The ADHD Game Changer That Wasn’t Medication: MTHFR, Folic Acid, and Going Gluten-Free
The biggest effect to my ADHD symptoms that we aren't talking about enough
This video has been over a year in the making.
After hundreds of hours spent researching my own health, I truly believe this is one of the most life-changing discoveries of my adult life. It’s the missing puzzle piece behind so many of my symptoms—and I can’t not talk about it.
I’ve taken everything I’ve learned and boiled it down into a 30-minute video packed with clear, actionable info.
If you’re neurodivergent, chronically dealing with health issues, or just trying to make sense of why your body feels “off”…
you need to watch this.
It might explain more than you realize.
I’ve talked about ADHD on this channel and newsletter for years, but I’ve never shared what actually has made the biggest difference in my life—until now.
It wasn’t productivity hacks.
It wasn’t even therapy or medication.
It was learning that I have the MTHFR gene mutation, which severely impacts how my body detoxes, processes folate, and manages neurotransmitters.
Once I learned this, I went all in:
I got tested using my old AncestryDNA kit and uploaded it to GeneticGenie.org
I removed folic acid (the synthetic B9 added to bread, pasta, and cereal)
I went 100% gluten-free (because in the U.S., most gluten is fortified with folic acid)
I started tracking supplements, symptoms, and protocols in Notion
I developed my own framework called METHYL to help others understand this too.
I’m not guaranteeing that making these changes will help but they helped me so I thought it might be something to share with others.
🧬 What Is MTHFR?
MTHFR is a gene that helps your body methylate—basically, turn nutrients into usable fuel and clear out toxins. If you have a mutation (especially homozygous C677T, like me), your body can’t process folic acid, detox efficiently, or make neurotransmitters properly.
This can cause:
Brain fog
Anxiety
Low energy
Skin issues
Hormonal imbalances
And it can worsen your ADHD/Autism symptoms
🥖 What’s Wrong with (Synthetic) Folic Acid?
Folic acid is synthetic. It was added to U.S. grain products in 1998 to prevent birth defects, but about 30–40% of the population has an MTHFR mutation and can’t convert it. It builds up, blocks real folate, and makes symptoms worse—especially for neurodivergent people.
Most gluten-free products do not have synthetic folic acid, which is why I decided I needed to go gluten-free, which I’m coming up at almost a year now.
🧬 What’s the Difference Between Folic Acid, Folate, and Methylfolate?
When it comes to MTHFR and your genes, not all “folate” is created equal. Here’s what you need to know:
❌ Folic Acid
This is the synthetic form of vitamin B9 found in fortified foods (like cereal and bread) and most cheap multivitamins.
The problem? If you have an MTHFR mutation, your body may struggle to convert folic acid into a usable form. Instead, it can build up in the blood and potentially block your receptors—doing more harm than good.
✅ Folate
This is the natural form of B9 found in whole foods like leafy greens, legumes, and liver. Your body prefers this—but it still needs to go through a multi-step process to become active.
🔑 Methylfolate (5-MTHF)
This is the active, bioavailable form your body actually uses. It’s already methylated, meaning it bypasses the MTHFR conversion step and supports key functions like detox, mental health, and DNA repair.
I buy it on Amazon here
🌿 The METHYL Framework
I created this MTHFR GUIDE to simplify everything I’ve learned and I decided to share it with you all:
M = Markers (Get tested for genetics, hormones, and nutrients)
E = Education (Understand methylation, read Dirty Genes, join MTHFR FB groups)
T = Triggers (Remove folic acid, gluten, synthetic toxins)
H = Health (Add methylated B vitamins, support detox with sauna/red light/lymphatic drainage)
Y = Your Diet (Focus on natural folate, hydration, mineral support)
L = Links (Explore connections to ADHD, autism, EDS, histamine intolerance, and more)
🧪 How to Get Tested
You can upload your raw DNA from Ancestry or 23andMe to GeneticGenie.org and find out in under an hour if you have the mutation.
It’s free. It’s easy. It’s life-changing.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Since going gluten-free and removing folic acid, my ADHD symptoms have dropped dramatically. Less brain fog. More clarity. More calm.
And this was just the beginning.
I hope to do more content on this but please respond to this email or leave a comment if you want to learn more.
📥 Download my full Notion MTHFR Resource Guide here:
👉 https://jennaredfield.com/mthfr
If you haven’t joined the Facebook group, check out Notion for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs here