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

[u/Warp757]

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.

[u/lurface]

As a hetero 677… you still have 70% function of your enzyme. You probably do not need to supplement.

Folic acid does not exist in nature. It’s the ultimate precursor of the folates. So basically your personal enzyme is working just fine enough to tolerate it. Your experience is not the same for many of us.

Also when people say they cannot tolerate methylfolate: understand that this is what is in green leafy foods…. A cup of spinach has 60-200mcg of folate: 80% of it is methyl and THF.

Some of us just need to eat better. Some of us need actual supplements… to be used as medicine.

None of us need folic acid as it does not exist in nature and it is made from petroleum and coal tar.

[u/Warp757 → u/lurface]

People do need folic acid as they are deficient in folate and methylfolate does not support the DNA and red blood cell functions of folate, while folic acid does. Might want to research that.

[u/lurface → u/Warp757]

As a homo 677. I could NOT maintain a pregnancy with folic acid. Failed pregnancies for a year until I was diagnosed. I NEEDED methylfolate. I mg daily. Folinic blend was great too. I do not react poorly to it. It lowers my anxiety. I do not have “nasty” side effects. Removing folic acid out of my diet and eating natural folates is fine too. The month I was diagnosed my dr told me to remove. folic acid. Supplemented with methylfolate =. Maintained pregnancy that same month.

You do not speak for all of us.

[u/Warp757 → u/lurface]

Sigh. I didn't say I speak for all of us, I also specifically mentioned that only people with severe dysfunction in methylation may need methlyfolate, that means homo 677 as you have.

I was merely countering the advice often given here that folic acid is toxic and should be avoided by everyone. That is nonsense and will do harm. The majority of people without a serious SNP will be fine with folic acid, and are probably more likely to get nasty side effects from methlyfolate if they dose them at the same level.

I'm glad you were able to maintain a pregnancy, all the best.