Perhaps you’ve heard about one of the latest health buzzes when it comes to mental health – a cheeky enzyme known as MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase).

If you have a mutation in this gene then it can cause your methylation processes to work too much, too little, or not enough at all.  Methylation is essentially a process that occurs where DNA gets tagged with a ‘methyl group’ which lets the rest of the body know not to read that particular bit of DNA.  It’s also involved in the production of neurotransmitters, detoxification of chemicals, nerve health and processing of certain hormones and nutrients, to name just a few.

When the MTHFR genes work properly, you have adequate enzyme activity and that means you can more efficiently make proteins, use antioxidants, metabolize hormones, enjoy more stable brain chemistry, better eliminate toxins and heavy metals, and manage inflammation.  So if you’ve got a problem with this gene, it really can be a bugger.

How does it affect your mood?

Many people with the MTHFR gene experience mood imbalances.  This gene affects your mood in a few ways.

Reduced MTHFR enzyme means that you cannot make and recycle a very important antioxidant, glutathione effectively.  Glutathione is responsible for a vast array of activities in the body and low levels have been associated with conditions such as depression, inflammation, bipolar, chronic fatigue syndrome and autism.

If your body cannot methylate the chemical homocysteine (you can find out if this is too high via a blood test) that results in decreased production of SAMe.  This leads to decreased production of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters all responsible for mood balance.

If there is a reduced ability to detoxify chemicals and heavy metals (which is a factor for those with the MTHFR gene) this can also affect your mood.  Digestive and liver health can have an indirect affect on your mental health, for several reasons such as the health of your gut flora, increased inflammation and an impact on your neurotransmitters.  Digestive health problems have been linked to mental health problems in several studies.  Click here to read more.

A lot of people with MTHFR gene also have a condition called Pyroluria (also known as Pyrolle disorder, Mauve factor, Kryptopyrrole, Kryptopyrroluria.  People with this condition produce excess amounts of a substance called Pyrolles which bind to certain nutrients such as Vitamin B6, Biotin Zinc and GLA (an essential fatty acid).  There are several conditions associated with this disorder but namely it is involved in several mental health conditions such as Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Manic depression and ADD/ADHD.  This condition is also strongly linked to the state of the digestive system.

MTHFR and Folate

One of the main issues we have come to understand with MTHFR is that people with this gene cannot process folic acid into folate effectively and so cannot handle synthetic forms of the nutrient.  This can become a bit of an issue because synthetic folic acid is in pretty much every multi-vitamin, and a lot of foods are fortified with it.  If you are consuming synthetic folic acid and you can’t process it, it clogs up a lot of the pathways that require folate and as a result a lot of health complications arise.  You can also be prone to problems relating to deficiencies of folate, such as miscarriage and neural tube defects.

Photo by Braňo on Unsplash

People with MTHFR require a special activated form of this nutrient, the type found naturally in some foods.   How much depends on the level of the gene mutations present (there’s a lot of variety that you can have) and your diet and lifestyle can have a big impact on it as well – it’s completely possible to have this gene and be symptom free and healthy if your diet and lifestyle is fine, and the gene hasn’t been ‘switched on’ (usually by stressful events).  In Australia the closest to natural folate that we have available is folinic acid (calcium folinate) supplements, however this may still be difficult to metabolise for those who have very poor methylation.

Getting tested

If you suspect that you have this gene, then you can easily get yourself tested via labs such as Healthscope, Nutripath or 23 and Me.  You may like to get this organized with a health practitioner who is knowledgeable in the realm of MTHFR, so they can guide you with treatment if needed.

Learn more: MTHFR_Related_Health_Problems

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When your gut controls your mood: the gut-brain axis

From as early as the 1930’s, scientists were beginning to understand that the health of our digestive system could influence our mood.  The state of our intestinal lining and the balance of bacteria within our digestive system have a major role to play in the production of our neurotransmitters: chemical transmitters that tell our brain whether we should be feeling such ways as happy, sad, agitated, or calm.  But even though the research in this area sky-rocketed in the last decade and continues to grow every day, the concept of our gut-brain connection isn’t very well known.

The gut is linked to the brain

Did you know – When you were just starting to grow in your Mumma’s womb, your brain and your digestive system developed from the same lump of tissue.  During this process of dividing up cells (embryogenesis) this lump of tissue divides and forms our central nervous system and our enteric nervous system (this is the nervous system of our gut – sometimes called the second brain).  These two are connected by an important ‘wire’ – our vagus nerve.  This development can help us understand why there are so many similar chemicals and receptors in both our brain and our digestive system, for instance serotonin.

Gut bugs and your mood

As soon as you’re born, bacterial colonies start to develop in your digestive system.  Within the first few days, the bacteria starts sending messages to the nervous system and can actually determine our nervous system ‘set point’ long term (1).

When the balance of our gut bacteria (collectively referred to as the microbiome) is affected, this can affect your mood.  Studies have found that the microbiome can have a major impact on stress levels and anxiety (2).  In fact, by treating imbalances in our microbiota, it is possible to support a wide range of mental health disorders (3), (4), (5), (6), (7).

The second brain

The nerves in your digestive system are constantly speaking to your central nervous system.  If your gut is irritated for some reason – say you’ve eaten something that you’re intolerant to (like gluten, for example), you’ve generally got a bad diet, there’s an imbalance in your microbiome (that’s your collective gut bacteria, remember) or you’ve got an infection – this can create an inflammatory reaction and will certainly make you irritated as well.  We know that depression is both associated with, and worsened by inflammation.  This inflammation in the brain can be driven by inflammation in the gut, which can be caused by intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and bacterial imbalances (dysbiosis).  Treating leaky gut can help reduce the severity of depression (4), (8), (9), (10), (11).

Neurotransmitters in our gut

Serotonin is produced in large amounts in our digestive system.  In people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) there is too much serotonin in their digestive system.  This is why antidepressants known as SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can improve the symptoms of IBS: these act by reducing the amount of serotonin taken into cells in the rest of our body which allows more to get into the brain.  However anti-depressants can affect the gut negatively as well, because if you weren’t making enough serotonin in the gut in the first place, you’d end up with even lower levels in the digestive tract and so it can become irritated, affectively you’ll get a depressed gut (12), (13).

A vicious cycle

When your gut is upset, you feel upset.  But stress can affect your digestive system just as much as it affects your mood.  It can impair the secretion of digestive acids, slow down the motility of the gut, allows the unfriendly bacteria to grow, reduces your friendly bacteria and exacerbates intestinal permeability (leaky gut) (14), (8).  This is a recipe for an unhappy digestive system, and as you know this can then go on to send more messages to your brain: so you can see how the cycle continues.

People with gut problems are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.  Some studies have found a high proportion of anxiety in those with gut conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS), Crohn’s disease and coeliac disease (15), (16), (17).

Helping the gut-brain axis.

By treating digestive problems, sealing leaky gut and balancing your microbiome it is possible to help with conditions such as anxiety and depression, and there’s even research showing the benefits of treating the gut in conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, schizophrenia and autism (10), (18), (11).  Probiotics are one of your major tools when it comes to treating the gut, but it’s a good idea to consult with a health practitioner to make sure you’re getting the right type, and also to get a good gut healing treatment program to go along with it ⁽¹⁹⁾, (4), (9).

Related articles:

• Probiotic stress busters: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/probiotic-stress-busters
• Depression starts in the gut?:  http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/depression-begins-in-the-gut
• What is Dysbiosis: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/what-is-dysbiosis
• Fermented foods (foods to stop bloating and farting): http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/foods-to-stop-bloating-and-farting-fermented-foods
• Enhance your health with probiotics: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/enhance-your-health-with-probiotics
• The benefits of soaking and sprouting: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/the-benefits-of-soaking-and-sprouting-plus-a-sprouted-chickpea-hummus-recipe

Works Cited

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Omega-3 solution to children’s sleep problems

Sleep problems and deficiencies of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in children are both associated with poor health, behavioural and cognitive problems.   A study by the University of Oxford suggests that increasing your child’s intake of algal DHA may improve their sleep.

In a 16-week study of 362 primary school children who also had reading problems, 40% of the children experienced sleep problems including anxiety about sleep, bedtime resistance and frequent episodes of waking during sleep. Given 600mg omega-3 daily, 43 children were monitored in sleep.

The study found that children who took omega-3 had almost an hour more sleep and suffered from fewer waking episodes per night than the children who took placebo.  Additional benefits of quality sleep for school-aged children include improved language skills, and reduced academic and behavioural problems.

Montgomery P, Burton JR, Sewell RP, et al. Fatty acids and sleep in UK children: subjective and pilot objective sleep results from the DOLAB study – a randomised controlled trial. J Sleep Res 2014 Mar 8. [Epub ahead of print]

Folinic acid and B12 for autism

Emerging evidence suggests some children with autism may experience abnormal redox and methylation metabolism. Currently it is suggested that redox imbalance and oxidative stress may contribute to the pathophysiology of autism.

American researchers have found that supplementing autistic children, who have abnormal glutathione and methylation metabolism, with vitamin B12 and folinic acid results in an improvement in behaviour and glutathione redox status.

After three months of treatment, behaviour was significantly improved with an average increase in skills of 7.7 months. The researchers found that the greater the glutathione redox status, the greater the improvement in behaviour including expressive communication, daily living skills, and coping social skills.

 Frye RE, Melnyk S, Fuchs G, et al. Effectiveness of methylcobalamin and folinic acid treatment on adaptive behavior in children with autistic disorder is related to glutathione redox status. Autism Res Treat 2013;2013:609705.

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Give you child the best start in life

Helping Children Reach Their Full Potential

All parents want the best for their children, and this includes helping them to develop and grow both physically and mentally. With 1 in 16 school-aged children now being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 1 in 91 being diagnosed with autism, we must begin asking “Is there something more that we can do?”

Even without a diagnosis, many children struggle with various aspects of cognitive function and learning, including memory, judgement, problem solving, and language development. Poor learning or behaviour needn’t be an inevitable part of life. With some simple strategies, you can help your children achieve their full potential.

Keeping Your Kids Focused and Alert

A child’s education forms the foundation from which they learn about the world around them and develop social and behavioural skills.  A poor start in life can have lifelong effects on learning and social development. Given the impact that education can have on shaping our children’s future, it is important we give them the best possible start in life.

For some kids, getting the brain to quieten down and switch off from distractions can be a huge challenge, both in the classroom and at home. This can contribute to poor concentration, decreased focus, and learning difficulties. The good news is that there are certain nutrients and herbs that work together to improve concentration and
cognitive function, reduce background ‘noise’ or distractions and stop our children from being left behind at school.

Good Fats for a Great Brain

Supporting your child’s brain health can be as simple as starting with omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as those found in fish.  Unfortunately, many children are not eating enough oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, and are deficient in these healthy fats which are crucial for brain development. Deficiencies in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the active components in fish oil, have been associated with behavioural symptoms in children. DHA in particular comes under the spotlight, as higher doses of DHA have been found to significantly improve attention and cognition in children. Supplementing with highly purified and concentrated fish oils containing therapeutic levels of EPA and DHA is therefore vital to support the developing brain.

Build a Healthy Brain

Phospholipds are another type of healthy fat that plays a key role not only in nervous system function, but also lays a sound structural foundation for growing brains. Phospholipids, such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine, are building blocks in the structure of every cell membrane in the body, including those in the brain and the nervous system. As a result, these lipids are important for brain and nervous system health, as well as supporting memory, learning and behaviour. In fact, phosphatidylserine supplementation has been shown to yield positive results in reducing symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity in children with ADHD.

Boosting Brain Power – It’s all in the Herbs!

Herbs, such as green tea (Camellia sinensis) and brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), have proven clinically effective in improving children’s cognitive function. Green tea contains a rare amino acid known as L-theanine. At therapeutic doses, L-theanine made children more calm but alert, with an increased attention span and improved
memory – all important for maximising learning potential. Brahmi is another herb that is particularly beneficial for supporting mental performance and nervous system function. Studies have found that when used for a period of 12 weeks, Brahmi significantly enhanced memory and information processing, and reduced anxiety.

Nourish Those Nerves

Along with essential lipids and herbs, a number of nutrients are also valuable in supporting cognitive function in children. Iodine and Vitamin D are essential nutrients for healthy brain development and function which are commonly deficient in children in Australia and New Zealand. Healthy brain and nerve signalling is also supported with nutrients such as activated vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium.
The best way to ensure your children are getting the nutrients they need is to provide fresh, healthy food including fruit and vegetables, and quality protein at every meal. Healthy kids also need plenty of play and physical activity, and adequate rest and sleep.

Watch Your Child Thrive

Impaired cognitive function and behavioural development can greatly interfere with a child’s ability to learn about the world around them and function fully. Call or email me today if your child struggles with concentration and lacks the focus required for optimal learning, or exhibits signs of hyperactivity or other behavioural issues. By encouraging a healthy diet and lifestyle, and providing the essential nutrients required for healthy brain development and function, you can truly give your child the best possible start in life.

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