Understanding why miscarriage occurs at all is still an active area of research. Especially if you have a homozygous C677T or A1298C mutation, which is thought to increase your folate requirements even more. This is why all national and international health organisations advocate for folic acid supplementation before and during early pregnancy.įor those who do not metabolise folic acid well, supplementing L-Methylfolate is the clear alternative while pregnant. It is also highly effective at reducing homocysteine levels in healthy people ( 6, 7).Īctive folic acid is highly protective against Neural Tube Defects. Studies show that L-Methyfolate supplementation is equally (if not more) effective than folic acid for increasing circulating folate in those with an MTHFR mutation. An MTHFR mutation is equal to not having the pots and pans to cook with. Think of it like receiving a cooked meal instead of all the raw ingredients. Supplementing with L-methylfolate bypasses the entire folic acid metabolism cycle, which is good news if you have an MTHFR mutation. However this becomes a problem if you cannot do this conversion effectively, such as those with an MTHFR mutation. Summary: Any folic acid or folate we ingest must be converted into its active form (L-methylfolate) to be useful. This leaves folic acid supplements somewhat useless to you and potentially harmful in the long run ( 5). Note that the last step (the last black arrow) requires the MTHFR enzyme and Vitamin B2 to convert 5,10 methylene-THF to L-methylfolate. This is what they look like alongside each other… you can see they are almost identical: Once in this form it can be transported into cells, tissues and even across the blood-brain barrier. In fact, it has been so beneficial for the general population that the addition (fortification) of folic acid to wheat flour is now mandatory in Australia, USA, Canada and several other countries ( 3).īut note that folic acid is also found naturally in foods, as it is just another compound of folate.Īny folic acid we ingest must be metabolised (converted) into Dihydrofolate (DHF), Tetrahydrofolate (THF), and then finally into L-methylfolate (5-MTHF) to be used in the body. These are the forms we eat, although L-methylfolate is also found naturally in some high-folate food too.įolate is often called the natural form of vitamin B9, but it actually refers to a family of different compound that occur naturally in some vegetables.įolic acid is the supplemental or “synthetic” form of vitamin B9 and is typically the first line of treatment for folate deficiency and related health conditions, such as high homocysteine and Neural Tube Defects ( 1, 2). The other forms of vitamin B9 you should know are folic acid and folate. L- and 6(S)- forms are biologically active, while D- and 6(R)- are not. Summary: L-Methylfolate, also commonly known as 5-MTHF, is the active form of vitamin B9 the human body can actually use.
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