Low Down on Hormone Tests – Part 4!

MTHFR – What is it and why do you need to know about it?

MTHFR: methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase – this is actually a genetic test for how well you absorb and process folate.  It possibly is an issue in early stage miscarriage.

If you have this mutation, it could affect your ability to get and/or stay pregnant.  This mutation has an effect  on mental health as well as having implications on reproductive health.  Women usually find out about this mutation after having multiple miscarriages.  Wouldn’t it be easier and better to know before?

The MTHFR gene produces the MTHFR enzyme which is necessary for the proper utilization of folic acid or folate (vitamin B9).  The MTHFR enzyme breaks folic acid down into L-methylfolate to make it usable by the body.  This is known as methylation.

Methylfolate is a critical nutrient affecting neurotransmitter production, DNA regulation, immunity and the  cardiovascular system.  Indirectly, methylfolate affects hormone levels and detoxification.

If you have a MTHFR mutation your ability to break down and utilize folic acid and even folate is compromised.  This makes you susceptible to problems like depression, post-partum depression, anxiety, difficulty conceiving, miscarriage, migraines, a variety of cancers, inability to detoxify properly, anemia and much more.  For help with this testing and more information, contact me below.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the main hormone produced by the adrenals that is a signal of stress in the body.  Saliva is a great way to measure cortisol levels because cortisol changes frequently throughout the day.  Cortisol should be high in the morning and have a slow decline during the day, becoming low at night.

Food Sensitivities (not allergies)

These are debatable.  But, if your body is in fact mounting a low level immune response to the foods you are ingesting, this is causing inflammation in your body.  Inflammation can prevent you from being able to conceive!  If you have been diagnosed with “unexplained infertility” this may be something to look at.  An intolerance to food has resulted in failed IVF cycles but once treated, conception is possible.  With help with food sensitivities, contact me and we can develop a plan of action.

Nutritional Analysis

Have you wondered if you have all the nutrients your body needs and in the right amounts?  A nutritional analysis can be extremely beneficial in creating a foundation of good nutritional status.  So, add this to your list of things to talk about and get tested.  Correcting a nutrient that is deficient in your body makes for much better results!  This test is valuable and can really tailor the treatment to exactly what the body needs.

I hope this series has helped give you some insight in to what may be going on for you and your fertility and your hormones.  I hope is has also provided you with some hope. . . some hope for why things may not have worked for you thus far and what some of the next steps might be.

What questions are you not getting from what you have already tried?  Are you confused about your tests or what tests to order?  Contact me below and I can help you decide which test is best for you then offer interpretation of the results.  You are not alone.  We can navigate the path to understanding how your hormones are functioning and then create a way to help bring you back into balance.

The first step is getting the proper testing.  Click on the button below and you are on your way to getting the information that can empower you, giving you knowledge and finally getting the answers you deserve.

We can also provide you a discount on the Dutch test if that is a test you would like to take.

To get help with testing choices –  the button!

To go back to the beginning of the series, go here!  You can start with the first part and go through each of the 4 series.