In my quest to optimise my health and better understand my ADHD brain and the impact of my lifestyle choices, I have stumbled across a possible link between MTHFR gene mutation and ADHD. Gary Brecka human biologist (ref Geo et all 2018) and bio hacker and ADD Magazine both link these. If I understand this correctly… Gary suggests that folate enriched and fortified foods like cereals, white bread and white rice etc contain a version of folate that those with the mutation cannot break down. Therefore they need methyl folate and other forms of methylated vitamins - in order not to de deficient.
He suggests other supplements and switching to organic brown rice, organic quinoa, organic coffee and organic oatmeal.
Has anyone looked into this, had the MTHFR DNA test or made any of these switches of food or vitamins? If so, what was your experience? I’m curious.
I watched Gary Brecka on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO on YouTube and a further video of Gary Brecka’s about ADHD.
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The information about the connection being the MTHFR gene and ADHD is certainly interesting. I've seen at least a couple of articles on the topic, and from what I recall, the MTHFR gene might be a factor for some (but not all) people who have ADHD.
It's been reported that some people don't absorb certain nutrients in nutrient enriched food products. The advice that I keep coming across is that it's best to get nutrients from whole foods, by eating a well balanced diet with a good variety of vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources, etc.
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However, just from my perspective, I urge some caution on who you get your information from.
I've noticed that a lot of Steven Bartlett's guests on Diary of a CEO make very bold claims. Such as:• Dr. Chris Palmer, a psychiatrist who puts forward a theory that autism (and likely ADHD) is caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, and that mitochondrial dysfunction is caused by parental obesity. (Note: there are studies that obesity is correlated with a higher incidence of mitochondrial dysfunction, and there are studies that people with autism have a higher rate of mitochondrial dysfunction than the general population...but his theory seems quite a stretch.)
• Dr. Daniel Amen, also a psychiatrist who is very well known for his centers that treat ADHD, pushed his uncorroborated beliefs that ADHD can be detected with a SPECT scan. Last I knew, his findings have never been accepted by any of his peers in medicine.
Gary Brecka's claims are even more suspect. It's been reported on the media that he claimed to have a cure for breast cancer. His company provides expensive tests that he claims show how long a person has left to live, in order to sell that person on their much more expensive treatment programs. (Some of his detractors also describe what he does as "practicing medicine without a license.")
• He might have some good suggestions, such as the dietary suggestions you mentioned, but that information is already well known.
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I do think that guests on Diary of a CEO bring some interesting and thought provoking subjects to light. I just often find it necessary to validate the information that I hear on that program. (Most, if not all, of the guests are promoting a book, just like guests on many other podcasts.)
For science-based health topics, I prefer the Huberman Lab podcast. The host, Dr. Andrew Huberman, looks into the research on the topics discussed on his program.
I do keep trying to write (both fiction and nonfiction), and hope to be ready to publish someday. In true ADHD fashion, I have many ideas, I've started many writing projects, I keep coming back to them again and again...but I keep losing steam and setting them aside (with the intent of coming back to them "soon"... then forgetting, because something new caught my attention).
I don't know that I'd be the same caliber of writer as the people that get invited on programs like The Diary of a CEO.
But, my desire to write isn't to make money or to be seen as the expert in some field. My desire to write is because I have ideas that I want to share. (If I could earn an income by my writing, that would be wonderful. I definitely can use some more income... after all, I've got a family to provide for, bills to pay, debts to pay off, and dreams that I'd like to fulfill.) ...but maybe by working at it, I might actually become an expert on something.
I know how you feel, I'm an artist printmaker. I do sell occasionally but that by no means offsets the cost of producing the stuff so I'm minus money at the end of it all.The beauty of being a screenprinter who produces monotypes is that I can happily have many individual prints on the go at one time, exploring different techniques and colourways. It gives me a creative outlet and each year I get a little bit better at it. Trouble is I forget much of what I learn and so make the same mistakes again and again, especially if there are long gaps between printing, which with my health is frequent.
I know I'm not ready/strong enough now to do the required constant self publicising and background work involved in being a career artist. However I have a lot going on and two young children so I reckon when they get older and I theoretically have more time at least I would have honed my art and have something worthy of pushing out there eventually. If I'd stopped when I left art school, almost 30 years ago now, I'd be terrible compared to now.
I think the way you collate complex current information and express precisely the pros and cons of such material is very convincing. Its easy to get lost in correlation versus causation. We have a habitual need to distill labyrinthine notions into strait roads that may be easily digestible but by simplification render them untrue. Almost always the answer is not is it 'this' or 'that' but all of the above in different amounts and at different times in an ever changing body. Which unsurprisingly is unsatisfactory. So reading your concise summations provides much relief!!
That's not corroboration by peers. That's also by Dr. Daniel Amen.
In research, if it's only the same person publishing the same study again and again, it doesn't add to the credibility of their findings. It's got to be peer reviewed and peer replicated to be viewed as more credible.
I'm fascinated by the narrative (and the imagery of the SPECT brain scans which have been published), and indeed I'm hopeful that some form of imaging will aid in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD and other neurobiological conditions.
However, it doesn't matter how many times one person insists that they're right, if they have peers who think that they're wrong.
• Dr. Russell Barkley and other mental health professionals (researchers and clinicians) that I've listed to have has mentioned Dr. Amen's SPECT research on ADHD, and they have expressed their doubts about the effectiveness of using SPECT scanning as a means of diagnosing and measuring the extent of ADHD.
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Perhaps Dr. Amen's research will indeed lead to something. Perhaps he's completely right, and his peers just need to be able to read the data the same way that he can.
Sometimes it takes time, persistence and patience to get the science in from of enough qualified people to be accepted.
I just posted the link to the most recent study incase anybody wanted to read more about it. I wasn't claiming that was peer reviewed. The webpage states that at the top.I have no affiliation to the amen clinic either
Thanks for explaining. Sorry if my reply sounded stern Rocksmack22 .
I do think it's good that researchers and clinicians look into ADHD treatment from many different angles. I'll admit that I was initially quite intrigued by Dr. Amen, but then started to hear things that made less trusting of him. I guess I swung far one way then far the other in my opinion of him.
I didn't mean to direct my hesitation to accept his claims towards you.
I don't think I've read that latest paper, so I should give it a look-over before dismissing it out of hand.
Amen to that..pun intended. You ok I just wanted to share the info. I read about the scans a few years ago and thought the concept was interesting. I want to get a scan to see if it shows anything different about my ADHD diagnosis or matches what traditional ADHD docs came up with. Dr amen says something like psychological diagnosis and treatments are the only treatment where doctors don't examine the organ causing the issue. Sorry I know I butchered his statement. But it makes sense. Doctors wouldn't give me meds for my kidneys without first testing them and looking at them.I see chopper923 stated it much better than I
I wish you luck in your writings and future books - I think you will do very well! 😊I watched Dr. Amen's TedTalk about brain imaging, and I was blown away by something he said....the brain is the only organ that doctors treat with medication without first looking at it. (It's been a couple of years since I watched it, so I know I am probably not rephrasing it correctly, but hopefully it makes the point.) Prescriptions are easy to hand out and make companies A LOT of money. And they don't get to the root cause of the issue. If brain scans can show TBI, and sometimes TBI can be mistaken for ADHD, etc, do you think the brain scans could help eliminate MISdiagnosis? I do have to admit that I no longer trust "peer-review" journals, but that is another topic.
I saw the same TED Talk, and he makes a good point.
Brain scans are expensive tests to do. Functional issues with other organs are often able to detect with blood or urine tests, and maybe ultrasound, which are all very inexpensive by comparison to the types of scans needed to see inside the brain.
Perhaps genetic testing can be coupled with current ADHD diagnosis protocols, since some particular genes have been found to be associated with ADHD.
In time, I certainly hope that medical technology gets to Star Trek scanning levels.
I, too, have been curious about the MTHFR Test. I considered spending the money on it until I was sidetracked onto another possible contributing factor to my "symptoms." Of course, I can't remember what that was offhand, but I do know that I am beyond frustrated with always being overwhelmed and indecisive when it comes to optimizing my health. I know, one step at a time, but some steps have prerequisites, and then I need to research THOSE steps. And then I'm down a new rabbit hole....
Yes, alas - this seems to be the perpetual quest of us ADHDers. I wouldn’t be without my curiosity and ability to spot patterns etc, but it would be nice to turn it down a bit sometimes (what I used to do with alcohol until Dec 2020).
I have taken the DNA test and have the MTHFR gene mutation. The nutritionist who did the test recommended supplements with B-Vitamins (B-6, B-12etc.) When I discovered there was a link between ADHD and the MTHFR gene mutation it was an Ah ha moment for me. Basically my body does not get rid of toxins well. I found a supplement from Amy Myers online called Methylation Support that I take daily. I am not a doctor so I don’t know if this would be right for you. It has helped me.
Would you share what you’ve felt have been the improvements since beginning the supplements? I have a couple different avenues I’m considering taking next for methylation support and previously had a functional medicine D.O., and a nutritionist, but am going it alone recently. I have MTHFR gene mutation as well.
If you are seeing a psychiatrist, they can order gene site testing which will not only look for MTHFR, but it will also give you info on what medications are more and less likely to work for you. My son had this testing done, and he did not have the MTHFR mutation.
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MTHFR gene and ADHD
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