The 6 Best Methylation & MTHFR Testing Options for 2026

Article at a Glance

• Several tests report on the two most common MTHFR gene variants – C677T and A1298C.
• MTHFR gene variants are relatively common, with roughly 35% of the population in North America carrying at least one copy of the C677T variant.
• Analyzing MTHFR genes in conjunction with other SNPs in the methylation pathway as part of a polygenic risk score will provide the most insight.

Genes Mentioned

• MTHFR
• MTR
• MTRR

Of all the genes in the world of nutrigenomics, MTHFR is probably the best known. In fact, MTHFR has been thrust into the spotlight again after Gary Brecka appeared on Joe Rogan to discuss the importance of DNA methylation and monitoring homocysteine levels.

If you’re wondering whether you “have MTHFR,” you needn’t. Everyone has MTHFR genes, it’s just that some of us carry variants that reduce the function of the gene’s activity and its role in converting folate into a form the body can utilize. At-home tests range from $200 – $400.

Because variants in the MTHFR genes are quite common, many in the genetics world, such as 23andme, recommend against testing for mutations at all. At Gene Food, we take a different approach.

We have also been quite adamant that the implication of MTHFR SNPs, standing alone, are often oversold, and the most value is found with a “polygenic” approach where other genes that play a role in the methylation pathway are evaluated alongside MTHFR. This approach offers a full picture of whether you have a genetic predisposition for folate and B12 deficiency, and therefore a propensity for elevated homocysteine. The implications of these deficiencies can be far reaching, so knowing your genetic status can help craft a personalized approach to nutrition and lifestyle.

Genetic Variants Affecting Methylation

If you are wondering whether you carry common variants in the MTHFR genes called SNPs, there are a number of tests that report on these genes, but first, let’s look at some other genes that influence the methylation pathway. If you are in the market for a DNA Test that includes methylation results, make sure the test you order is polygenic, meaning it evaluates risk across several SNPs, each given different weight based on the state of GWAS research.

Gene	B Vitamin(s) Involved	Common Polymorphisms	Methylation Effects	Clinical Relevance
MTHFR	Folate (B9), B2	C677T, A1298C	Can reduce 5-MTHF and impair methylation	Can increase homocysteine, thus increasing disease risk
MTR	B12	2756A>G	Impairs the conversion of homocysteine to methionine	Can decrease methylation and increase homocysteine
MTRR	B12	66A>G	Impairs enzyme regeneration	Can decrease methylation and increase homocysteine
CBS	B6	rs2850146, others	Alters homocysteine metabolism	Can negatively impact detoxification processes and increase sulfur load

DNA test kits that include Methylation & MTHFR variants

Below are the six options we’d point you to, with the pros and cons of each. The MTHFR variants worth knowing are rs1801133 (C677T) and rs1801131 (A1298C) — though, as you’ll see, not every option on this list actually interprets them for you.

1. Gene Food — best overall for methylation

Our own platform scores MTHFR alongside the wider methylation cycle — MTR, MTRR, CBS and more — using a polygenic, GWAS-weighted model instead of leaning on a single gene, and it’s a one-time purchase.

• Pros: polygenic (MTHFR plus the full methylation cycle), human-curated and GWAS-weighted, no subscription, and you get dozens of other health reports beyond methylation.
• Cons: priced above a bare single-gene MTHFR test; you’ll either order a kit or upload an existing raw-data file.

2. Boston Heart Diagnostics — best clinician-ordered option

A CLIA-lab MTHFR Genotype Test that reports the two common variants, C677T and A1298C. It’s ordered through a provider rather than bought directly.

• Pros: clinical-grade and insurance-billable; slots neatly alongside a homocysteine or cardiac workup.
• Cons: not direct-to-consumer — you need a clinician to order it; narrow coverage — MTHFR only, no MTR, MTRR or CBS.

3. 23andMe — best big-library DTC kit (but it won’t interpret MTHFR)

The best-known direct-to-consumer kit, now run by the nonprofit TTAM, at around $199 for health and ancestry. Important caveat: 23andMe deliberately doesn’t report MTHFR.

• Pros: affordable, DTC, a huge library of other reports, and exportable raw data.
• Cons: no MTHFR or methylation interpretation at all — your genotype only appears in the raw data, which you take to a third party; the optional 23andMe+ membership adds a recurring fee.

4. AncestryDNA — cheapest way to get a raw-data file

At about $99, the least expensive kit here — but AncestryDNA returns ethnicity and DNA matches only, with no health or methylation reports.

• Pros: inexpensive DTC kit; the raw-data file can be uploaded to a methylation-interpreting service.
• Cons: zero native methylation output — on its own it tells you nothing about MTHFR; you have to upload the file elsewhere.

5. Nebula Genomics — most complete data, but subscription-gated

30x whole-genome sequencing from around $245, so every methylation gene is captured in the data rather than just a chip’s worth of SNPs.

• Pros: the most complete dataset of any option — whole-genome sequencing captures MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, CBS and everything else.
• Cons: requires an ongoing membership to keep accessing the reports — the subscription trap — and methylation insight leans more on DIY tools than a curated report.

6. Genomelink — free trait explorer, not a clinical tool

Upload-only — you feed it an existing 23andMe or Ancestry file. Free for a first batch of traits, with a fuller library behind a paid tier of about $14 a month.

• Pros: free to start, and no new kit if you already have a raw-data file.
• Cons: built for fun traits rather than clinical methylation — its MTHFR coverage is thin at best — and the useful volume sits behind a recurring subscription.

Where Gene Food leads on methylation

We were doing methylation before it was cool — a sober, GWAS-focused approach we’ve refined for almost a decade. Today we offer three ways in, depending on how deep you want to go: a plain, simple MTHFR score that isolates just the most-reported SNPs; a comprehensive overall methylation panel; and, through Gene Food Environment, a dedicated cellular methylation panel aimed at environmental detox and burden.

We even built a Gentle Methyl B supplement for users, because of the feedback we kept seeing about people mega-dosing methylated B vitamins after getting their reports. It’s not about overselling methylation — it’s about another building block in a calm, personalized protocol.

What will the results tell me?

MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is the enzyme produced by the MTHFR gene. It’s required for metabolizing folate and breaking down the amino acid homocysteine.

As a general rule, an MTHFR test will tell you whether your body has an enhanced need for folate, over and above dietary recommendations. Getting adequate folate in the diet is an important factor in keeping homocysteine levels in a healthy range.

Finding MTHFR in your 23andMe raw data

If you already tested with 23andMe, your MTHFR genotype is sitting in your downloadable raw data even though 23andMe won’t interpret it for you. The interface has changed since we first published the old screen-by-screen steps, so rather than repeat them here, follow our current guide — how to get your 23andMe raw data — then search the file for rs1801133 (C677T) and rs1801131 (A1298C).

Why we don’t recommend Gary Brecka’s MTHFR test

John has written separately about the excessive pricing and limited coverage in the genetic tests offered by Gary Brecka and his company 10X Health.

If you are interested in learning your MTHFR status, we recommend going with one of the providers listed in this article for two reasons:

• Brecka’s test only looks at 5 genes total (which isn’t enough information to learn much of anything about your overall state of health)
• The price point is excessive for the limited number of genes tested

What to do next

Keep in mind that DNA tests generate data files with thousands of SNPs. While the evidence from the latest GWAS studies doesn’t yet justify including all of these markers in every genetics report, it is important to understand that you can get way more from a DNA test than just methylation. Methylation status is an important thing to know if the goal is a personalized approach to health and nutrition, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to the state of the research on cardio metabolic health.

So, yes, get tested to understand your methylation status, but pick a provider that reports on a broad spectrum of health traits, and not just MTHFR.

Other options

We have a blog post on our site detailing the various sites that process 23andme raw data.

MTHFR is also one of the genes we report on in the methylation section of our custom nutrition plans.