Discover Your Methylation Blueprint

Every cell in your body carries out thousands of tiny chemical reactions each second. Among the most important of these is methylation — a process that helps activate and regulate everything from your hormones to your mood and energy.

By Dr Kelly Francis MBBS, Functional Medicine GP & Functional Medicine Director, Bloody Good Tests

Introduction

Every cell in your body produces thousands of tiny chemical reactions each second. Among the most important of these is methylation — a process that helps activate and regulate everything from your hormones to your mood and energy.

At Bloody Good, we offer a DNA Methylation Panel that looks specifically at the genes responsible for this crucial biochemical process. You can choose this as a stand-alone panel or as part of a comprehensive DNA profile exploring detoxification, antioxidant defence, and nutrient-metabolism pathways. This flexibility means you and your practitioner can decide whether to focus deeply on methylation or take a broader genetic view of your body’s interconnected systems.

What Is Methylation and Why It Matters

Methylation is the body’s biochemical “on-switch.” It’s how your body adds a small chemical tag (a methyl group — CH₃) to molecules, turning vital processes on or off. These methyl tags influence DNA expression, neurotransmitter production, hormone metabolism, detox enzyme activation and even how your cells make energy.

When methylation runs smoothly, people often experience stable energy, clear thinking, balanced mood and efficient recovery. When it’s sluggish, symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, hormonal imbalance or irritability can appear.

What the Genetic Methylation Test Analyses

Our Genetic Methylation Test analyses a comprehensive range of genes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that influence methylation efficiency, homocysteine recycling, neurotransmitter balance and nutrient utilisation.
The panel includes:

MTHFR 677
MTHFR 1298
COMT
MTRR
MTR
PEMT
DHFR
MTHFD1
FUT2
NBPF3
CBS
TCN2
AHCY

Together, these genes give insight into how your body produces and recycles methyl groups, manages folate and B-vitamin pathways, and maintains the biochemical “activation” that supports mood, energy and cellular repair.

The test uses a simple cheek-swab DNA sample, requires no fasting, and is unaffected by supplements. Because it’s a genetic analysis, the results reveal your lifelong tendencies rather than temporary fluctuations.

How Practitioners Use This Information

Once your results are ready, your practitioner interprets them in the context of your overall health. This may include:

Identifying where additional nutritional or lifestyle support may improve methylation efficiency.
Personalising supplement form and dosage (for example, choosing methylated B-vitamins or adding co-factors such as choline or betaine).
Integrating results with blood biomarkers, nutrient testing or symptom patterns to build a complete picture of function.

Methylation results are never viewed in isolation — they become a valuable layer of data that helps your practitioner fine-tune care with precision.

The Science Behind Methylation and Mood

Methylation directly affects neurotransmitter metabolism, explaining its relevance to mood and cognitive health.

A 2023 meta-analysis in the Journal of Affective Disorders found significant associations between altered DNA methylation and depression risk (link).
A 2021 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry described methylation as a key regulator linking genetic risk to brain-function changes (Front Psychiatry 2021).

Clinically, this helps explain why some individuals respond particularly well to methylation-supportive nutrients — while others may need gentler modulation to avoid overstimulation.

Methylation and Other Identifiable Risk Factors

Beyond its role in mood and cognition, methylation efficiency can influence measurable physical outcomes.

A 2020 study in BMC Medicine explored how the common MTHFR 677TT genotype affects cardiovascular risk. Individuals with this variant were shown to have a higher likelihood of developing hypertension in adulthood, yet optimal riboflavin (B2) status helped normalise blood pressure in this group (Wilson et al., BMC Med 2020).

A 2021 study in PLOS ONE demonstrated that methylation patterns at specific CpG sites were strongly linked to metabolic-syndrome risk across diverse populations (Zhao et al., PLOS ONE 2021).

More recently, a 2024 study in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A found that DNA methylation mediates the association between cardiometabolic risk factors and cognition, reinforcing the role of methylation in cognitive ageing and long-term brain health (Liu et al., J Gerontol A 2024).

Together, these studies illustrate how methylation connects genetic tendencies with functional outcomes — from blood-pressure regulation to metabolic health and cognitive longevity. Understanding these relationships helps practitioners develop more personalised, preventive strategies.

Nutrition and Lifestyle — Your Modifiable Levers

Although your genes are fixed, how they express is highly modifiable. Nutrients such as folate, B12, B6, B2, choline and betaine are essential for methylation.
A 2024 review in Frontiers in Aging showed that plant-rich, whole-food diets were linked with healthier DNA-methylation profiles and improved metabolic outcomes (Front Aging 2024).

Your practitioner can help interpret how lifestyle factors — diet, stress, sleep and toxin exposure — interact with your genetic tendencies to shape methylation capacity day to day.

Expanding the View — Beyond Methylation

While the methylation panel offers deep insight into one of the body’s most influential pathways, many practitioners choose to expand their analysis. Complementary panels available through Bloody Good Tests include:

Detoxification & Antioxidant Panels – examining GST, SOD and CYP genes that influence toxin clearance and oxidative stress.
Nutrient Metabolism Panels – exploring how vitamins, minerals and fatty acids are processed.
Hormone Metabolism Panels – assessing how your body activates and clears oestrogen and other steroids.

Understanding these systems together helps explain why two people with the same methylation variant can experience very different outcomes.

Key Takeaways

Methylation is the body’s activation system, influencing energy, mood, hormones, and repair.
The DNA Methylation Panel identifies key gene variants that shape your unique methylation efficiency.
Your practitioner can use these results to tailor nutrition and lifestyle strategies that enhance wellbeing.
Broader panels (detox, antioxidant, nutrient metabolism) complement methylation testing for a more complete view of function.

From the Director’s Desk

At Bloody Good Tests, we’re proud to provide accurate, high-quality genetic testing that supports practitioners in delivering personalised, evidence-based care. Our role is to supply the trusted data — your practitioner provides the interpretation and recommendations.

The DNA Methylation Panel offers a focused, actionable look at one of the body’s most important biochemical pathways, helping guide targeted strategies to support energy, mood and resilience.

If you’re curious about how your genes influence your vitality — or you’re a practitioner ready to integrate genetic testing into your functional-medicine practice — explore our Methylation Panel and our full range of functional DNA tests.

Your genes don’t determine your destiny, but understanding them gives you the tools to optimise it.

About the Author

Dr Kelly Francis, MBBS, is a Functional Medicine GP and the Functional Medicine Director of Bloody Good, an Australian-based testing platform providing advanced biomarker and genetic testing to support practitioners in delivering evidence-driven, personalised care.