What exactly *IS* this MTHFR I’ve been talking about? MTHFR is shorthand for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (methyl-ene-tetra-hydro-folate-reductase) gene mutation. That’s a mouthful, isn’t it? I still have trouble pronouncing it. Many people think it looks like disemvoweled swear word, and I think that’s appropriate! Please understand that MTHFR is far more complicated than anyone can convey in a simple blog post. There are multiple websites and forums devoted to the science and study of MTHFR. I’ll link a few at the end for further reading. But for now, I’m going to attempt a brief overview. methylation cycle [3] First of all, variations in DNA are normal; we all have them! It’s estimated that there are about 10 million variations, and they’re the reason for the human race’s diversity. Some gene variations cause Down Syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis, and they are even responsible for curly hair and color blindness. They influence how we look and behave, and how our bodi