MTHFR gene not linked to vaccine response
“Not surprisingly, none of the websites who list so-called signs of MTHFR mutations provide any evidence for why they are considered to be signs.” Dr. Vincent Iannelli Pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics
A mole above the lip or high on the cheek is often seen as a sign of beauty, but some birthmarks, a Facebook post alleges, may indicate more harm than good.
“MTHFR INDICATORS” reads a gallery of images depicting children, each with three different categories of congenital markings. Red circular patches of skin, featured predominantly on the head and neck, are characterized as “stork bites,” a visible “blue vein” on the nasal bridge is a “sugar bug,” and small indentations near the “butt crack” are sacral dimples.
The accompanying text warns these three are signs of the MTHFR gene, and anyone with a faulty version of it will experience a host of debilitating diseases after vaccination.
“When people have MTHFR their chances of vaccine reactions increase because they cannot detox the toxins from the vaccines,” reads the post, which originally was shared in 2018 but recently resurfaced. “When you give Tylenol it decreases the glutathione levels in the body which is essential to detoxification. So imagine what happens when you give someone who already has problems detoxing a medication that inhibits detoxification ...”
The post has received more than 39,000 re-shares on Facebook and has even made its way to Twitter.
Facebook users in the comments took to expressing their appreciation for the post and their own personal stories with MTHFR.
“Wow very good to know. Myself and 3 of my 4 kids had this!!” one commentator wrote a year ago.
“Doctors should be testing to see if babies have these genes but they are not,” said another in June.
Joya Noel, the Facebook user who shared the post, told USA TODAY via Facebook Messenger she got her information from Ben Lynch, a naturopathic medicine practitioner, and chiropractor Andrew Rostenberg; Noel provided references to their websites.
What is MTHFR?
Enzymes – biological molecules that speed up chemical reactions within cells – are key players in the human body. One such enzyme, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, encoded by the MTHFR gene, is critical for converting one type of folate (also known as folic acid or vitamin B9) into another type of folate commonly found in blood.
The conversion provides the body with amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. This enzyme also helps transform homocysteine, an amino acid naturally produced by the body, into a more usable form.
Just as human beings come in different shapes and colors, genes encoding the same enzyme also vary. For the MTHFR gene, its two prevailing variants, C677T and A1298C, generally have no effect on health.
“Gene variants are common and normal. In fact there are more people in the United States who have one or two copies of the MTHR C677T variant than people who do not have it,” the CDC says on its website.
Increased levels of homocysteine, in these rare genetic cases, can lead to blood clots, arterial damage in blood vessels and, ultimately, cardiovascular disease. However, the two common MTHFR gene variants are not entirely responsible for increased homocysteine’s deleterious effects: There are more than 135 genes involved in modulating the amino acid, and conditions such as poor nutrition, alcoholism and low oxygen may also contribute.
There are two variants of MTHFR: C677T, which 30%- 40% of the American population may have, and A1298C, which has limited research, according to Healthline. Sacral dimples, “stork bites” and “sugar bugs” are not MTHFR variant indicators, said Dr. Sean O’Leary, vice chair of the American Academy of Pedatrics’ Committee on Infectious Disease, in a September interview with Reuters.
Named after the “delivery stork” myth, “stork bites” are present among one-third of all newborns but tend to fade out over time, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website.
Appearance of a thin blue line on the nose or between the eyes – a “sugar bug” – is completely normal. The blue line is the dorsal nasal vein, which all humans have, but for those with lighter or thinner skin it is more noticeable.
According to the Mayo and Cleveland Clinic, a sacral dimple is generally harmless and does not cause any health problems or require further treatment. The congenital mark has no known underlying causes, but if it’s accompanied by a “tuft of hair, skin tag or certain types of skin discoloration,” the Mayo Clinic suggests a sacral dimple may indicate a serious spine or spinal cord abnormality.
Dr. Vincent Iannelli, a pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, wrote in his 2018 blog that parents get concerned MTHFR is related to their child’s “stork bite,” sacral dimple, “sugar bug” or any other common condition present at birth.
“Not surprisingly, none of the websites who list so-called signs of MTHFR mutations provide any evidence for why they are considered to be signs,” Iannelli wrote.
Our rating: False
There is no evidence that a “stork bite,” blue vein on the nose or sacral dimples are indicators of the MTHFR gene. Many experts have stated that there is no connection between a vaccine reaction and MTHFR and no studies exist to support this claim.