When you first find out you’re pregnant and visit the doctor, they usually tell you to get on a good prenatal vitamin that has folic acid in it. What doctors sometimes forget to tell you is that you actually don’t need folic acid; what you need is folate.
What’s the difference between folic acid and folate?
Many times people refer to folic acid and folate interchangeably. But many people don’t know that choosing a prenatal with folic acid instead of folate could potentially cause some issues for you and your baby.
What is folate?
Folate (or methylfolate) is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9. Methylfolate is naturally present in many foods such as dark leafy greens, avocados, liver, and legumes.
Methylfolate is crucial to help break down extra hormones that your body is holding onto, promotes healthy fertility, healthy pregnancies, allows your body to properly detoxify itself, and lessons mood swings.
What is folic acid?
Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic form of vitamin B9. This is why it’s typically only found in prenatals, multivitamins, some medications, and synthetically fortified foods. You’re not going to find folic acid in naturally occurring fruits and vegetables, it has to be added into things since it’s technically fake.
What’s wrong with using folic acid?
The answer is simple: the MTHFR gene mutation. Around 44% of the population have one genetic mutation called methylenetehydrofolate reductase or MTHFR (see why I abbreviated it? Haha!). The MTHFR gene provides instructions to your body to make an enzyme that converts folic acid into the active form methylfolate so it can be used properly. However, if you have two genetic mutations in your MTHFR gene, your body cannot convert folic acid into methylfolate. There’s nothing wrong with you or your body, you’re just a little different than the other 56% of people. This means your body cannot use the folic acid and you’ll need to get your methylfolate from somewhere else.
Why do I need methylfolate?
Women with the MTHFR gene mutations can experience several issues, such as reoccurring miscarriages, infertility, migraines, and neural tube defects during pregnancy. Methylfolate can be the answer to these issues. By taking methylfolate instead of folic acid, you are bypassing the extra effort your body is putting forth to try and break down the defective enzymes, and will provide your body with active folate that it can use right away.
Methylfolate also allows you to catch and treat vitamin B12 deficiencies more effectively. While folic acid can mask the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency, methylfolate does not.
Folic acid requires four different conversions to get to the active form that your body needs. It is also highly dependent on your individual genetics and other nutrients to convert effectively. Methylfolate is already in its active form. Therefore, it can start working right away instead of having to wait on conversions.
Methylfolate also helps convert a compound called homocysteine into an amino acid called methionine. When that conversion doesn’t happen, your homocysteine levels can become elevated. High homocysteine levels have been linked to fertility issues, neural tube defects in your baby, and reoccurring miscarriages.
Folate is also essential for red and white blood cell production, as well as encouraging iron-rich molecules to attach to your blood cells. This is why you can become anemic if you have a folate deficiency.
“If methylfolate is so much better for you, why is folic acid in my prenatal?”
Unfortunately, many companies formulate their products with the least expensive ingredients. Folic acid is synthetic, easier to get your hands on, and as much cheaper to add to a product than the cleaner, more active form. This is why you will see folic acid present in many prenatals and multivitamins.
So, should you take folate or folic acid?
In my opinion, everyone should be taking the pure form of methylfolate instead of the synthetic form of folic acid.
Taking the purer form allows your body to not work as hard, allowing for it to function properly in other ways. If you are unaware that you have the MTHFR gene mutation, you can do your body more harm than good by taking folic acid instead of folate.
When choosing a prenatal vitamin, opt for one that’s going to allow your body to properly absorb the nutrients it contains. Be sure to discuss your prenatal choice with your medical provider, they may have other facts and comments surrounding the issue of folate versus folic acid.
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