Dr. Tchiki Davis, explains the COMT gene and how it may be affecting your health and causing your stress.
It turns out there are a bunch of genes that can make it difficult for some people to eliminate toxins from the body—toxins from air pollution, pesticides, fragrances, mold, estrogen, and even stress hormones!
In Part One of this series, I talked about Cytochrome P450 Genes and Glutathione S-Transferase Genes.
And here, in Part Two, we’ll talk about the COMT gene.
The COMT gene
What is it?
The COMT gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase. An estimated 20-30% of Caucasians of European ancestry have a COMT gene variation which limits the body’s ability to remove catechols (a specific type of molecule that includes dopamine, norepinephrine, estrogen, etc…) by 3-4 times. This variation is called Met/Met, AA, or +/+. COMT is also associated with greater levels of Cortisol and HPA axis dysfunction which is largely responsible for the body’s ability to calm itself and de-stress.
