Some people are told they should have an MTHFR gene test, often after seeing a naturopath or reading about “methylation.” The idea is that it explains fatigue, high homocysteine, or how your body processes B12 and folate.
It’s worth knowing the mainstream medical position. Australia’s pathology and GP colleges (the RCPA and RACGP) don’t recommend MTHFR testing for routine use, for a few reasons. The gene variants involved are very common, with around two-thirds of people carrying at least one. The link between them and actual symptoms is weak. And, most importantly, the result doesn’t change what you’d do about it: if your homocysteine is high and your B12 is low or borderline, the treatment is the same either way, which is to supplement your B12 and, sometimes, monitor it over time.
Because it isn’t considered clinically useful in most cases, MTHFR testing generally isn’t covered by Medicare, and is only available privately at your own cost. If you’ve been advised to get one, it’s worth talking to a GP first, who can explain whether it would actually tell you anything useful.