COMT Mutations: What They Mean for Your Health

Introduction

COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase) is an enzyme that helps break down certain neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, as well as estrogens. Variations (mutations or polymorphisms) in the COMT gene can affect how efficiently your body clears these compounds. For some people, this can influence mood, stress response, hormone balance, and even how they tolerate certain foods or supplements.

What COMT Does in the Body

The COMT enzyme’s job is to “methylate” and deactivate specific neurotransmitters and hormones so they don’t linger too long. When COMT is working optimally, this process helps maintain emotional balance, cognitive function, and healthy hormone levels.

Types of COMT Variants

When looking at a genetic panel, COMT is often described by how quickly it breaks down neurotransmitters and hormones.

• Fast COMT (sometimes labeled as “wild type” on reports): Breaks things down more quickly. This may leave someone with lower dopamine tone, which can show up as lower motivation, focus, or mood dips. On a panel, this usually appears as GG.

• Slow COMT: Breaks things down more slowly, which can cause neurotransmitters and estrogens to linger longer. People with this version may feel more sensitive to stress, stimulants, or estrogen dominance symptoms. On a panel, this usually appears as AA.

• Intermediate: Falls in between, with one copy of each version. On a panel, this usually appears as GA.

Potential Health Implications

• Mood and Stress: COMT mutations can affect how resilient someone feels under stress, and how they respond to caffeine or other stimulants.

• Hormones: Slower COMT function may play a role in estrogen dominance, contributing to PMS, heavy periods, or certain mood changes.

• Detoxification: Because COMT is involved in methylation, variations can also influence how well your body clears toxins.

Nutrition and Lifestyle Support

Because COMT mutations involve methylation, nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins (especially B2, B6, B12, folate), and SAMe can be important for support. Lifestyle strategies such as stress management, exercise, and avoiding excess stimulants can also make a difference. However, supplementation should be personalized. What helps one person could overwhelm another.

Why Genetic Testing Matters

Knowing your COMT status can give us valuable insight into how your body processes stress, hormones, and nutrients. That is why I offer nutrigenomic testing in my practice. I use the a Nutrigenomics panel, which analyzes COMT along with several other key genes related to mood, detoxification, inflammation, and more.

Running this panel with my clients gives us a powerful starting point. Instead of guessing, we can see how your genetics may be influencing your health, and I help you interpret the results in the context of your symptoms, lifestyle, and goals. From there, we build a personalized plan, whether that means adjusting your nutrition, refining your supplement protocol, or supporting stress and hormone balance more strategically.

Closing

COMT mutations are just one piece of the bigger genetic picture. But when we combine this kind of testing with a deep understanding of your body and your health story, we gain clarity. By using your unique genetics as a roadmap, we can create a plan that helps you feel more balanced, resilient, and supported in your everyday life.