Hello, there!
Wanna know more about MTHFR and Dairy?
Well you’re in the right place!
In this post, I’m going to discuss this very important subject…
MTHFR and Dairy
Mutations of the MTHFR gene are a popular subject and for a good reason.
As you’re already aware, these mutations can increase the risk of various health problems.
The food we eat plays a big role in our likelihood of developing or worsening those conditions.
That’s why MTHFR and dairy is a significant topic to discuss.
Dairy is widely consumed, and you need accurate and reliable information on whether you should keep it or ditch out of the menu.
Since it’s not that easy to find reliable info on this topic, I’m going to clarify it in the post below.
Scroll down to see whether dairy is safe for you or not.
Dairy and MTHFR
Dairy consumption is not the best choice for people with MTHFR gene mutation.
In many cases, you’ll want to avoid or, at least, reduce consumption of cow’s milk and other dairy products if you’re carrying a mutation of MTHFR.
Why, though?
Food sensitivity or allergies to dairy can produce antibodies that clog folate receptors.
You see, folate receptor A from cow’s milk is different enough from the human receptor to generate antibodies, but not as different to cause the antibodies formed to attack their own folate receptor.
What happens next is that these antibodies start blocking the transport of folate to the brain.
For reference, folate reaches the brain through receptors and carriers.
The most prominent receptor is the above-mentioned folate receptor A.
Evidence shows that milk contains substantial amounts of folate receptors and seems to present the triggering antigen for the autoantibody response.
Why does folate matter?
What I said above was the consumption of dairy, especially cow’s milk, can block the transport of folate to the brain.
This is bad news, especially if you are pregnant and happen to have MTHFR mutation…
It’s easy to wonder what’s milk got to do with folate and why all these matters for people with a mutation of the MTHFR gene.
Let’s start from the basics first…
Folate, or vitamin B9, takes part in a wide range of functions in the body.
Some of the most important roles of folate include the formation of red blood cells, healthy cell growth, and function, healthy pregnancy…
During early pregnancy, folate is crucial to lowering the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine.
What many people don’t know is that the MTHFR gene gives the body the instructions to produce MTHFR protein, which is important for processing folate.
This is particularly important if we bear in mind that the body also needs folate to make DNA and produce proteins.
People with certain MTHFR variants may have lower folate levels.
It’s also useful to mention that MTHFR makes it difficult to process folic acid, a synthetic version of folate.
More precisely, MTHFR and dairy have a complicated relationship.
Eating dairy with MTHFR mutation can only aggravate your condition if you already have it and make it difficult to manage symptoms you’re experiencing.
MTHFR Dairy Intolerance
Dairy sensitivity is defined as an immune response to one or more protein-based components in milk.
First, I need to clarify that dairy sensitivity isn’t the same thing as lactose intolerance because most of us tend to use these terms interchangeably.
A lactose intolerant person isn’t able to digest and absorb lactose, a type of sugar in dairy products.
This happens because people with lactose intolerance have low levels of lactase, an enzyme that helps digest and breaks down lactose.
Dairy sensitivity is different, though.
As I mentioned above, dairy sensitivity is an immune response to milk antigens.
It has nothing to do with enzyme deficiency.
The mechanism of action associated with this condition isn’t fully understood, but it all comes down to the way the immune system reacts to dairy.
Both dairy intolerance and sensitivity are triggered by different foods from this group, such as cow’s milk, ice cream, butter, cheese…
Consuming dairy products when there is a potential methylation deficiency adds greater stress to your body.
Speaking of food sensitivities, dairy sensitivity is often close to gluten sensitivity in terms of severity.
It also happens that dairy is cross-reactive with gluten.
That means that in people with gluten sensitivity, the body may see dairy the same way it does gluten and initiate an inflammatory immune attack.
Not all dairy is equal, though.
Commercially produced dairy is a potential inflammatory food.
Although the process of pasteurization eliminates detrimental organisms from the milk, it also kills beneficial enzymes and organisms the body needs to digest the milk more effectively.
What’s the verdict on MTHFR and dairy?
The relationship between MTHFR and dairy is tricky and worth exploring…
Hopefully, in the future, there will be some important studies on this subject, especially because many people have MTHFR gene mutation, but consume dairy.
They do so because they don’t realize it could be bad for them.
For people with MTHFR gene mutation, dairy may not be the best choice.
This is particularly the case if you consume cow’s milk and tend to buy commercially produced dairy.
Ideally, you should avoid dairy products entirely or reduce their consumption…
You may also want to consult your healthcare provider, especially if you are pregnant.
People who want to consume dairy, but still aim to reduce MTHFR-related complications, organic and unpasteurized foods could be useful, but there are no indications they make a huge difference.
Throughout this post, I focused on…
The Relationship Between MTHFR and Dairy Conclusion
This important subject requires a great deal of research, but it’s easy to conclude the relationship between the two is complicated at best.
Dairy consumption may block the transport of folate to the brain, induce inflammatory responses, and aggravate your condition.
Make sure to reduce the consumption of dairy or avoid it entirely.
Nowadays, there are many plant-based alternatives that you can try.
Pregnant women concerned about their health may want to consult their doctor about MTHFR and dairy.