Do you know what is in your Prenatal?

Folate and folic acid are different forms of vitamin B9.

Even though there is a distinct difference between the two, their names are often used interchangeably.

In fact, there is a lot of confusion regarding folic acid and folate, even among professionals.

Being aware of their differences is important, because they do not have the same effects on yours and your babies health.

MethylFolate (technically methyltetrahydrofolate) is the body’s most active form of folate. ALL our cells need MF to drive specialized enzymes that make the DNA, genes, and chromosomes and create a HEALTHY baby. All our cells also need MF to repair damage to their DNA (which is occurring all the time, even in healthy cells). Methyl coming mainly from folate is also very important for epigenetics — turning genes on and off using methyl — as well as to enable cells to grow, maintain their structure and make new cells.

Many foods, supplements and prenatal vitamins are being “fortified” with synthetic folic acid (FA) to help consumers maintain good nutritional folate status.

Also, dietary supplements that include folate typically provide it as FA. Obstetricians often lack the info on the detrimental difference. This substance is a manufactured folate that is known to be poorly utilized by the body’s folate enzyme system. The body has to use an enzyme to make Folic acid usable, and this enzyme’s conversion capacity is limited. Consequently, many people have unconverted FA in their bloodstream, which studies have linked to negative health effects such as repeated miscarriages.

MethylFolate is the folate form most naturally preferred by the body, so much so that the intestinal lining has “transport proteins” that bind to it and selectively absorb it into the blood. Similar proteins also move MF from the circulation into the brain tissue. But MF utilization can be blocked by the FA coming from fortified foods or poorly formulated dietary supplements. Folic acid is not just poorly effective — it actually interferes with the enzymes that are tasked with using MF and the other folates coming from our foods. Folic acid consumption is a serious health issue.

Do you know what is in your prenatal?