If there are instances when you feel tired or have little energy, you are not alone. With today’s 24/7 schedules, people are more likely to feel tired and overly stressed.

While it may happen because of a lack of sleep, but it’s not always the reason. In most cases, fatigue or tiredness may arise due to a poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle. Some of the reasons that can take the most out of you and you’ll end up feeling exhausted are:

1. Lack of high-quality sleep
2. Deficiencies in nutrients, or gene variants that alter nutrient use like MTHFR
3. The stress factor
4. Chronic medical conditions
5. Good sleep but lack of quality unscheduled rest
6. Caffeine consumption is too high
7. Chronic dehydration
8. Obesity or overweight
9. Dependence on drugs or alcohol
10. Working in shifts
11. Sedentary living
12. The use of certain medications

Even though most people feel exhausted some days, the constant feeling of tiredness or run down isn’t normal. Constant exhaustion can lead to chronic fatigue, severe medical conditions, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, and more. If changing your lifestyle or taking a proper diet is still not making you feel good or back on track, you must consult your healthcare provider to find the right cause.

MTHFR gene mutation is a small error in the gene that makes the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (mthfr) enzyme, which converts folate or folic acid into its active form. The mthfr mutation makes the enzyme slower and less efficient so people with this mthfr genetic disorder can have health problems related to folate deficiency.

The mthfr genetic mutation can include symptoms like fatigue, depression, anxiety, or medical issues like high homocysteine, multiple pregnancy loss, and fertility troubles.

The mthfr and folic acid toxicity can also increase the risk of more serious illnesses like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease if it remains untreated.

MTHFR overmethylation treatment is relatively simple, just follow the steps to make sure your active folate level is high enough.

Vitamin B12, also known as Cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin or an essential nutrient that is required for performing several roles in your body. It helps in the development and function of the nervous system, and the red blood cells formation, preventing birth defects, supporting bone health, and much more. The human body needs it, but can’t produce it, so it is necessary to take it through dietary supplements and good nutrition. Some of the good sources of Vitamin B12 that you can add to your diet routine include:

1. The liver and kidneys of animals are some of the most nutrient-dense foods.
2. Nutrient-dense shellfish, clams are the perfect snack.
3. Known as a saltwater fish, sardines are small, soft-boned, and high in B12.
4. Tuna.
5. Unfortified nutritional yeast.
6. Trout.

In people with MTHFR, diet can suffice for some people if you work to eliminate folic acid and add food sources of 400 mcg of natural folate per day or 600 mcg if you regularly drink alcohol.

Some people, however, still notice symptoms with this dose of natural folate and find that adding a methylfolate or folinic acid supplement helps to improve those symptoms.  Also, if you are pregnant or nursing, a good prenatal vitamin with methylfolate is strongly recommended.

Shockingly, the research indicates that between 48 – 67% of the population in the U.S. has some form of MTHFR polymorphism.  MTHFR prevalence varies between ethnic groups as well. Americans of African descent have the lowest risk of having an MTHFR variant, while those of hispanic or italian heritage have the highest.

Having the MTHFR mutation means that your capacity for detoxifying some substances, including heavy metals, hormones, and neurotransmitters, is reduced. It is important for people with MTHFR polymorphisms to detoixify, but difficult to use conventional “detox kits” or programs simply because some detoxification programs or products will push our bodies to release more toxins than we can actually eliminate and so do more harm than good.

Gentle detox strategies that focus on the physical elimination of toxins via the gut or skin will have better long-term effectiveness than more aggressive detox protocols that push the liver or enzyme systems to liberate toxins. These gentle detox strategies can include therapeutic sweating and sauna use, which encourages heavy metal release through the skin, the use of gut binders such as fiber, clay, or zeolites and topical castor oil.

Gentle detoxification strategies are a big part of the MTHFR lifestyle, and must be coupled with toxin avoidance to be effective.  Working on eliminating common toxins in your home, food, and water is one of the best steps you can make in your health long-term.