Leading-edge integrative Treatment for MTHFR genetic mutation

The MTHFR mutation has multiple presentations, significant variances in the specific symptoms and degree of symptoms experienced by different patients. The two most common variants that are collectively called MTHFR are the C677T and A1298C but there are actually 6 known variants that have significant impact on the methylation process. The others are FOLR1, FOLR2, DHFR, and MTHFD1.  The methylation process takes folic acid in as the raw material and adds a methyl group to it in order to produce 5-MTHF (5-methyltetrahydrofolate) or “Methylated Folate”. Think of 5-MTHF as the “gasoline” for our cells and without it, patients will lack energy and will not produce enough of various byproducts to be healthy and feel our best.  At Proactive, we help patients quantify the impact on the methylation process by looking at all of the variants an using our algorithm to estimate the impact.  If you have a single heterozygous mutation, the impact may not be medically significant.  On the other hand, if you have a homozygous C677T, you may have significant unanswered medical issues and symptoms.  This is why we have to take a complete look at all of the genes in the methylation process and assess each patient individually.

Immediately below, we present the conditions and symptoms caused or worsened by the MTHFR mutation. Below this initial table, we present a high-level overview our approach and treatment protocol. Again, we caution patients from attempting to use this protocol without physician supervision.

The foundation of our approach to treating this mutation is our Comprehensive Initial Assessment with genetics. This assessment, which includes 2 hours with one of our physicians provides the basis for establishing the appropriate treatment protocol, taking into consideration the number and degree of your symptoms as well as other health conditions that you have that may or may not be related.

Conditions and symptoms caused or made worse by MTHFR mutation

AutismAddictions: smoking, drugs, alcohol
MiscarriagesPulmonary embolisms
Depression in Post-Menopausal WomenSchizophrenia
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue SyndromeChemical Sensitivity
Parkinson’sIrritable Bowel Syndrome
Pre-eclampsiaStroke
Colorectal AdenomaIdiopathic male infertility
Blood clotsRectal cancer
Deficits in childhood cognitive developmentGastric Cancer
Migraines with auraLow HDL
High homocysteinePost-menopausal breast cancer
AtherosclerosisOral Clefts
Type 1 DiabetesEpilepsy
Alzheimer’sPotential drug toxicities: methotrexate, anti-epileptics
Increased bone fracture risk in post-menopausal womenMultiple Sclerosis
Essential HypertensionProstate Cancer
Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)Methotrexate Toxicity
Nitrous Oxide ToxicityHeart Murmurs
AsthmaShortness of Breath
Bladder Cancer

PATIENT RESPONSE

You are so great! I truly appreciate all you are doing for me. Phyllis and I are so fortunate to have found you.

TB - Pottstown, PA

June4, 2009. “Good morning! I have to tell you that I weigh 157… down from 191!!! OMG…thank you so much! I feel incredible!”

KB – Reston, VA

Hi Lynese – In an old file I found a print out from an online longevity calculator I had used in 2007 (www.eons.com). I thought I was doing well because it said I would likely live to 86! But I just re-took the survey. Basically by cutting out the coffee, carbs and sugar, increasing my exercise and losing weight, I’ve apparently added 13 years to my life!! The calculator now says I could live to be 99!! With a little more exercise and a little less work, I could live to 106!! Thanks for all the added years Lynese!!!

All the best.

P.S. – I saw Diane over the weekend – she’s looking great, and is so happy with her weight loss.

AP - Falls Church, VA

Dare I say it out loud? It sure is looking as though Semorelin has given me my life back. I was so worried about skiing – afraid I’d ski one day and be in bed the rest of the week. But I was just fine. This past Saturday I prepared, served, and cleaned up (with help) dinner for 14. Sunday I was just fine.

SJ - McLean, Virginia

“So far I have lost 30#’s in 6 weeks and have the energy of a 40 year old. Am so thankful to be able to handle unpacking and shelving 6000 books. I am up and down stepladders and extension ladders with books in tow. The awful arthritis pain is there but the energy isn’t depleted from the pain like before and I keep going like this for hours.”

LL - Winchester, VA

Dear Lynese,

Words cannot describe how happy I am with your anti-aging program. I have not felt this good in YEARS. Since getting pregnant in 1995 I have been overweight. Between 1992-1995 I was being treated for infertility and had to take all sorts of hormones that made me bloated and tired.

Now, at the age of 46 I have more energy and I look better than I have in YEARS. I actually THRIVE on exercise and do it religiously because I know it is the key to keeping the weight off and enjoying the foods that I love.

As a successful businesswoman, you often feel that you can’t have everything and I put my weight and health on hold to grow my business. You have given me the gift of being able to run a business AND look good. I am getting so much attention for my weight loss and it has helped my confidence and self esteem greatly.Since I do a lot of speaking engagements, I know that image is more important than what you say or how you say it. By looking better and appearing fit and healthy, I am a more powerful public speaker!

I can’t say enough about this gift you have given me and I hope you know how much I appreciate you.

On top of all of this, you are truly a beautiful person inside and out who provides a level of caring I have never seen from a doctor, weight loss clinic or other health professional.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KB - Reston VA

My update. I feel pretty good!!! My bleeding is under control and I am now regular for the most part. Sometimes I will have a strange menstral bleed (long and slow), but I will take it compared to my old “normal”. I still love the progesterone and testosterone I am on. They leave me with no side effects.

I was very happy at my recent (Feb 6th) annual doc appt (physical). After the standard blood draw work up, my numbers were:
Vitamin D= 66.9 (down a bit from your work up which was 77, but still good)
Cholesterol=123 (down from 150 in Sept 2011)
Triglycerides=91 (down from 129 in Sept 2011)

So… I am the new spokesperson for HCG! I love that stuff!! smile The second round for me was amazing. I was very disciplined and determined and after about the 3rd day, it become very easy for me. I was able to drop 14lbs in an 18 day cycle!!!! AND….I am keeping that off with very little effort! OMG I couldn’t be happier! I am in the body that I am comfortable in once again! That feels so good. I am continuing to eat clean and exercise, it is a great life change!

JG—Vienna, VA

Hi Lynese – Just had to share this with you. I have appeared in an online newsletter (Legal Bisnow) twice – the first time a year ago and the second time today. Look at the difference in my photos!

It’s an absolute miracle! In the older photo even my eyelids look fat! I can’t get over how much I now look like my old self – of 20 years ago! I certainly don’t look like I’m closing in on 59, do I??

The best thing anyone has said to me so far was a comment made by a neighbor who saw me today for the first time in over a year. At first he didn’t recognize me. Then he just stared intently into my face for a few minutes and said “How is your mother?” (I was confused because he doesn’t know my mother). Then he said “I had to ask that because you look like your own daughter!” Wow!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

AP - Falls Church, VA

“With that said, I have been getting incredible compliments:
“You look like a movie star”
“What have you been doing”
“You look amazing”
“You look ten years younger”
I feel incredible”

KB - Reston, VA

Hi – hope you are doing well. Are you ready for Thanksgiving? I’m getting there. I wanted to let you know I hit the 30 lb loss today!!! Yeah! So excited! Clothes that didn’t fit are fitting. Clothes I used to wear are too big. Feeling great! A little nervous about tomorrow’s feeding frenzy- but hoping to not overindulge too bad.

LJ - Arlington, VA

Anyway – just had to tell you that my size 12 pants have been falling off of me! I went to Target this weekend to get some cheap crop pants and shorts for the summer – still not wanting to invest much in clothes that are not my “target” size. (I’ve blown past the size 14 shorts I couldn’t fit into for years). And wouldn’t you know – the 12s were too big – I fit best in the size 10!!

I’M A 10!!! I’m amazed!!

I broke the 170 barrier too – I’m now 168. Just 13 pounds to go to my goal weight. I can’t believe it. The meds have been working like a charm. I think the extra thyroid has really boosted me past a plateau. I’m cleaning out my closet like a madwoman; I can’t believe how much clothing I have for donations.

I’m still getting double takes and amazed looks from people who haven’t seen me for awhile. And after remarking how great I look, a girlfriend recently peered suspiciously at me and said – “And have you had something done to your face too? You look younger!” And I do!

AP - Falls Church, VA 6/2010

Hi Lynese — Great news – seems a fibroid has disappeared! The ultrasound revealed only one fibroid this time, and it is just a little teensy bit smaller than before. So it hasn’t gotten any bigger at all. And the other fibroid didn’t show up on the ultrasound. smile

Thank goodness I did not get that hysterectomy, huh? and thank goodness I came to you to start the bio-identical hormone therapy. I believe that the progesterone is working. And I’m so glad I’m not on the birth control pills anymore. BTW, haven’t had a period since September, and haven’t had any hot flashes either! Life is good.

AK - Germantown, MD

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Treatment Protocol

Our treatment protocol uses a functional medicine approach. This is why it begins with our comprehensive initial assessment. We seek to find root causes to your health issues since many issues you present with are not likely directly caused by the MTHFR mutation. By using a functional medicine approach, we understand that imbalances in one part of the body may manifest in other systems. So we avoid the specialist approach that focuses on the disease from a single system view and view the body as a single system of systems. Using functional medicine as our guide, our treatment protocol is described below.

  1. Testing. Advanced testing is the key to our customized treatment programs. Following are the tests that we used in treating the MTHFR mutation.
    a. Comprehensive lab panel
    b. Advanced genetics panel from Gx Sciences
    c. Food sensitivity test (if indicated)
    d. CIMT (due to increased cardiovascular risk)
  2. Dietary Guidelines. Following are the general dietary guidelines. The specific guidelines are customized for each patient based on the results of food sensitivity testing.
    a. Eliminate/reduce dairy
    b. Eliminate/reduce gluten
    c. Drink a green smoothie daily
    d. Limit intake of folic acid
    e. Limit intake of processed foods
    f. Avoid antacids
  3. Lifestyle Guidance. Depending on age , lab results and degree of symptoms, lifestyle adjustments may be required for symptomatic improvement in some patients. Below are the areas of focus for lifestyle guidance.
    a. Balance hormones with Biodentical Hormone Replacement Therapy where indicated
    b. Eliminate carpeting from the home
    c. Filter chlorine from all water in the household
    d. Cook with electric stove; avoid using gas stoves
  4. Nutritional Supplementation. This is a cornerstone for many of our programs but is especially important for patients with the MTHFR mutation. IV Vitamin Therapy provides immediate relief to many patients and oral supplementation helps to sustain these benefits. Below are the critical areas of nutritional supplementation for most patients.  Keep in mind that to be successful, we have to add the right ingredients at the right time for each patient.  For example, if a patient presents with significant inflammation, it is critical that we first reduce the inflammation profile before adding methylated folate.  Adding methylated folate for highly inflamed patients makes them worse.
    a. Broad spectrum IV Vitamin Therapy possibly including amino acids where indicated
    b. Comprehensive multivitamin (without folic acid)
    c. Metholated folate.  Reduce inflammation first if patient has evidence of high levels of inflammation
    d. Glutathione
    e. Fish oil
    f. Nattokinase
    g. Vitamin C
    h. Vitamin D3
    i. Probiotics