What About Folate? Are Methylfolate and Folate the Same?
Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9 present in leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and legumes. We cannot synthesize folate and depend on food or supplements to maintain normal levels.
Low folate status may result from diet and/or poor absorption of folate or compromised folate metabolism due to genetic defects.
Folate deficiency is a serious condition that should be corrected immediately, as it has been linked to health conditions such as neural tube defects, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive dysfunction.
Folate supplements are in the form of folic acid, folinic acid, or methylfolate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate or 5-MTHF).
Naturally occurring methylfolate is far superior to synthetic folic acid for many reasons. It is well absorbed even when digestive function is poor, and its bioavailability is not affected by metabolic defects. Methylfolate doesn’t mask symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, nor does it interact with medications that inhibit dihydrofolate reductase.
Using methylfolate prevents the potential negative effects of unconverted folic acid in the peripheral circulation.
Do Folic Acid and Methylfolate Work Against One Another?
L-methylfolate has no known severe, serious, moderate, or mild interactions with other drugs.
As a highly bioavailable nutrient, it is the most effective for raising folate levels in the blood.
Over-the-counter (OTC) folic acid, however, is not well absorbed and does not cross the blood-brain barrier. It must be converted to its active form before it can be used, a process that may be compromised in many patients with an MTHFR polymorphism.
Folic acid (FA) is a synthetic compound with no biological functions unless it is reduced to dihydrofolate and then to tetrahydrofolate. Unmetabolized FA has been shown to appear in the circulation at doses of >200 mcg.
For this reason, methylfolate should not be interchanged with OTC (over the counter) folic acid.
In addition, high doses of folic acid may mask vitamin B12 deficiency and even exacerbate the neurologic effects of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Which of These is Best for MTHFR?
Deficiencies in vitamin B12 and folate are very common due to genetic SNPs, dietary choices, and environmental factors. Those with these deficiencies almost certainly require supplementation - as long as they are supplementing with the most bioavailable form of the nutrient.
Those with an MTHFR polymorphism cannot metabolize folate or B12 properly, so they would be well advised to take the methylated forms of both of these nutrients: methylfolate (5-MTHF) and methylated vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin/methyl-B12 and adenosylcobalamin). However, methylfolate is the most important of the two for facilitating methylation in the body.
Unlike folic acid, methylfolate has no tolerable upper intake level and won’t mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. Supplemental methylfolate has been shown to effectively boost folate levels in the body.
Where possible, supplementing with any of the nature-identical forms of B12 (MeCbl, OHCbl, and/or AdCbl) is preferred instead of the use of cyanocobalamin, owing to their superior bioavailability and safety.
Methylfolate is absolutely essential for normal bodily function due to its involvement in an enormous range of processes - the most important being methylation. Aberrant DNA methylation has been widely observed in many diseases, cancers, and health conditions.
Deficiencies in methylfolate and B12 are often linked to the MTHFR mutation.
Some of the most highly recommended methylfolate supplements are in the Methyl-Life® product range, which includes a selection of dosage levels: Methylfolate 7.5+, Methylfolate 10, and Methylfolate 15.
Each of the methylfolate products in the Methyl-Life’s® range contains the internationally-patented Magnafolate® PRO [(6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, Calcium salt, Type C Crystalline molecule (L-Methylfolate)]. These best-selling products are formulated especially for people with a heightened need for bioavailable folate due to MTHFR defects, dietary deficiencies (such as vegans or vegetarians), or other conditions in which nutritional absorption is impaired.
This unique and internationally-patented L-5-Methylfolate ingredient is crystalline calcium salt-based for superior stability and absorption. Research has revealed that this proprietary form of methylfolate is approximately three times more pure and stable than other L-Methylfolates available on the health supplement market today.
