Understanding 5-MTHF and Folic Acid: The key to better folate absorption
When it comes to vitamins for pregnancy, folic acid is one that most of us are familiar with.
However, there’s a growing conversation about 5-MTHF (5-methyltetrahydrofolate, often referred to as methylfolate), a more bioavailable form of folate, which offers benefits that many of us don’t even know about.
In this article, I’ll discuss why Methylfolate is thought of as superior to folic acid, why some people struggle to metabolise folic acid, and why Methylfolate isn’t a regular feature in most supplements.
What are Folic Acid and Methylfolate?
First, let’s clear up what we’re talking about. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a B-vitamin (B9) found in foods like leafy greens, legumes, and citrus fruits. It’s crucial for many body functions, including red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and preventing birth defects like spina bifida.
Methylfolate (5-MTHF), on the other hand, is the active form of folate that the body can immediately use. It’s essentially the form of folate your body needs to do all of the important stuff, like building cells and producing DNA. The body needs to convert folic acid into Methylfolate before it can be used, and this is where things can go wrong for some people.
Why can’t some people metabolise Folic Acid?
Some individuals (it’s thought up to 40%* of people) have a genetic variation that impairs their ability to convert folic acid into the active 5-MTHF form. This mutation is found in the MTHFR gene (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase), which is responsible for the conversion process.
When there’s an issue with this gene, the body can't efficiently process folic acid, leading to a deficiency in the active form of folate, even if you're consuming plenty of it.
Why Methylofolate is 'better' than Folic Acid
For those who struggle with converting folic acid, Methylfolate is a game-changer.
It bypasses the need for conversion altogether and goes straight into your bloodstream in its active form. This makes it far more efficient for those with gene mutations or for anyone who simply needs better absorption.
Essentially, you get all the benefits without the extra step of converting the synthetic folic acid into something usable.
So, why Isn’t Methylfolate common in supplements?
Now, you might be wondering why most supplements don’t include 5-MTHF instead of folic acid.
The answer, unfortunately, comes down to cost.
Methylfolate is significantly more expensive to produce than folic acid, which is one of the reasons why it isn’t as common in supplements.
Manufacturers tend to keep costs down by using synthetic folic acid, which is far cheaper, even though it may not be as effective for everyone.
In addition to cost, there’s also less awareness about the difference between folic acid and Methylfolate.
Even though more research is emerging on how Methylfolate can benefit people with MTHFR mutations and others who need better folate absorption, the supplement industry tends to move slowly when it comes to new developments.
Lastly, folic acid has a long-standing history of being used in prenatal vitamins and other supplements. As a result, many people still believe it’s the go-to option, and manufacturers often cater to this established demand, keeping things as they’ve always been.
We want to change this and have included 5-MTHF in Replenish.
*Reference: Active Folate Versus Folic Acid: The Role of 5-MTHF (Methylfolate) in Human Health
If you're interested in reading more about the role of genetics in pregnancy read our blog "A glimpse of hope from Cambridge University research: understanding the role of GDF15 in Hyperemesis Gravidarum."
