Folate vs Folic Acid - thoughts?

[Lounat]

Hello MN-ers.
Does anyone choose to take a folate supplement rather than folic acid for pre-pregnancy/pregnancy? My understanding (although this is only from some brief googling and the odd podcast) is that folic acid is the synthetic version of folate and some nutritionists believe is not as easily absorbable by the body as folate.

I have therefore been taking a folate supplement instead. When my consultant said to make sure I am taking folic acid, I told her I was taking folate instead, she pulled a confused face and said I need to be taking folic acid. I explained why I was taking folate instead (as above) and she just said, oh, ok then thats fine if that's what it is. I was confused, particularly as this was an appointment relating to fertility. I thought there would be more awareness of this, if that's the case.

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? Do you just take folic acid, or does anyone take folate instead and if so, what are your reasons please?

Thanks!

I read the same and took folate for first pregnancy. All went well!

When I did A-level chemistry they told us that the suffix 'ate' and 'ic acid' were used interchangeably. So chemicals named this way are (essentially, exactly?) the same thing.

E.g. ascorbate and ascorbic acid are the same thing. So I would have though folate and folic acid are the same thing as well.

Someone with better chemistry knowledge please come along and help me out....

This is what the CDC has to say - sounds like "folate" is a general term which can either be used for naturally occuring folate from food, or the supplements that are sold under that name.

This is just one source, but you might want to check that the folate supplement that you're taking contains the type of "folate" (ie folic acid) that has been demonstrated to prevent neural tube defects.

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/faqs/faqs-general-info.html#:~:text=The%20terms%20%E2%80%9Cfolic%20acid%E2%80%9D%20and,(5%2DMTHF)%201.

Beware of nutritionists who have a bee in their bonnet about natural being best (unless they support that with decent evidence) particularly when it comes to concepts such as "absorption" and "bioavailability" (when not also supported by evidence).

Also, generic folic acid supplements are cheap as chips, so also beware of nutritionists promoting more expensive supplements - unless again, they back this up with evidence that you can check out for yourself.

Good advice @ditalini

Looks like 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-methylTHF) is what you need

Link

They’re probably the same thing.

A “nutritionist” though is pretty much anyone who wants to call themselves that, no qualification required.

Thanks so much for all your replies. Very helpful. I'll take a better look at the info in the link and see what exactly is in the one I have a have taken when I sit down this evening.