Jan

25


MTHFR Testing
is important – and inexpensive
.

The benefits of MTHFR testing are tremendous as it allows you to be proactive in your health instead of sitting idly by wondering why you have a myriad of complicated symptoms which doctors seem to only make worse.

If you already know you have a MTHFR mutation, especially more than one copy (homozygous or compound heterozygous), then I believe you should be notifying all your siblings and relatives – and parents – and children.

Knowing other key common genetic mutations is important. It’s not just about MTHFR. So if you already have your MTHFR status, and you’re not getting the progress you desire or deserve, additional genetic testing may be very useful. The StrateGene DNA Test Kit offers MTHFR testing plus over a 100 more in a comprehensive 100+ page report.

Need to order a MTHFR test?
Order your MTHFR Test Kit here.

FAQ on MTHFR Testing:

  1. Can I order a MTHFR Test Kit from you? Yes. It’s called StrateGene DNA Test. Simply order it from here.
  2. When will I get results back? Within 4 to 6 weeks.
  3. How do I get notified of my results? You will be notified via email from Seeking Health.
  4. How much does an MTHFR Test cost? It costs $295 – and it tests WAY more than just MTHFR.
  5. Does HSA cover the MTHFR Test? Typically, yes. Talk with your doctor.
  6. Which lab do you go through for your StrateGene MTHFR testing? No lab is needed. We ship you the saliva kit. You simply spit into a tube or swab your cheek. Then ship in the postage-paid package to our lab.
  7. Where do I go to get my blood drawn? No blood draw needed. Simply spit or swab your cheek in the comfort of your home.
  8. Where do I mail my sample? You use the enclosed postage-paid envelope and send it directly to our lab.
  9. What do I do if I find out I have a MTHFR mutation? You can bring it to you doctor and see what they can do for you. Many doctors do not understand the MTHFR mutation and the effects it can cause; however, more and more are slowly waking up to the seriousness of MTHFR mutations.
  10. What supplements or prescriptions do you recommend if I have a MTHFR mutation? The StrateGene Report goes over supplements, lifestyle, diet and environmental recommendations for you.
  11. Is the StrateGene DNA test accurate? Yes. Very.

Do you have any questions about MTHFR testing or how to obtain your MTHFR Test Kit? Please comment below.

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Terri Rupe
10 years ago

Hi Dr Lynch –
I’ve been reading about the 23andme.com MTHFR testing and was ready to order the $99 saliva test. However, when I went to the website, there was a notice indicating provision of interpretation of MTHFR results has been suspended due to a warning letter received from the FDA on Nov. 22, 2013. The website advises that only ancestry related reports and raw genetic data (without interpretation) will be received. In light of this, is it worth ordering this test right now? Will the raw data provide enough information to be useful to me?

Thank you!

rr
9 years ago
Reply to  Terri Rupe

hi, there are programs online that allow you to download your info from 23andMe directly to them and they will interpret the info. One is genetic genie. She interprets the methylation genes. It was free but with an optional 10$ donation. This does not interpret everything but the most important methylation and other brain enzymes that are meaningful to know. There are other websites also that interpret other stuff regarding disease risks, but be warned, it’s still kind of confusing if you have no basic knowledge of how this all works. But the genetic genie ones you could show to your doctors and they would understand. PS, if you go through 23andMe, there is a special waiver on the raw data pages that you have to agree to under the BRCA snps in order to see the 2 BRCA gene results (Breast cancer). IF you don’t click on that waiver (it’s kind of hidden and not easy to realize what it is), then those results are not automatically counted when you go to the other sites for interpretation. hope this helps

krystal
6 years ago
Reply to  Terri Rupe

my friend has this shes a single mom in a lot of pain she experiences thyroid issues and blood clotting i need help to stop it what should i so?

M
10 years ago

I would try http://www.bagl.ca they offer the test for both variants and can test using either blood or cheek swab.

Kendra
9 years ago

I am a little confused on the testing. If my doctor orders it, does he order a kit, then I take it to the lab? Or is there bloodwork he can order directly? We have a Labcorp nearby.

Maureen Healy
9 years ago

This site needs to be updated b/c “FAQ #8” is incorrect. I looked up a lab blood center by my home and called to see if they would do the test — they said yes (Quest) but when I got there they said no.

I called Spectracell.com and they said I needed to lookup on their site “Find a Draw Site” for the places contracted to work with them. Of course, I did that but it would have been easier if I got the correct directions initially.

Thank you for everything but just needs a bit updating.

Wendy
9 years ago

I have many symptoms of MTHFR mutation as well as my siblings. We, however, live in New York and I notice that the testing is not available for New Yorkers. How could we get tested? I’m desperate to see if this is the cause of all my issues!

Kathy
9 years ago
Reply to  Wendy

Wendy, say the sample did not come from NY

Tammy
9 years ago

The link in #14 doesn’t work -(to schedule a consult with Dr. Lynch)

Pauline
9 years ago

Hello Dr. Lynch,

I live in Toronto, Ontario. I am assuming that this testing is available only in the US? (I know there are many tests that we cannot get done here and that doctors are completely unaware of), my family doctor included!! If I can’t get tested, but suspect I may have the MTHFR mutation, is there general recommendations that I can follow?

sherrie
9 years ago

Can this test be sent to canada?

Barbara Poole
9 years ago

Hello I was tested thru a physician on an HDL Labs cardiac profile. My result was 677T. /TT. This was in 2013. I have many of the issues caused by MFTHR gene mutation. I was tested again by a different physician, not an HDL practicioner, and the MFTHR test was negative. Is this a rare thing or can results vary? Thank you.

Barbara Poole
9 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Ben Lynch

Dr. Lynch,
I had the 23& me test when it was first available. I cannot find any mention of MFTHR gene testing in the results. Should I order the test supplied by your website? Thank you so much. Barbara

Patricia
9 years ago

I am on the 23andme Canadian website right now and it states that, “23andMe does not provide health reports related to the following conditions:… Methylation analysis of the MTHFR gene”. It says something very similar on the US site. Yet people are apparently getting MTHFR info from 23andme. I’m very confused! Links provided below.

https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/202907400-What-health-conditions-are-not-covered-by-23andMe-s-Personal-Genome-Service-

https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-ca/articles/202907400-What-health-conditions-are-not-covered-by-23andMe-s-Personal-Genome-Service-

Lynn_M
9 years ago
Reply to  Patricia

Patricia and Barbara,

If you have 23andMe results, you do not need to get the Spectracell genetic test offered by Dr. Lynch. However, unlike the Spectracell genetic test, 23andMe will not spoonfeed you any information about your methylation genes; you have to extract that information yourself. There are two ways to do that. The easiest way, and what I recommend for starting out, is to sign up to get a variant report through either Livewello or MTHFRSupport (http://www.mthfrsupport.com/reports-consults/order-reports/). The fee is $20 and they analyze about 200 snps altogether, telling you if you have a homozygous, heterozygous, or no variant snp. Most snps are linked to a site with more information.

The more advanced method is to go into the Browse Raw Data section of your r23andMe results. After you sign in, your name will appear in the upper right. There is a down arrow to the right of your name. If you hold the cursor over that down arrow, one of the choices that appears in a pop-up menu is Browse Raw Data. Click on Browse Raw Data. In the next screen, you can search for either a gene name or a snp. E.g. If you enter MTHFR in the gene name, about 58 different MTHFR snps will show up, with your results given for each one. Or, you can enter the rs number for a particular snp. E.g. rs1801133 is MTHFR C677T and rs1901131 is MTHFR A1298C. You will then need to figure out yourself, using other sources, what your results mean, and which alleles are the variant ones. While more complicated, using Browse Raw Data allows you to check the status of any of the nearly 600,000 snps that 23andMe now tests for. It was nearly a million snps when the test was first offered.

Patricia
9 years ago
Reply to  Lynn_M

Thank you Lynne_M! Very much appreciated! 🙂

Kim
9 years ago

Is there a test that would identify other health conditions in case it’s not MTHFR? Due to health, I am now unemployed and uninsured and afraid to invest in something that may be another desperate attempt for answers. I highly suspect the MTHFR gene mutation, but would feel more secure if other genes were tested in case it’s not. Thanks for the help anyone…

Daniel
9 years ago

I am uneasy about testing my daughter for mthfr…she is young and I am afraid that the results can be used against her when she is an adult looking for health/life insurance. Some people have said it’s not a diagnosis so it can’t be used against her, others have said I should be concerned. Thoughts?

Barbara
9 years ago
Reply to  Daniel

GINA – Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 prohibits genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment in the US http://www.genome.gov/10002328 but not life insurance

Lynn_M
9 years ago
Reply to  Barbara

Long-term care insurance is also excluded from the prohibition against genetic discrimination.

For young people, it might be advisable to do genetic testing under a phony name.

Barbara
9 years ago

Dr. Lynch….do you do phone consults? Thanks

Marie
9 years ago

Dr. Lynch,
I am 39 and am a thyroid cancer survivor for about 4 years now. My labs were normal when diagnosed even though I didn’t feel good. I had a mthfr blood test done 2 years ago through quest diagnostics. I started taking b12 sublingual 5000 and the brain fog went away.

I also have been suffering with anxiety and depression. My father has severe chrohns disease. My sister had the same type of thyroid cancer as myself, but she had hashimotos disease before her thyroid was removed and then a nodule was found on the diseased thyroid. Mine metasasized without having a previous thyroid condition. My other sister has chrohns disease.
I am finding myself treatment resistant to antidepressants.

I believe in my heart that I need to do the saliva 23andme test to check this again!
Do you believe that this one test I had 2 years ago can be false?

Thank you sooooo much!

Melissa
9 years ago

Hi Dr.,
I recently got my DNA results back from a commercial test (AncestryDNA) and uploaded them to Promethease. I am homozy. for C677T, and for V158M, and H262H. Not the good kind of homozy. My A1298C is “normal”, my C699T, and N212N are too. I am hetero for the VDR’s and the MAO-A. I am also hetero for MTR and A664A.
I have had notable fatigue all my life. I have lived a very full and active life, but I’m guessing that is due to my lifestyle, which was very healthy foods, and lots of exercise. I recently had a bad bout of depression and long period of stress which completely took me down the health ladder. I have been severely fatigued for a month now, and I have major brain fog and concentration issues. I have started on a methyl correcting program including active b12, a methyl correcting multivitamin, and supplemental methyl. However, I am still experiencing these symptoms, even though my mood has been better. I’ve been on the correcting supplements for a week and a half. Should I be feeling anything more yet, and can you see anything I need or am doing wrong?

THANK YOU

Kelli
7 years ago
Reply to  Melissa

Melissa, could you tell me the brand or name of the methyl correcting multivitamin and which supplemental methyl you take?

[…] Inform your family members so they can also test for the MTHFR mutation […]

Danielle
8 years ago

my husband and I have been trying to have a baby for 5 years but have had miscarriages and unexplained fertility. We have had numerous iui’s done. ALL the testing we have done came back normal. My question is we have had genetic testing done and it came back normal for both my husband and myself. I just came across some research on MTHFR. It got me wondering. My question is when we did all the testing and what not…..did they test for this? Is this included in any of the testing for infertility?

Aron Choi
8 years ago
Reply to  Danielle

Danielle, check out this post on MTHFR and Pregnancy . MTHFR is typically not screened with standard genetic testing for pregnancy.

Elle Haight
8 years ago

I just had the MTHFR test done with Quest. It was ordered by my doctor. My insurance company Cigna just sent me a letter saying they do not cover it and that it will cost be $2506.00!!! Are they crazy? Why so much? Have you used Quest before? I see that with Spectracell it is only $195.
I would appreciate any help on this to support a lower charge.
Thank you,
Elle

8 years ago

Hi Dr. Lynch
I will be attending the SHEI conference in October 2015. I have been using a saliva test from Neuroscience (Pharmasan Labs) to test my patients. It is a saliva test and tests for MTHFR 1298c, C677, and COMT. It only costs $75 and is convenient for the patient. Do you think a saliva test is a viable form of testing for the SNP’s?
Thanks
Charlie Savoca,L.Ac.

8 years ago

time to update this page! seekingheath no longer offers testing kits.

8 years ago

My son has been diagnosed with hypomania and they have him on numerous drugs, a number of which I have great concern with. What would you recommend for him? First to get tested for MTHFR? He is on state sponsored insurance in Ohio and I am in Iowa. He has a wife two girls and one on the way. Its been so hard for them and me. He attempted suicide while on the phone with me a little over a year ago. Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Dr. Aron
8 years ago
Reply to  sarah wilson

Sarah – Please reach out to a doctor who has completed training with Dr. Lynch in your area or one who does phone consultations: https://seekinghealth.org/physician-directory/. Wishing you and your son all the best.

Gina
8 years ago

Hi,
I am MOTHER positive, homozygous for C677T. I am within childbearing age and my doctor just recommend L-Methyfolate 7. 5mg. *Is this a good idea?

Dr. Aron
8 years ago
Reply to  Gina

Gina – It depends. Please read this article on preventing Methylfolate side effects: https://mthfr.net/preventing-methylfolate-side-effects/2014/11/26/

Sandi
8 years ago

On the advice of my naturopath and seeing you recommend it as well, I purchased three 23andme tests for my mother, granddaughter and nephew (I had the blood test done). I’ve sent them in, but the list of reports don’t include MTHFR gene mutation. I wrote them a question about whether that result will be included, and they said it is not. Is there other information that the test provides that will shed light on the MTHFR mutation, or did I just waste $600?

Melissa
7 years ago
Reply to  Sandi

You didn’t waste it. You have a couple options: 1) Go into the 23andMe website and go to Tools >> Raw Data. Search for these three snp’s: rs1801133, also known as C677T, rs1801131, also known as A1298C, and rs2274976, also known as G1793A. These will let you know what your MTHFR genotypes are. 2) Go into the 23andMe website and go to Tools >>Raw Data. At the top of the page go into the DOWNLOAD tab. Download your snp’s into a text file. Take the text file and go to a third party website such as Promethease.com. Pay $5 and upload your text file. Get 100x more health information than 23andMe provides, including MTHFR. 23andme isn’t worth the money for the health information. It is worth the money to have a company test your dna and make it available to you. The second reason 23andMe is valuable is for their online database of your potential genetic relatives.

melissa
7 years ago

I stumbled upon your website in my search to figure out what’s wrong with me as my doctors and treatments do little good. The links above in the article no longer work and now I’m not sure what steps I need to take next to figure this out. Here’s my background, as a child I was sick often – frequent ear, throat infections, pneumonia (at 4 almost fatal). I would get horrible abdominal pains, still do and unexplained. At 21 I had mono, very serious and almost fatal. After this I’ve never felt right and never regained my stamina or energy (I’m currently 46). Everything just kept cropping up, adult acne after never having issues as a teen. Painful menstrual periods, weight gain, miscarriage. At 30 after my miscarriage I was diagnosed with PCOS. Had 2 children. During my 2nd pregnancy, my gallbladder freaked out so 6 weeks after an emergency c-section I had to have my gall bladder removed. Then about 6 weeks after that things went downhill fast. I had zero energy, I couldn’t focus or remember things, when I’d leave the house I’d forget where I was or where I was going it was terrifying. I had two small children and I was terrified I’d forget them in the car etc. Initially my GP said post partum depression. But the meds did nothing. Then I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, but couldn’t find anyone to treat it. Then the pain started and a fibromyalgia diagnosis. My children are now 13 and 10, and they’ve only known me as sick and struggling. Is it possible that all this is Mthfr?? Currently my thyroid levels are below normal and seem to not respond to treatment, my doctor is confused too. He switched me from synthroid to nature throid, I feel better, but not normal and in spite of monthly increases my numbers remain subpar. My pain comes and goes as does my fatigue. On a good day, I can shower, dress, take my kids to and from school and run 1 additional errand (like a 15 min trip to the market or a doctor or cook dinner). If I exceed this, I’ll sleep for a day exhausted. I test positive for lupus as well, but since I have Hashimoto’s I’m told it could be a false positive and until an organ is effected no since in diagnosing it. I also mave frequent headaches aND allergies with 1 anaphylactic reaction to peas of all things. Where do I start? I look forward to your direction and help.

Praying in Dallas, Texas for some answers,
Melissa

Lindsey Laugherty
7 years ago

The test link is apparently no longer available. Where else can I get tested???

Carol
7 years ago

will these tests tell you which mutation you have-exactly out of all the different ones? Also is there a test that tests for the other gene mutations like CBS and COMT and MAOA and SUOX? Like one blood draw for all these?

navr
7 years ago

There are many routes re MTHFR testing:

– go to your doctor and doctor order from a standard lab

– order online from dr Lynch ($195US or $250CAN) – faster delivery than 23andme

– order from 23andme in Canada (where they moved) for $250CAN and go to geneticgenie.org for online interpretation of 23andme results

– go to Naturopathic Doctor – they require an initial general intake which is $250CAN, plus the test price (probably $250CAN), plus a subsequent visit which is $150 = total ~$650CAN

So what is the best route, the best bang for a buck (whether insured or not)?
What are the Pros/Cons of each route?

Michele
7 years ago

All the links to finding a Dr. (in Santa Fe or Albuquerque, NM) don’t work. Can anyone help?

Thank you.

Mary Powers
7 years ago

I just received info that I have a 1298cc homozygous mutation – Do I still need to order 23 and me testing?

Margo
7 years ago

The links on this page for the test kits are taking me to seeking health.com but I was unable to find any test kits there. Help, please!

Dana D.
7 years ago

Does anyone know how to get raw DNA data from Ancestry?
I had their test and only received a pie chart for ethnicity.

Lisa Roberts
7 years ago

Hi we are in the UK do you do testing for children here under 2?

shannon
7 years ago

I just did 23 and me and was wondering if there was up to date information about interpreting the results… the questions/answers below are from a few years ago. I’m very curious if I have the mutation and would love to see if my 23 and me results can be used to help me understand my health better.

Heather
6 years ago

Will a blood test be affected if I already started taking methyl folate and methyl b-12??? I’m worried that my test won’t be accurate if I already have a week’s worth of these vitamins in my system.

bre james
6 years ago

Does 23 and me still provide at least the Raw data for mthfr? I wanted to make sure all of the advice above wasn’t outdated because when I ask 23 and me through email, they say no. But I think they misunderstand and think I’m asking if they interpret the data which I understand they do not. And then, if we are sure they still provide the MTHFR raw data, which test do I order? MTHFR is the only thing I’m worried about and I didnt want to chance wasting $200

Amanda V
6 years ago

My doctor ordered the mthfr lab test through labcorp and my insurance denied it. I have to give a reason if I want to appeal it but doubtful it will be covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield. My son is homozygous and had a geneSight test done for medication compatibility and insurance also denied that. I appealed his and they still denied it. He was hypertensive as an infant.

Hanneke Cnossen
4 years ago

Hi, I would like to get tested for MTHFR gene mutation, c677t and a1298c. Is it available from Canada?

jill
4 years ago

Is the cheek swab tests accurate for toddlers? If so where can I get this?

MTHFR? This Course is For You

MTHFR? This Course is For You

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