A lot of the information in circulation regarding the MTHFR gene is specific to women's health...and it's true that most of the people taking charge of their health as it pertains to having an MTHFR variant are, indeed, women. However, MTHFR is not just a female problem! In fact, the gender distribution is pretty much split down the middle. Having an MTHFR variant affects men in many of the same ways as women.
Below are a few ways that having an MTHFR variant can affect male health:
Impaired methylation and ability to detox efficiently
Folate deficiency
Fertility struggles, including sperm-related pregnancy complications
Elevated homocysteine and risk of cardiovascular event
As you can see, being a male MTHFR is a lot like being a female MTHFR. While a great deal of emphasis is placed on this condition affecting female fertility, chances of miscarriage, and rate of birth defects, it's a misconception that the same doesn't apply to men. Low levels of folate in the body of men can damage the DNA of sperm, negatively affecting quantity and quality - all of which can lead to the consequences listed above that are typically attributed to women's health.
Additionally, having an MTHFR variant as a man can lead to all of the same methylation-related health outcomes as women. Considering that men are statistically more likely than women to suffer a cardiovascular event, I'd argue that managing homocysteine levels can be even more urgent for men as a whole.
The bottom line? Male and female MTHFRs aren't all that different, after all. It is just as critically important for men to make lifestyle changes to accommodate their MTHFR variant as it is for women.
To take a deeper, guided dive into how to thrive with an MTHFR variant, check out Hey MTHFR Academy. This 16-week online course will give you the tools you need to harness the power of epigenetics and befriend your MTHFR gene.