Let's go deeper into some of the science...
Here’s the tricky part, folate and folic acid are not the same. Folic acid is synthetic (manmade). In order for your body to put folic acid to use, it must first be converted into the active form, known as 5-MTHF (short for 5-methyltetrahydrofolate). The issue is that 40-60% of the population has an impaired ability to convert synthetic folic acid to its active form, so their bodies are unable to properly use it (if you’re familiar with MTHFR gene variation, this is you!). Which means that roughly half the population has an impaired ability to use synthetic folic acid, making it difficult to properly meet your increased folate needs during pregnancy.
Most people don’t know if they have an MTHFR variation, so whether you’re an MTHFR carrier or not, we all benefit from using metabolically active forms of folate versus synthetic folic acid.
To get your folate fix, look for:
- Folates in food (highest sources include liver, legumes, leafy greens)
- Methylfolate* aka 5-MTHF in your prenatal
- Daily requirements: 600 - 800 DFE.
When to starting taking Folate Acid (aka Vitamin B9)
- Preferably prior to conceiving, or as soon as pregnancy has been confirmed.
Benefits for baby:
- Promotes healthy neural tube formations (embryo's precursor to the central nervous system, includes the brain and spinal cord).
- Reduced risk of midline defects, cleft palate, cleft lip, and potential tongue and lip tie.
- Important for the development of the face and heart.
- Necessary in the production of new DNA, cells, amino acid synthesis and vitamin metabolism.
- Promotes adequate birth weight.
Now I know this got a little more scientific than my usual posts, but it’s important to understand the WHY. Especially with a nutrient as important as Folate during the first trimester.
Questions? I'd be happy to help you navigate some research. Send me a note at kerstin@thelittlewins.com.
