Research Archive: Nutrition, Gut Health & Chronic Pain
Explore scientific research on nutrition, folate metabolism, gastrointestinal health, and chronic pain conditions.
This collection includes peer-reviewed studies, scientific reviews, and scholarly commentary examining relationships between nutrient metabolism, the gut microbiome, inflammation, and health.
Some findings are preliminary or come from animal studies. Research is provided for educational purposes and should be interpreted in the context of the broader scientific evidence.
Folate, Folic Acid & MTHFR Research
Folate, folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate are not the same thing.
Folate, an essential micronutrient, is a critical cofactor in one-carbon metabolism. Low folate status may be caused by low dietary intake, poor absorption of ingested folate and alteration of folate metabolism due to genetic defects or drug interactions. Folate deficiency has been linked with an increased risk of neural tube defects, cardiovascular disease, cancer and cognitive dysfunction. Naturally occurring 5-MTHF has important advantages over synthetic folic acid - it is well absorbed even when gastrointestinal pH is altered and its bioavailability is not affected by metabolic defects.
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High folic acid consumption leads to pseudo-MTHFR deficiency, altered lipid metabolism, and liver injury in mice.
Increased consumption of folic acid is prevalent, leading to concerns about negative consequences. The effects of folic acid on the liver, the primary organ for folate metabolism, are largely unknown. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) provides methyl donors for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis and methylation reactions. We suggest that high folic acid consumption reduces MTHFR protein and activity levels, creating a pseudo-MTHFR deficiency. This deficiency results in hepatocyte degeneration, suggesting a 2-hit mechanism whereby mutant hepatocytes cannot accommodate the lipid disturbances and altered membrane integrity arising from changes in phospholipid/lipid metabolism. These preliminary findings may have clinical implications for individuals consuming high-dose folic acid supplements, particularly those who are MTHFR deficient.
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Gut Health, Inflammation & Chronic Pain
Neuroinflammation in fibromyalgia and CRPS is multifactorial
This scientific commentary discusses possible connections between gastrointestinal dysfunction, intestinal permeability, inflammatory signaling, and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
The authors examine research involving small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and inflammation as potential contributors to symptoms. These proposed relationships remain areas of ongoing investigation and do not establish that gastrointestinal dysfunction causes fibromyalgia or CRPS in every patient.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome
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Why Should Gastroenterologists Know About Fibromyalgia? Common Pathogenesis and Clinical Implications
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