What to Do About MTHFR | Chris Masterjohn Lite #33

What to Do About MTHFR | Chris Masterjohn Lite #33

Author: Chris Masterjohn, PhD December 6, 2017 Duration: 8:44

Got MTHFR? I got you: here's what you can do with nutrition to optimize for your genetics.

MTHFR mutations increase your need for choline and glycine. It's key to get methylfolate in your diet, but high-dose methylfolate supplements are not the solution. You need to boost choline as an alternative supply of methyl groups, and creatine supplementation can help you better conserve your methylfolate by reducing the need to use it. This is important because adequate methylfolate preserves glycine and prevents it from being lost. Too little protein hurts methylation, but too much worsens the loss of glycine, so you need to hit the Goldilocks amount. Finally, you need to get more glycine to make up for whatever you're losing.

In this episode, I explain how to use food and supplements to make all this work in your favor.

To get these episodes free of ads, with transcripts, and weeks or sometimes even months before they are released to the public, along with access to monthly live Q&A sessions, sign up for the CMJ Masterpass at https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/masterpass. Use the code LITE10 to get 10% off. To make it easier to get the discount, use this link, which has the coupon already activated: https://masterpass.chrismasterjohnphd.com/cmj-masterpass/2200/buy?coupon=LITE10

Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here.

Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.


Chris Masterjohn, PhD hosts Mastering Nutrition, a podcast that digs into the science of how our bodies work at a fundamental level. The focus here is on mitochondrial health-the energy powerhouses within our cells-and how optimizing them forms the cornerstone of lasting vitality. Chris brings his background as a nutrition scientist and his experience founding BioOptHealth to these conversations, which move beyond generic diet advice. Instead, the podcast explores how individual differences, informed by tools like whole genome sequencing and detailed biochemical data, can reveal personalized paths to better metabolic function. Listeners will hear deep dives into cutting-edge research, practical interpretations of complex studies, and discussions on how to apply these insights in a real-world context. This isn't about quick fixes or trending superfoods; it's about building a coherent, scientifically-grounded understanding of nutrition from the cellular level up. Each episode aims to provide the kind of nuanced, evidence-based perspective that can help you make sense of conflicting health information. Whether the topic is a specific nutrient, a metabolic pathway, or a broader principle of wellness, Chris works to translate dense science into actionable knowledge. Tune in for a thoughtful, detailed exploration of what it truly means to master your own nutritional landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 712

Mastering Nutrition
Podcast Episodes
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase | MWM Energy Metabolism Cliff Notes #6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:48
This lesson looks at the third step of the citric acid cycle in much more detail, digging into the organic chemistry concepts involved in the conversion of isocitrate to α-ketoglutarate. We dive deep into this because it…
Dry Skin When Adding Muscle? Think Zinc. | Chris Masterjohn Lite #30 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:15
Do you get dry skin when you put on muscle mass? It could be a zinc deficiency. Here's how to take care of it. To get these episodes free of ads, with transcripts, and weeks or sometimes even months before they are relea…
Cellular Respiration| MWM Energy Metabolism Cliff Notes #3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:33
This lesson provides an overview of the basic objectives of using the citric acid cycle and the electron transport chain to make ATP. We start here because, no matter whether we burn protein, carbs, or fat, these two int…
Activation Energy & Enzymes | MWM Energy Metabolism Cliff Notes #2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:47
The second MWM energy metabolism looks at how we use enzymes to exert exquisite control over what happens inside our bodies. If the second law of thermodynamics holds that entropy is always increasing, why don't we reach…
Thermodynamics | MWM Energy Metabolism Cliff Notes #1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:34
The first MWM Energy Metabolism lesson answers the question, why do we have to eat such an enormous amount of food? The answer is to comply with the second law of thermodynamics. If you have a chemistry background, you s…
Introducing the Energy Metabolism CLIFF NOTES! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:39
Masterclass With Masterjohn Energy Metabolism is a structured course that begins with foundational principles and progresses to advanced topics to give you everything you need to know about the biochemistry of how we bre…
[not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
MTHFR is an enzyme that allows folate (vitamin B9) to support the cellular process of methylation, which is important for the synthesis of creatine and phosphatidylcholine, the regulation of gene expression, neurotransmi…
Living With MTHFR | Mastering Nutrition #37 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:50
MTHFR is an enzyme that allows folate (vitamin B9) to support the cellular process of methylation, which is important for the synthesis of creatine and phosphatidylcholine, the regulation of gene expression, neurotransmi…