Genetics & Mental Health: How Your Genes Can Influence Anxiety & Depression.. And what you can do about it..
If you’ve ever felt like anxiety or depression is something you were born with, you’re not entirely wrong—but you’re definitely not powerless.
Thanks to emerging research in nutrigenomics (how nutrition interacts with your genes), we now understand that certain genetic variations—called SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms)—can affect the way your brain handles stress, emotion, and neurotransmitter balance.
These SNPs don’t cause mental health conditions directly, but they can influence how easily your brain produces or clears neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. With the right nutritional and lifestyle support, however, we can help your body work with those genes, not against them.
Your genes are not your destinay.
What Are SNPs and Why Do They Matter?
SNPs are tiny variations in your DNA that can change the way certain enzymes and processes in your body function. Think of them as “typos” in your genetic code—sometimes harmless, sometimes affecting crucial pathways like:
Methylation (turning genes on/off, detox, neurotransmitter production)
Neurotransmitter synthesis and breakdown
Inflammation and oxidative stress
Hormonal and nervous system balance
When these pathways become sluggish, it can lead to brain chemical imbalances—and that’s when symptoms like anxiety, low motivation, insomnia, or mood swings emerge.
But here's the key: the environment (stress, diet, toxins, nutrient status) determines whether those gene variations are expressed. With the right support, you can change the outcome.
The Top Gene Variants Linked to Anxiety & Depression
1. MTHFR (Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase)
What it does: Converts folate (vitamin B9) into its active form (5-MTHF), which is needed for methylation—a process critical for brain health, detoxification, and neurotransmitter production.
Why it matters:
Poor folate metabolism → impaired methylation → reduced serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine synthesis → low mood, anxiety, poor stress tolerance.
Common symptoms: Worry, depression, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, panic attacks
Supportive Nutrients:
Methylated folate (5-MTHF) – bypasses the faulty enzyme
B12 (methylcobalamin) – works with folate in methylation
Vitamin B6 (P5P) – essential cofactor for neurotransmitter synthesis
Magnesium and zinc – calm the nervous system and support enzyme function
Choline or Betaine (TMG) – additional methyl donors when folate is limited
2. COMT (Catechol-O-Methyltransferase)
What it does: Breaks down dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline—especially under stress.
Why it matters:
COMT variants affect how fast (or slow) you clear stimulating neurotransmitters:
Slow COMT → build-up of dopamine/adrenaline → tension, anxiety, irritability, insomnia
Fast COMT → too little dopamine → low drive, poor focus, lack of motivation (sometimes overlapping with depression or ADHD)
Common symptoms: Overreactivity, nervous tension, low stress resilience (slow type); apathy, fatigue, low mood (fast type)
Supportive Nutrients:
Magnesium – helps calm adrenaline and supports COMT enzyme
Vitamin B6 (P5P) – helps dopamine function
SAMe – for fast COMT types with sluggish methylation
Avoid high doses of methyl donors in slow COMT types, which can worsen overstimulation
3. GAD1 (Glutamate Decarboxylase 1)
What it does: Converts glutamate (excitatory) into GABA (calming).
Why it matters:
When this pathway is compromised, glutamate builds up and GABA production drops. Glutamate is essential for learning and memory—but in excess, it's neurotoxic and overstimulating.
Low GABA → racing mind, poor emotional regulation, panic, muscle tension.
Common symptoms: Anxiety, overwhelm, tension, insomnia, restlessness
Supportive Nutrients:
Vitamin B6 – absolutely essential for this conversion
Magnesium glycinate, taurine, and L-theanine – support GABA activity
Avoid high-glutamate foods (e.g. MSG, aged cheeses, soy sauce) if sensitive
4. MAO-A (Monoamine Oxidase A)
What it does: Breaks down serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine after they’ve been used.
Why it matters:
Variants that increase MAO-A activity → rapid breakdown → too little serotonin and dopamine available for mood balance.
Common symptoms: Depression, mood swings, irritability, emotional volatility
Supportive Nutrients:
Vitamin B2 and B6 – co-factors for neurotransmitter pathways
Tryptophan or 5-HTP (practitioner-guided) – precursors to serotonin
Zinc, omega-3s, and anti-inflammatory foods to stabilize brain function
5. SLC6A4 / 5-HTTLPR (Serotonin Transporter Gene)
What it does: Manages how quickly serotonin is reabsorbed back into neurons.
Why it matters:
People with the short allele often have fewer transporter proteins → less serotonin recycled efficiently → more emotional sensitivity, lower stress resilience, higher risk of depression/anxiety under stress.
Common symptoms: Emotional reactivity, worry, social anxiety, low mood
Supportive Nutrients:
Magnesium, B6, vitamin D, tryptophan-rich foods
Omega-3 fatty acids (especially EPA) – shown to improve serotonin receptor sensitivity
6. BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor)
What it does: Supports brain plasticity, learning, emotional recovery, and resilience.
Why it matters:
Low BDNF → reduced ability to rebound from stress or trauma, less emotional flexibility, lower ability to form new mood-enhancing pathways.
Common symptoms: Low motivation, poor stress tolerance, “stuck” in negative moods
Supportive Nutrients & Lifestyle:
Zinc, curcumin, green tea extract (EGCG)
Exercise – particularly HIIT or strength training
Cold exposure, fasting, and even hypnotherapy have all been shown to upregulate BDNF
🧬 You’re Not Stuck With Your Genes
Your genes are the blueprint—but your nutrition, mindset, and environment determine how that blueprint is expressed. This is the power of epigenetics.
In my practice, I combine nutritional strategies such as support for neurotransmitter production, or support for the above genetic SNPs, with clinical hypnotherapy —so clients don’t just manage symptoms, they transform their physiology from the inside out.
Why This Matters
These genetic variations don't cause anxiety or depression on their own—but they do make your brain more vulnerable under stress, poor diet, or inflammation.
That’s why conventional treatments often fall short: they don't always account for your biochemical individuality.
With the right support—nutrients, lifestyle changes, mindset tools—you can rewire your brain and regulate your mood in a more sustainable, personalised way.
Make it stand out
Ready to Understand Your Mental Health from the Inside Out?
If you've struggled with chronic anxiety, low mood, or emotional overwhelm—despite trying everything—it might be time to look deeper.
In clinic, I offer:
Functional genetic testing to assess your SNPs - we can order just a neurotransmitter panel or a full health panel.
Nutritional protocols tailored to your biology
While we address supporting these pathways, using hypnotherapy to forge new neural pathways and beliefs about self and your ability to respond differently to stressors.
📩 Book a discovery call to get started with a personalised plan that supports both your brain and your body.. Book Here