Is This Simple Vitamin Deficiency Causing Joint And Muscle Pain?

What if your unexplained joint pain, fatigue, or migraines stemmed from a single overlooked cause? For years, hypermobility was dismissed as just extra flexibility, but groundbreaking research has uncovered a hidden genetic factor affecting how the body processes a crucial nutrient. Even more surprising, the solution could be as simple as a vitamin supplement.

Key Takeaways

• Hypermobility isn’t just about flexibility—it’s often caused by a genetic mutation affecting connective tissue, leading to various physical and mental health symptoms.

• Folate deficiency is a key factor – A mutation in the MTHFR gene reduces the body's ability to metabolize folate, weakening connective tissue and contributing to hypermobility.

• The solution is simple – Supplementing with methylated folate (5-MTHF) has shown promising results in alleviating symptoms, offering hope to millions worldwide.

Joint Pain, Fatigue, Migraines—Could a Simple Vitamin Fix It All?

Can you bend your arm backward at the elbow? What about touching your wrist with your thumb or placing your hands flat on the floor with your legs fully extended?

If you’re double-jointed, then you’re easily able to perform these funky feats of agility.

For some, however, double-jointedness can be responsible for a serious medical condition called hypermobility that gives rise to multiple physical and mental symptoms.

Until now, doctors were stumped as to how to treat this surprisingly common condition, but finally, there’s an answer. And it couldn’t be easier…

You don’t need a doctor or any medicine. All it involves is taking a special over-the-counter form of the B vitamin, folic acid.

Hypermobility is believed to affect one in every four people. Unlike double-jointedness, hypermobility is not only identified through increased suppleness but also by fragile connective tissue caused by genetic mutations.

Since connective tissue provides support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones, its fragility causes a range of symptoms that, on the surface, seem unrelated: physical conditions such as joint pain, chronic fatigue, thin tooth enamel, dizziness, digestive disturbances, and migraines; and psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

What is hypermobility?

Hypermobility mostly arises from Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS). This comprises a group of thirteen connective-tissue disorders, twelve of which are linked to genetic mutations. However, 90 percent of cases arise from hypermobile EDS, the only subtype without a known genetic cause.

As a result, each of the wide-ranging symptoms has been treated individually rather than as the result of a single cause. But now, researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans have found a root cause of hypermobility.

The research team has linked hypermobility to a deficiency of folate – the natural form of vitamin B9/folic acid – caused by a mutation of the MTHFR gene.

Surprise: Hypermobility affects most of the population

We all have two MTHFR genes, one inherited from each parent. A mutation can occur in either one or both of the most common variants of the gene. About 20 percent to 40 percent of white and Hispanic individuals in the U.S. have one mutation. In North America, Europe, and Australia, around 8% to 20% of the population have mutations in both genes.

This downregulates the activity of the MTHFR enzyme by around a third in those with one mutation and by two-thirds in those with both mutations. What does this mean?

Diminished enzyme function reduces the ability to metabolize folate. This prevents key proteins from binding collagen to the extracellular matrix that provides structural support for the body. This leads to more elastic connective tissue, hypermobility, and a potential cascade of associated conditions.

Surprisingly, hypermobility affects as much as 57 percent of the population. The reason it isn’t more widely recognized is that most people with the condition won't experience any problems, and some, such as ballet dancers, gymnasts, and musicians, benefit from it. For others, however, the condition can be debilitating.

Hypermobility is like a Ferrari

The connection between folate deficiency and the MTHFR gene was discovered by working with patients at Tulane’s Hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Clinic, the only such clinic in the U.S. that focuses on connective tissue disorders.

Its director, Dr. Jacques Courseault, said: “Hypermobility is not rare, [it’s] widespread and unfortunately under-recognized. Hypermobility is like a Ferrari that requires a lot of maintenance and the best synthetic oil. After knowing a patient's name and date of birth, I think it's prudent for clinicians to know which of these body types they have.

“I’m excited about being able to treat the masses where people aren’t going their whole lives being frustrated and not getting the treatment they need."

The treatment he’s referring to is very simple...

What should you do?

Since folate is poorly metabolized in these patients, they are given methylated folate or 5-MTHF, which is the form it’s turned into after it’s acted upon by the MTHFR enzyme.

Dr. Courseault said patients treated with methylated folate have shown improvement: less pain, less brain fog, fewer allergies, and improved gastrointestinal function.

“We’ve discovered something in medicine that can help, not a small group of people, but potentially many across the world. This is real, it’s been vetted out well and clinically, we’re noticing a difference.”

I couldn’t agree more.

My takeaway

If you’re wondering if you could be one of the millions of people with a mutation of the MTHFR gene, a simple blood test can tell you. And if you’re suffering pain or other ailments, I encourage you to get one without delay. You could be one of the millions of people who are suffering physical problems all because they can’t absorb folate properly.

If you do have an MTHFR gene mutation, methylated folate supplements are affordable and easy to find online and in health food stores.

Summary

Hypermobility, often mistaken for harmless flexibility, can be a sign of a more serious condition linked to a genetic mutation in the MTHFR gene. This mutation reduces the body's ability to metabolize folate, weakening connective tissues and leading to joint pain, fatigue, migraines, and even psychiatric symptoms like anxiety and depression. Researchers at Tulane University have now identified a simple yet effective treatment: supplementing with methylated folate (5-MTHF). With millions potentially affected, this breakthrough offers newfound hope for those suffering from unexplained health issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hypermobility, and how is it different from being double-jointed?

Hypermobility refers to excessive joint flexibility due to weak connective tissues, often caused by genetic factors, whereas being double-jointed simply means having naturally flexible joints without associated health issues.

How does the MTHFR gene mutation affect the body?

This mutation impairs the body’s ability to metabolize folate, leading to weakened connective tissues and a range of physical and mental health symptoms.

What symptoms are linked to hypermobility?

Symptoms include joint pain, chronic fatigue, migraines, dizziness, digestive issues, thin tooth enamel, anxiety, and depression.

How can I find out if I have the MTHFR mutation?

A simple blood test can determine whether you have this genetic mutation and whether you may benefit from methylated folate supplements.

Where can I get methylated folate, and is it safe?

Methylated folate (5-MTHF) is widely available over-the-counter in health food stores and online. It is generally safe, but consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.