What Methylation Actually Does
"Methylation" refers to a chemical process — adding a methyl group to a molecule — that your body relies on for a long list of everyday functions: repairing DNA, regulating gene expression, breaking down and clearing certain hormones and toxins, and producing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. It also governs how your body uses folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12, two nutrients tied closely to energy production.
Because it touches so many systems at once, when methylation isn't running efficiently, the downstream effects can show up in very ordinary-sounding ways — low energy, brain fog, mood that feels harder to regulate than it should. None of those symptoms are unique to methylation on their own, which is exactly why testing rather than guessing is useful.*
Where MTHFR Fits In
MTHFR is a gene that provides instructions for an enzyme central to processing folate. Variants in this gene are common — research suggests a large share of the population carries at least one — and having a variant doesn't by itself mean something is wrong. It's one input among several, which is why a methylation panel looks at actual downstream lab markers rather than genetics alone.
What VitaFix's Methylation Profile Measures
Who Tends to Consider This Panel
People exploring this panel are often already tracking ongoing fatigue, mood, or focus concerns with their provider and want a more specific data point than a standard blood panel typically covers — or they've come across MTHFR in research and want to see actual lab markers rather than genetics alone. This is a specialty panel, not a first-line test; if you haven't discussed persistent symptoms with a healthcare provider yet, that's a reasonable place to start.
Common Questions
A biochemical process your body uses constantly for DNA repair, detoxification, neurotransmitter production, and processing folate and B12. A methylation panel looks at markers connected to how efficiently that process is running.
A gene providing instructions for an enzyme involved in processing folate. Common variants are widespread and don't automatically mean something is wrong — this panel looks at downstream markers rather than diagnosing based on genetics alone.
No — VitaFix's Methylation Profile is available to order directly for $595, with results reviewed as part of the process.
See the Full Methylation Profile
$595 — at-home collection, results reviewed.
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