Double-jointedness, also called joint hypermobility, is when someone’s joints have a greater range of motion than is usual. The condition can cause potentially painful joint instability that increases the risk of sprains, dislocations, and other injuries.
Researchers have discovered a link between hypermobility, folate deficiency, and a key folate-metabolizing enzyme.
Vitamin B9 Deficiency Linked to the Joint Hypermobility
Preliminary findings from a study conducted at Tulane University indicate a possible genetic cause for joint hypermobility and related connective tissue disorders that are considered forms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) that can adversely affect the formation of connective tissues.
Researchers from the university’s School of Medicine linked hypermobility syndrome to a folate deficiency caused by a variation in a gene called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) that codes for the enzyme needed to convert folate into another molecule called 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF, methylated folate). This is the bioactive form of folate found in our blood….