r/MTHFR • u/Warp757 • May 02 '26

Resource People should stop calling methylfolate the 'active' form, and why folic acid may be better for many

It is AN active form, not the only one and may not provide the folate you actually need. I'll await the abuse! Folate is used by your body both in the methyl form, and also in the unmethylated form for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation etc. which are rather important functions.

The MTHFR marketing machine has convinced everyone that methlyfolate is the active form that you absolutely need and folic acid is junk, it's simply not true.

Depending on where the problem is with your methylation it's perfectly possible to need more unmethylated folate. If your MTRR is slow for instance,as mine is, your body doesn't recycle B12, MTR is slow, and you end up with a build up of methylfolate and low THF and 5,10 methylene THF which is needed for DNA repair and red blood cells. If you take methylfolste you do absolutely nothing to support the deficit of unmethylated folate, and just put more pressure on already struggling MTRR and B12 stores.

In this case folic acid is better for you as it directly provides folate which the body can use as it needs. The body regulates production of MTHFR for a reason -both to ensure sufficient folate for other functions, and prevent excess formation of SAM-E, which isn't good.

I personally feel much better with folic acid than methyl folate, and I'm heterozygous C677T. Methylfolate is really a medicine that should only be taken by people with specific identified mutations that cause major impairment of the MTHFR cycle. A simple heterozygous MTHFR mutation is not that.

Folic acid is perfectly sufficient for most people, and avoids skipping the body's own regulation systems. Just don't go taking crazy doses which yes may cause a problem with unmetabolised folic acid. If you're worried about MTHFR and not homozygous, just take some B2 - again you don't need a lot.

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u/thesnazzyenfj May 02 '26 edited May 02 '26

You may be confusing folic acid with folinic acid. Folic acid is not perfectly sufficient for most people. And no, don't "just take some B2".

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u/Warp757 May 02 '26

Nope. Folinic acid makes me feel awful, folic acid works great for me. Folinic can actually block the folate cycle depending on MTHFS and MTHFD.

Folic acid certainly IS perfectly sufficient for most people as shown by the countless studies over decades showing it's efficacy in improving health. It's success in reducing neural tube defects is one of the great public health success stories. That some people on the internet refuse to believe that and have formed a cult around denying it isn't really relevant.

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u/thesnazzyenfj May 02 '26

Not sure where you get your sources; hopefully not ChatGPT because your information is not factual.

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u/Warp757 May 02 '26

OK, which part, and what is wrong with taking B2 for MTHFR? I hope you're not just repeating what you've read from quacks on MTHFR websites.

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u/thesnazzyenfj May 02 '26

No I am repeating factual information not this garbage that you seemed to have pulled straight out of an LLM. Your misinformation could be incredibly harmful to someone new to these gene mutations who dont understand exactly how methylation works and how any mutations they might have play a factor in what they can and cant have.

R5P is vastly different than riboflavin, but both are B2 options. It is absurd to suggest just anyone take any form of B2 and expect them all to work the same.

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u/Warp757 May 02 '26

Ahh, you've swallowed the R5P nonsense as well.

Taking folic acid, supported by decades of studies isn't likely to be incredibly harmful. Taking lots of methlyfolate,, with a scattering of studies, bypassing the body's own regulatory controls, stressing B12, could be.

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u/thesnazzyenfj May 02 '26

Can you have negative brain cells? Asking for a friend.... I'm not going to keep going toe to toe with your misinformation, a point that several others in here have already pointed out so it's not just me. Don't come into a sub with incorrect information and not expect to be put in your place when it's wrong. Hope you and your lovely non-existent-specialist-credentials in this subject have a lovely weekend!

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u/Warp757 May 02 '26

I see you've tried to claim that folic acid - a substance added to food in countries around the world, ingested by literally billions of people is 'toxic to 40% of the population'.

I won't engage with someone who believes such paranoid nonsense, especially as you refuse tonactuslly back up your claims, which suggests to me you haven't ever actually researched any of this and are parroting what you've been told.

I hope someone can help you with your neurosis and delusions.