Folate Facts: What It Is, What It Does, Where to Get It, and Where NOT to (You might Be Surprised)
Overlooking the boring-sounding Vitamin B9, also called folate, is the biggest mistake you could make when fine-tuning your nutrition and supplement routine.
This nutrient does a lot. It helps DNA replicate for repairs, helps red blood cells multiply, slows aging, promotes muscle growth, acts as an antioxidant, helps make neurotransmitters like dopamine, helps make hemoglobin, improves fertility, and reduces the risk of birth defects and cancer.
Just look at these benefits!
DNA Replication and Repair:
Folate is a key player in DNA synthesis and cell division. It ensures that our genetic material replicates accurately, aiding in tissue repair and overall health.
Red Blood Cell Multiplication:
Adequate folate levels are essential for healthy red blood cell production. Without enough folate, we risk developing anemia.
Slowing Aging:
While the exact mechanisms remain a scientific puzzle, folate is believed to contribute to slowing down the aging process at the cellular level.
Promoting Muscle Growth:
Folate supports muscle development and overall muscle health, making it crucial for fitness enthusiasts.
Antioxidant Properties:
As an antioxidant, folate helps protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. This defense mechanism contributes to overall health and disease prevention.
Neurotransmitter Synthesis:
Folate is vital for producing neurotransmitters, including the feel-good chemical dopamine, which influences mood and cognition.
Hemoglobin Formation:
Folate plays a critical role in the synthesis of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for oxygen transport throughout the body.
Improving Fertility:
During pregnancy, folate is essential for fetal development and reducing the risk of birth defects.
It is also associated with better reproductive health in adults.
Detoxification:
In the liver, folate acts as a donor of methyl groups during the detoxification process.
Reducing Cancer Risk:
Folate’s relationship with cancer is intriguing:
Protective Effect: Some studies suggest that folate-rich diets may lower the risk of certain cancers, including pancreatic, esophageal, and colorectal cancer.
Caution: Excessive folate intake (especially from supplements) may have the opposite effect and increase cancer risk.
But things aren’t so simple when it comes to vitamin B9, which is labeled as either folic acid or folate. But the difference in those two names is more than just calling the same thing by two different names. Be aware that the difference matters. Folic acid is a lab-made version of vitamin B-9, which in its natural form is called folate. But that’s where things get interesting.
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MTHFR Polymorphism
People who have a genetic mutation known as MTHFR polymorphism don’t metabolize non-methylated forms of Folate or B12, rendering them unusable in their bodies. Remember how folate donates a methyl group to the detoxification process in the liver? If it doesn’t contain a methyl group, that exchange can’t happen.
On top of that, MTHFR polymorphism makes it harder to flush out synthetic vitamins the body cannot use. These vitamins hang out in the bloodstream, throwing off lab results when nutrient levels are checked. The labs come back as normal (or even elevated), when in fact the person is deficient in those nutrients. People with MTHFR mutations make up somewhere between 20 and 40 percent of the population, so it’s more common than you might think.
Where’s the Folate?
The good news is that naturally occurring forms of folate are in all sorts of foods. Here are some examples of where to find folate:
Dark leafy greens
Bananas
Eggs (22 mcg per 1 large egg)
Lentils (358 mcg per cup, cooked)
Beans (131 mcg per cup of cooked kidney beans)
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Asparagus (134 mcg per cup, cooked)
Spinach
Avocados
Oranges
Beef liver
Peanuts
Where NOT to Get Folate
The not-so-good news is that since 1998, folic acid has been added to most grain products in the US, as well as things like non-dairy milk and energy drinks. If you have MTHFR, this can make grocery shopping a real minefield, with some products being fortified and others not.
Here are some common grocery items that are fortified with folic acid (also known as vitamin B9):
Enriched Grains and Cereals:
Bread, pasta, rice, and breakfast cereals are commonly fortified with folic acid.
Check the labels to identify products specifically enriched with this artificial nutrient.
Flour and Baked Goods:
Flour used in baking is often fortified with folic acid.
Look for whole wheat bread, bagels, and other baked goods made from enriched flour. That’s a dead giveaway.
Cornmeal and Tortillas:
Cornmeal and corn tortillas are sometimes fortified with folic acid.
Chips and other corn products may be as well.
Rice and Pasta:
Some white rice and pasta products are enriched with folic acid.
Opt for whole-grain versions when possible.
Breakfast Cereals:
Many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are fortified with folic acid.
Check the labels for specific amounts.
Non-Dairy Milk:
Many brands of almond, soy, oat, and rice milk have been fortified with folic acid, while others have not.
Always check the labels.
Energy Drinks:
Be on the lookout for vitamin B9 on the label, then scan the ingredients for the source.
Nutritional Supplements:
Multivitamins and prenatal vitamins often contain folic acid.
B-Complexes and B9 supplements.
Stress supplements.
Is your body trying to tell you something?
Now What?
So, the main takeaway here is to get as much natural folate from food and avoid foods fortified with folic acid and supplements made with synthetic B9 (folic acid). When choosing supplements, methylfolate or methyltetrahydrofolic acid are acceptable forms and are easily absorbed in the body. Basically, look for “methyl” in the name of the vitamin form when looking for a folate supplement.
Most importantly, eat a diet high in folate-rich foods, chew thoroughly, and work on your gut health to be sure all those good nutrients are absorbed and used by your body. Keep on fine-tuning your nutrition to feel awesome for as long as possible!