​Genetic wellness testing has exploded over the past decade. One of the most popular tests is the MTHFR gene mutation test, marketed as the key to understanding everything from fatigue to fertility to chronic health issues.

 

But here’s what the science — and the field of epigenetics — actually shows:

 

Genes load the gun.

Nutrition and lifestyle pull the trigger.

 

Most people do not need MTHFR testing. And for those who do test, the results rarely change what actually improves their health.

 

1. The MTHFR Gene Is Extremely Common — and Usually Not Dangerous

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The two most commonly tested MTHFR variants (C677T and A1298C) are present in up to 40–60% of the population.

 

Having an MTHFR variant usually means:

 

• You may process folate slightly less efficiently

• You might benefit from methylated B vitamins

• You might be more sensitive to lifestyle factors like alcohol, stress, and poor diet

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But for the vast majority of people, MTHFR variants do not cause disease on their own.

 

Many people with these variants live long, healthy lives — because the genes themselves are only one piece of the story.

 

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2. Gene Tests Don’t Show Whether the Gene Is Active

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This is the key point most companies don’t advertise.

 

Genetic tests (like 23andMe, MTHFR tests, “longevity DNA testing”) tell you:

 

• What version of the gene you carry

• NOT whether it’s switched on or off

• NOT whether it’s affecting your health

• NOT whether it’s causing symptoms

• NOT what your current nutrient status or inflammation levels are

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You could have a “bad” gene variant and have perfectly normal folate metabolism because your lifestyle supports it.

 

This is where epigenetics — the study of how lifestyle programs gene expression — becomes essential.

 

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3. Epigenetics Shows That Lifestyle Overrides Genetics

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Landmark epigenetic research has proven:

 

• Nutrition

• Sleep

• Stress

• Movement

• Toxin exposure

• Emotional wellbeing

• Gut health

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…can switch genes on and off, including those involved in inflammation, detoxification, metabolism, and cellular repair.

 

In other words:

 

Your genes are the blueprint.

Your lifestyle decides whether you build the house or burn it down.

 

This is why Shimalia focuses on biomarkers, biological age, metabolic flexibility, inflammation, hormones, and nutrient status — because these measurements show what is actually happening in the body.

 

Your genes are possibilities.

Your biomarkers are reality.

 

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4. MTHFR Testing Rarely Changes Treatment

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Even if someone tests positive for an MTHFR variant, the recommended steps are almost always the same:

 

• Eat more leafy greens

• Increase folate-rich foods

• Take methylated B12 or B9 if deficient

• Reduce alcohol

• Support detox pathways (liver + gut)

• Lower inflammation

• Improve sleep and stress

• Optimise metabolic health

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All of these are lifestyle and nutrition habits you should be doing anyway, regardless of your genetics.

 

In most cases, MTHFR testing simply confirms what we already know:

your body thrives when given the right inputs.

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5. Genetic Testing Can Create Anxiety Without Offering Solutions

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Many people walk away from MTHFR or “longevity DNA” testing believing:

 

• they’re broken

• they’re at risk

• their condition is genetic

• they can’t change their fate

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This is simply not true.

 

Epigenetic research repeatedly shows that environment and lifestyle play a greater role in long-term health outcomes than individual gene variants.

 

What matters far more is:

 

• your inflammation markers

• your metabolic markers

• your stress load

• your hormones

• your nutrient status

• your detox function

• your biological age

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These are modifiable.

They are trackable.

And they respond beautifully to the programmes you’re building at Shimalia.

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6. What You Should Test Instead of MTHFR

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Rather than genetic variants, the real insights come from testing how your body is functioning today:

 

• GlycanAge (immune biological age)

• ApoB & lipid markers (vascular ageing)

• HbA1c & insulin (metabolic ageing)

• hs-CRP (inflammation)

• Thyroid markers (metabolism & energy)

• Sex hormones (balance, mood, weight, vitality)

• Liver & gut biomarkers

• Nutrient status (Vitamin D, B12, folate, magnesium)

• Withings Body Scan (visceral fat & vascular age)

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These are the tests that actually change programmes, drive outcomes, and reverse biological age.

 

Shimalia’s entire approach is built on precision biomarkers, not genetic guesswork.

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7. Genes Are Not Your Destiny — Your Daily Choices Are

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Having an MTHFR variant doesn’t determine your health.

But inflammation, poor nutrition, stress and metabolic dysfunction will — regardless of your genes.

 

By focusing on:

 

• low inflammation

• nutrient-rich eating

• detox support

• balanced hormones

• strong metabolic health

• sleep and nervous system regulation

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…you activate hundreds of beneficial genes and quieten the ones you don’t want expressed.

 

This is the foundation of longevity.

 

Genes create potential.

Your lifestyle creates reality.