergies in young children [R, R]. People with MTHFR mutations have altered methylation, which alters epigenetic marks and further increase their risks of allergic diseases.

Folate deficiency can result in compromised immune function, allergies, food sensitivities, and autoimmunity by reducing the number of regulatory T cells [R].

MTHFR mutations lead to a reduced ability to produce methylfolate, which may increase the risk of allergic diseases, especially if the carriers of these mutations are also deficient in folate [R, R].

Does MTHFR Contribute to Allergies, Eczema, or Asthma?

Folate is a collective term that refers to all forms of vitamin B9, such as tetrahydrofolate, methylfolate, and folic acid. Folic acid refers to the synthetic and oxidized form of folate that is typically not found in nature.

Folic acid is often used to fortify flour and food products as part of public health campaigns to reduce neural tube defects. The liver needs to convert folic acid into the active form, although it can only convert up to 250 micrograms/day [R]. As a result, over 95% of Americans have unmetabolized folic acid in their blood [R].

When you have decreased MTHFR function, you are much more susceptible to the harmful effects of excess unmetabolized folic acid because folic acid further inhibits MTHFR function.

In mice with 50% MTHFR activity (a model for having two copies of MTHFR C677T), high doses of folic acid (10 times recommended) significantly reduced MTHFR enzyme levels and activity [R].

However, studies on MTHFR mutations and risk of allergic disease report conflicting results. According to some, MTHFR may increase the risk of allergic diseases [R, R]. According to others, MTHFR mutations are not associated with allergic diseases, either in tested parents or their children [R, R, R].

Some studies reported that methyl donors worsened or increased the risks of allergic diseases [R], whereas others reported that methyl donors improved the symptoms or decreased the risks [R, R]. The third cohort of studies, however, reported no effects [R].

Having two copies of the minor variant C677T of MTHFR may increase the risk of allergies by up to 58.5%. However, the study results have been mixed, possibly because many factors contribute to allergies.

Your MTHFR Results for Allergies

Risk alleles in the MTHFR gene reduce the effectiveness of the MTHFR enzyme. At rs1801133, two copies of the ‘A’ allele reduce enzyme activity by as much as 70% [R]!

Fortunately, the ‘AA’ genotype is rare, representing only 8% of the global population; likewise, the risky ‘GG’ genotype at rs1801131 is only found in 7% of all people on Earth.

MTHFR rs1801133

‘A’ = Reduced MTHFR enzyme activity, increased risk of allergies
‘G’ = Increased MTHFR enzyme activity, decreased risk of allergies

MTHFR rs1801131

‘G’ = Reduced MTHFR enzyme activity, increased risk of allergies
‘T’ = Increased MTHFR enzyme activity, decreased risk of allergies

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs1801133
rs1801131

Recommendations

Diet

Dietary folate is the best source of folate if you don’t have any problems digesting or absorbing folate. Avoid synthetic folic acid and folic acid-fortified foods because too much folic acid tends to block folate processing and overall make active folate less available. Instead, eat whole-food sources of folate, such as chicken liver and leafy green vegetables.

Lifestyle

Sun exposure is the best way to get vitamin D, which helps modulate the immune system and reduce allergies. Get plenty of sun exposure to increase regulatory T cells and vitamin D levels [R].

Supplements

If you take folate, use a high-quality vitamin B complex that includes methylfolate to reduce the risks of having unmetabolized folic acid in the blood [R].

Dosages should be less than 500 micrograms per day. Quatrefolic and Metafolin are two shelf-stable forms of methylfolate that are typically found in quality supplements. Again, avoid supplementing with folic acid.

If you have asthma, allergy, or wheeze, choline (a B vitamin that works as a known methyl donor), may help with symptoms [R].

If you have the MTHFR mutation and suffer from allergies, make sure that your vitamin D and folate levels are optimal, eat liver and leafy greens, and avoid synthetic folic acid. Sun exposure and vitamin B complex supplements may also help.

Nattha Wannissorn

PhD (Genetics)

Nattha received her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto and her undergraduate degree in Molecular and Computational Biology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Aside from having spent 15 years in biomedical research and health sciences, Nattha is also a registered holistic nutritionist, a certified personal trainer, has a precision nutrition level 1 certification, and is a certified functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner. As a holistic practitioner with a strong science background, Nattha is an advocate of science literacy in health topics and self-experimentation.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

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Can You Manage Allergies and Asthma by Balancing Methylation? (MTHFR)

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What are Methylation and the MTHFR gene? MTHFR and the Immune System Does MTHFR Contribute to Allergies, Eczema, or Asthma? Your MTHFR Results for Allergies

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Can You Manage Allergies and Asthma by Balancing Methylation? (MTHFR)

What are Methylation and the MTHFR gene?

MTHFR and the Immune System

Does MTHFR Contribute to Allergies, Eczema, or Asthma?

Your MTHFR Results for Allergies

SNP Table

Recommendations

Diet

Lifestyle

Supplements

Disclaimer

More inflammation & autoimmunity blogs

More allergies blogs

Content

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