Hypermobility, also known as being “double-jointed”, is a condition where an individual has an ability to move their joints in a way that is not possible for the average person (Joint Hypermobility, n.d.).
One out of every ten people may be on the spectrum for this condition; however, some people may have negative symptoms and very little research is done on the more severe effects (What Is Hypermobility, n.d.; Yawn, 2023). In fact, even present-day there is still an issue to find a unifying diagnoses and explanation as symptoms may cross-over with other conditions (What Is Hypermobility, n.d.; Yawn, 2023).
Do you consider yourself hypermobile (double-jointed)?
Yes
No
A new theory suggests that folate (vitamin B9) deficiency may be the culprit (Yawn, 2023). Folate is a critical nutrient for our body and we get it mainly through the food we eat e.g. green leafy vegetables, beans, eggs, and whole grains (Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9, 2012). The interaction between the two may lead to a crossover of symptoms (Yawn, 2023).
Without enough folate, you can experience symptoms such as anemia, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, hair loss, pale skin, and mouth sores (Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9, 2012). With regard to hypermobility, you may experience joint pain, chronic fatigue, thin tooth enamel, dizziness, digestive trouble and migraines; and psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression (Courseault et al., 2023).
Negative Symptoms of Folate-Deficiency (Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9, 2012):
Anemia/Easily Bruised
Fatigue
Irregular Heartbeat
Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of breath
Difficulty Concentrating
Hair Loss
Pale Skin
Mouth Sores/Canker Sores
Negative Symptoms of Hypermobility (Courseault et al., 2023):
Do you experience multiple of the listed symptoms?
Yes
No
New research has determined “folate-dependent hyper mobility syndrome” may affect up to 57% of the population, that is a 470% increase than previously thought (MTHFR Gene: MedlinePlus Genetics, 2019). With more research coming out, there seems to be a correlation that hypermobility and its symptoms are related to the MTHFR gene (Courseault et al., 2023; Yawn, 2023). This gene helps make the "instruction manual" for building enzymes that create protein. In other words, it turns folate (vitamin B9) into a different, usable form (Yawn, 2023). This could mean if someone has multiple separate diagnoses, it may only be one or a few diagnoses with a completely different treatment plan.
Researchers are still looking into treatment options, but there may be one to start with and it’s incredibly simple: supplementation (Courseault et al., 2023; MTHFR Gene: MedlinePlus Genetics, 2019; Yawn, 2023). The idea of supplementation may seem obvious but the way to supplement would be to take the already activated form of folate, not standard folate/folic acid (Courseault et al., 2023; MTHFR Gene: MedlinePlus Genetics, 2019; Yawn, 2023). In this case, your body cannot convert folate to a usable form of it, which causes the deficiency (Courseault et al., 2023; MTHFR Gene: MedlinePlus Genetics, 2019; Yawn, 2023). Also, supplementing with folic acid would not be useful and may build up in your system further (Courseault et al., 2023; MTHFR Gene: MedlinePlus Genetics, 2019; Yawn, 2023). However, taking the already active form, 5-methylTHF, would bypass that issue and re-regulate your system to ideally treat the side effects of the condition (Yawn, 2023).
This breakthrough research may provide hope to those negatively affected by this condition as the symptoms can be invisible, but debilitating. Also, being labeled with many different diagnoses can make an individual experience social stigma and have lower self-efficacy (Healthtalk, 2022). In reality, there is promise in the fact that taking a daily supplement can replace the cocktail of daily medication and struggle.
Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before starting any new medications as interactions and toxicity with current medications/conditions may be possible.
References:
Courseault, J., Kingry, C., Morrison, V., Edstrom, C., Morrell, K., Jaubert, L., Elia, V., & Bix, G. (2023). Folate-dependent hypermobility syndrome: A proposed mechanism and diagnosis. Heliyon, 9(4), e15387–e15387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15387
Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9. (2012, September 18). The Nutrition Source; Harvard University. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/folic-acid/#:~:text=Folate
Healthtalk. (2022, January 11). Healthtalk; The Dipex Charity. https://healthtalk.org/experiences/multimorbidities/the-personal-impact-of-multiple-health-problems/
Joint hypermobility. (n.d.). NHS Inform. Retrieved January 26, 2024, from https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/conditions/joint-hypermobility/#:~:text=People
MTHFR gene: MedlinePlus Genetics. (2019, October 1). Https://Medlineplus.gov/Genetics/Gene/Mthfr/#Synonyms; MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/mthfr/#synonyms
What is Hypermobility. (n.d.). The HMSA. Retrieved January 26, 2024, from https://www.hypermobility.org/what-is-hypermobility#:~:text=A
Yawn, A. (2023, April 10). Could a vitamin deficiency cause “double-jointedness” and troubling connective-tissue disorder? Tulane University. https://news.tulane.edu/pr/could-vitamin-deficiency-cause-%E2%80%98double-jointedness%E2%80%99-and-troubling-connective-tissue-disorder#:~:text=Researchers%20at%20Tulane%20University%20School,variation%20of%20the%20MTHFR%20gene
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