The Coffee/Folate/MTHFR Connection

[lvysaur]

Eating cruciferous veggies increases caffeine metabolism (cruciferous vegs have decent folate)

Drinking coffee reduces folate levels

And of course, homocysteine metabolism is limited by folate and b6, both of which are reduced by coffee consumption. Coffee raises homocysteine.

I'm wondering to what extent all these things are connected to each other.

 

[nigma]

Thanks for posting this, I've been trying to understand why I feel rubbish after having coffee for a couple weeks, I always end up quitting... it could be this. I just got saliva DNA results back that show I have the MTHFR defect where I only process 30% of normal the rate of methylating(activating) folate.

Eating cruciferous veggies increases caffeine metabolism (cruciferous vegs have decent folate)

Drinking coffee reduces folate levels

And of course, homocysteine metabolism is limited by folate and b6, both of which are reduced by coffee consumption. Coffee raises homocysteine.

I'm wondering to what extent all these things are connected to each other.

 

[Kartoffel]

Eating cruciferous veggies increases caffeine metabolism (cruciferous vegs have decent folate)

Drinking coffee reduces folate levels

And of course, homocysteine metabolism is limited by folate and b6, both of which are reduced by coffee consumption. Coffee raises homocysteine.

I'm wondering to what extent all these things are connected to each other.

Coffee seems to be pretty protective for the brain and has been shown to prevent/slow decline of mental performance. From the study you posted:

"Quantile regression analysis showed essentially no difference in B-vitamin concentrations between coffee consumption categories at low vitamin concentrations but a progressive increase in the difference at higher concentrations."
​

@nigma Which polymorphism do you have? Have you experimented with riboflavin?

 

[nigma]

@Kartoffel MTHFR C677T homozygous mutation (+/+)

How do you mean experimented with riboflavin? I've taken it in the past but am currently unaware of any connection to methylation. I have not taken it for a while though.

 

[Kartoffel]

@Kartoffel MTHFR C677T homozygous mutation (+/+)

How do you mean experimented with riboflavin? I've taken it in the past but am currently unaware of any connection to methylation. I have not taken it for a while though.

There are several studies suggesting that higher riboflavin levels significantly reduce Hcy levels in people with that mutation.

 

[nigma]

@Kartoffel Thank you, I will look into this!

 

[Travis]

Eating cruciferous veggies increases caffeine metabolism (cruciferous vegs have decent folate)

Drinking coffee reduces folate levels

And of course, homocysteine metabolism is limited by folate and b6, both of which are reduced by coffee consumption. Coffee raises homocysteine.

I'm wondering to what extent all these things are connected to each other.

This had only been a 10.1% in men mean reduction in men, and 11.7% in women, in their respective high intake groups (> 4 cups per day). Coffee had actually been associated with a slight reduction of all B-vitamins tested, perhaps what you'd expect from increased metabolism and urination.

 

[ddjd]

Thanks for posting this, I've been trying to understand why I feel rubbish after having coffee for a couple weeks, I always end up quitting... it could be this. I just got saliva DNA results back that show I have the MTHFR defect where I only process 30% of normal the rate of methylating(activating) folate.

Have you checked your pemt gene?

 

[nigma]

There are several studies suggesting that higher riboflavin levels significantly reduce Hcy levels in people with that mutation.

It turns out B2 is a co-factor to MTHFR.

 

[nigma]

Have you checked your pemt gene?

I just checked and I've got the homozygous defect for pemt also, what is the significance?

 

[nigma]

Have you checked your pemt gene?

Found this post of yours.

 

[cjm]

Nice post, man. This would explain why I feel better on days I drink coffee when I also take brewer's yeast.

 

[Korven]

My folate was very low on my latest blood test, should I quit coffee?

I guess this is what happens when you mega dose vitamin B1 for months.