Explaining how MTHFR fits into the Methylation process

The Methylation Cycle is a biochemical pathway that manages or contributes to a wide range of crucial bodily functions, including:

• Detoxification
• Immune function
• Maintaining DNA
• Energy production
• Mood balancing
• Controlling inflammation

All these processes help the body respond to environmental stressors, to detoxify, and to adapt and rebuild. That’s why lowered methylation function may contribute to many, major chronic conditions, including:

• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Adult neurological conditions
• Autism and other spectrum disorders
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Miscarriages, fertility, and problems in pregnancy
• Allergies, immune system, and digestive problems
• Mood and psychiatric disorders
• Aging

Methylation is involved in almost every bodily biochemical reaction, and occurs billions of times every second in our cells. 

MTHFR plays a crucial role in this cycle, and when there's an MTHFR deficiency we get into trouble. 

I get confused by all the big words they use, but I think this video does a good job at explaining how essential MTHFR is to the methylation cycle and hence the functioning of our body.

It's simple, short, and easy to understand.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ah2oHgQvj3A

Here's a diagram of the methylation system:

Here is a diagram that shows how both folic acid and natural folate need to be broken down to 5-methylfolate before it can be used in your system, and how if you have the MTHFR gene mutation it can't do this: