A question that is commonly asked when it comes to dealing with genetic variants that affect vitamin metabolism is: Will I always need to supplement?
A dangerous viewpoint of supplements
There is a dangerous viewpoint that supplements solve everything. This leads many people to stick to unhealthy lifestyle and dietary habits, thinking that popping pills will minimize or reduce the risks associated with these epigenetic factors.
However, if you build a house of straw, (the food you eat, the habits you create) much like the little piggy in the story, your house (aka body) is not going to withstand the storms that come your way. Your foundation needs to be strong and that starts with the small things you do each day: the amount of sleep you get, the way you manage your stress levels, the food you eat, the exercise you get, the nutritional ingredients you give your genes.
The word supplement actually means to “complete or enhance”. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, prevent or cure diseases. If you are wondering if you need to always be taking a certain supplement, the following considerations may help you decide.
Factors to consider
- Epigenetic factors (diet, environment and lifestyle) assert the biggest and most powerful influence on our genes. It is mostly due to them whether our genes express favorably or not.
- Some genes have altered enzyme functionality. While it is important to support them through your diet, lifestyle and environment as much as possible, there may be times when you may need a bit of extra support through the use of supplements.
- Your body is constantly changing as you go through different situations such as illness, surgery, pregnancy, aging etc, and this means your nutritional needs change too. This will in turn affect how your genes respond. You may need more support or perhaps different support during different phases or times of your life.
- Reducing external stressors and improving your dietary nutrient intake may help to resolve nutritional deficiencies and in turn, help your genes to express better, which can in turn minimize the need for ongoing support.
- You should always consult your health care provider before stopping or starting supplements. Even natural supplements can interfere with medications and also result in negative side effects.
Example: MTHFR and folate supplementation
There is a common thread amongst those who discover they have a MTHFR polymorphism. They go to their doctor, who then automatically prescribes a high dose of 7-14mg of methylfolate and send the patient on their way. However, MTHFR is not a disease or condition and does not need to be “treated”. The MTHFR polymorphism is simply a risk for having lower levels of folate and possibly higher homocysteine when and if it is not supported through diet and lifestyle. (see my post on MTHFR is not a diagnosis). This risk factor also depends on other genes, the MTHFR variant involved and various epigenetic factors.
Genes respond to our individual epigentics, and since we are all unique with our own genotype and set of epigentic factors, even though the polymorphism is the same, our response will be different because the epigenetics are different.
We can, to a degree, control some of these epigenetic factors. For example the food we eat, how much exercise we get, but there are some things out of our control that affect gene expression. The interaction on genetic polymorphisms is complex, creating different genotypes and phenotypes in people.
In conclusion
The need for continuous supplemental support depends on your individual lifestyle, nutritional needs as well as how your body compensates for altered enzyme function. Therefore, supplement use is something that needs to be monitored and adjusted throughout your life.
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