MTHFR isn’t a cuss word – it’s a gene that everyone has. It’s responsible for converting folate (or vitamin B9) into a form that our bodies can use. According to the NIH, folate is necessary to help your body make DNA and genetic material, as well as cell division in your body.

As with all our genes, we each get one copy of the MTHFR gene from each of our parents. When these genes combine, it’s possible for the gene to mutate into different variations. Unfortunately, some individuals carry a variant of the MTHFR gene that can cause low levels of usable folate in the body. This increases levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can be toxic in high amounts.

MTHFR gene variants can cause folate deficiency and high levels of homocysteine, which in turn has been linked to several diseases and health problems, including: (1) Heart disease, blood clots, and stroke (2) Cancer (3) Mental health problems (4) Fertility (5) Migraines

Each kit contains 1 set of instructions, 1 small envelope, 1 plastic tube with a swab inside, 1 biohazard bag, 1 name label sticker, and 1 FedEx Return Pak.

Once you’ve sent your sample back to the lab, we’ll offer your results in 48 hours. Your results will tell you if you have a variation of either the MTHFR 677 gene, the MTHFR 1298 gene, or both, along with a few practical ways you can take control of your health.

TNP means “test not performed”. The lab was unable to test your sample due to an issue with your kit or an insufficient amount of sample. Please contact Customer Care for next steps.

You sure can! We’ll email you the moment your lab results are ready. You can access them in our secure online portal – download or print your results and bring them to your doctor’s office, or simply upload the digital version during your telemedicine appointment.

Not to worry. Our clinical labs are CLIA certified and CAP accredited, which means that the FDA and CDC ensure that our tests and practices are up to their rigorous standards. Each test includes a “requisition” that is created and approved by our Licensed Ordering Physician Network. Our medical advisory team is comprised of experts who carefully design our processes & test results to be accepted by the greater medical community. Before they’re publicly available, every biomarker undergoes an extensive validation at the lab to make sure that the test is both accurate and precise. However, the At Home COVID-19 Nasal PCR Test Kit is unique to this process – the FDA required an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to fast track its availability in the US. The FDA signed off on our Nasal PCR validation study proposal, results and intended use for the duration of the pandemic.

If you find out that you have a variation of the MTHFR gene, you can supplement your diet with L-methylfolate, an active form of folate that your body can absorb to combat the effects of the MTHFR gene variation.

Two other supplements that can help your body in the methylation process include vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. MTHFR can make it hard for your body to convert enough of these two vitamins to keep you healthy, so supplementation can help you combat the effects of deficiency. Both supplements have been shown to lower homocysteine levels in people with MTHFR variations.