Today, there's a lot of talk about vitamin B9, also known as folate, folic acid, or 5-MTHF. This vitamin is crucial for many functions in the body. To avoid unnecessary confusion, let's start by clarifying the differences between these terms.
What is folate?
Folate is a family of naturally occurring, water-soluble forms of vitamin B9. It's one of our essential B vitamins that we need to consume daily. We find folate in green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, asparagus, as well as in citrus fruits, bananas, beans, and several other foods! Keep in mind that folate is heat-sensitive and easily destroyed during heating. If you have difficulty raising your folate levels, consuming folate-rich foods alone is likely not enough. This could be due to diseases and genetic factors that make it difficult to metabolize folate from food, so folate supplements might also be needed.
What is folic acid?
Folic acid is what people often refer to when talking about vitamin B9, but it's a synthetic, water-soluble form that's common in dietary supplements.
Even though folic acid can be easily absorbed in the intestine, some people have problems metabolizing folic acid from supplements. The folic acid form can even inhibit methylation and block natural folate. It's an enzyme, the DHFR enzyme, that is blocked by folic acid. Today, disruptions in the MTHFR gene are common, which means folic acid cannot be used by the body until it's converted to folate. A DNA test can reveal what your genes look like.
Overdosing on folic acid, especially when taken as a supplement, can cause sleep problems and irritability. Some people may lose their appetite or feel nauseous.
What is 5-MTHF?
5-methyltetrahydrofolate, or 5-MTHF is a natural form of vitamin B9 and the most biologically active form. It is easily absorbed and used by the body and has therefore become popular in dietary supplements in recent years. Research suggests that 5-MTHF is more effective as a supplement than folic acid. The simplest way to solve the problem with folic acid is to use 5-MTHF supplements that don't require a series of chemical reactions for your body to use it properly, since 5-MTHF is already bioactive. Folate can also mask damage to the nervous system caused by B12 deficiency-related blood disorders, but 5-MTHF does not.
Health Benefits of Folate and 5-MTHF
It is especially important that pregnant women consume plenty of folate at the beginning of pregnancy, but also for some time before becoming pregnant, as folate is needed for the development of the fetus's nervous system and reduces the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. Men should also ensure they are not suffering from folate deficiency before and during the time they are trying to conceive. (It takes about 3 months for a sperm to be ready for ejaculation.) The beneficial effect is achieved with a daily intake of at least 400 μg (=micrograms) of folic acid for three months before and at least three months after conception.Folate also contributes to normal amino acid synthesis, normal blood formation, normal homocysteine metabolism, and normal immune system function. Additionally, it can reduce fatigue and exhaustion. It's difficult to determine on your own whether you have a folate deficiency. Your nutritional therapist has tests to establish this. Just as with all other individual B vitamins, you get the best effect if you also take a broad-spectrum supplement of the entire family of different B vitamins. You can read about how it's used in therapeutic practice at Morotsliv.
Helhetshälsa
EKO-Folsyra is a Swedish product from Helhetshälsa that is a vegetable-based, active folic acid supplement consisting of 500 µg methylfolate (i.e., 5-MTHF) from organic spinach. EKO-Folsyra comes in 60 vegetable capsules with a dose of 500 µg. The recommended dosage for adults is 1 capsule per day with food. The capsule can be pulled apart and the contents sprinkled into food or drink. The ingredients in this product are organic inulin from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) and organic spinach extract (Spinacia oleracea L.). The vegetable capsule is made from cellulose. Contains traces of citrus and coconut.
Vimergy
The American brand Vimergy's 5-MTHF contains 5 mg folate as 6S-5-methyltetrahydrofolate. It also contains 500 μg vitamin B12 as 50% methylcobalamin and 50% adenosylcobalamin. It's beneficial to combine 5-MTHF with vitamin B12, as large doses of 5-MTHF can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. But B12 also helps increase the absorption of folate. The recommended dosage for adults is 1 capsule once per day, and since a bottle contains 60 capsules, it lasts for 2 months.
This supplement contains 6S-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, and a cellulose capsule. The folate comes from the glucosamine salt of (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, which is a patented form of highly bioavailable methylfolate that is structurally analogous to the reduced and active form of folate.
Thorne
In the American brand Thorne's 5-MTHF, we find 5 mg folate as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 2 mg L-leucine. Thorne's products are naturally free from soy and gluten and are manufactured without unnecessary additives or preservatives. The recommended dosage for adults is 1-2 capsules daily with food, and since a bottle contains 60 capsules, it lasts 1-2 months.
Other ingredients include the capsule made of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (from conifers), microcrystalline cellulose (stabilizer), and silicon dioxide (filler).
Similarities and Differences
All three contain active and easily absorbable forms of 5-MTHF and all have cellulose-based capsules. Thorne's capsules are smaller, but all can be opened and sprinkled over food if you don't like swallowing capsules. Helhetshälsa's has the lowest dosage, making it excellent for both men and women planning pregnancy. Most people start with 500 μg – 1 mg of 5-MTHF for normal use, as the optimal daily dose is around 400–800μg. Certain circumstances may require 1-5 mg or more. Thorne's and Vimergy's supplements contain 10 times more 5-MTHF than Helhetshälsa's and also have other nutrients added. Vimergy is a good alternative if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency and Thorne is suitable for those wanting to build muscle thanks to its content of L-leucine.
Who should NOT take 5-MTHF?
Avoid 5-MTHF if you are allergic to folic acid in crops or multivitamins (rash, chest tightness, or labored breathing).
Consult with a nutritional therapist, functional medicine practitioner, or doctor if you have previously been diagnosed with B12 deficiency and if you have a bipolar disorder or if you are on medication.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you are trying to conceive, you can also ask for advice to determine an appropriate dose.
Remember to keep supplements out of reach of children and that the recommended dose should not be exceeded.
Dietary supplements should not be used as an alternative to a varied diet.
During pregnancy, a multivitamin/mineral for pregnant women is also recommended.
