Why can supplementing with methylfolate cause anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and other related symptoms?

Methylation is involved in numerous biochemical pathways in your body that impact your genetics, heart health, hormones, sleep, mood, and detoxification. When you consume folate from food, your body has to convert it into the active form, methylfolate. You may also see this referred to as L-methylfolate, L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, L-5-MTHF, 5-MTHF, or simply MTHF. They are all the same thing.

Your MTHFR enzyme is what makes this conversion happen. A large portion of the population have a SNP, or mutation, on this gene which causes the MTHFR enzyme to not work as well. This means it is harder for their bodies to take folate from their diet and turn it into the active form of folate needed for methylation. 

When you supplement with methylfolate, you bypass the MTHFR enzyme and support methylation throughout the body. This generally leads to one of three outcomes:*

1. You feel great!
2. You feel great! For the first week or so. By the second week, side effects begin to set in.
3. You take methylfolate and experience the side effects immediately.

Side effects from methylfolate supplementation are incredibly common. Some individuals report experiencing anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and other related symptoms. Methylfolate readily crosses the blood brain barrier where it helps to support production of neurotransmitters.* However, if you were previously deficient in folate, this neuroexcitation may lead to these side effects. Underlying health problems such as inflammation, detoxification problems, or nutrient deficiencies may also play a role.

We are not medical professionals and do not know your unique genetics or medical history, so we cannot advise as to why you may experience these side effects. If you believe that you are experiencing any adverse reactions, please see your healthcare professional immediately. We always recommend that you consult with your healthcare professional prior to considering the use of methylfolate or any supplement.

If you would like to learn more about MTHFR and methylfolate, please visit www.mthfr.net

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.