Folate is vitamin B9, which belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins💦. Folic acid, a chemically synthesized molecule, is found in fortified foods🍞 and many dietary supplements. Folic acid🥬 itself is inactive in the human body and is a precursor to the bioactive molecule 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). This is formed in the liver. Folic acid is more heat-stable and much cheaper than its active form, so it is generally the preferred form for production, sale, and therapeutic use.
Folic acid is primarily absorbed in the small intestine in the proximal jejunum. It is degraded by light💡 (which is why it is important to buy it in dark containers), high temperatures🔥(above 100°C), high oxygen concentrations, and low pH.
The active form of folic acid, 5-MTHF, is biosynthesized from folic acid through a series of molecular reactions in the liver. It is first reduced to dihydrofolate, then to tetrahydrofolate. This occurs primarily in hepatocytes (liver cells). It is then metabolized to 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate and finally to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate by methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR).
Studies show that folic acid supplementation before pregnancy can increase the likelihood of conception (most likely by reducing the frequency of anovulatory cycles). It also appears to improve oocyte quality🥚.
It is generally accepted that folic acid supplementation in the preconception period protects against the development of neural tube defects. Intake of 400 ug/day of folic acid during pregnancy ensures sufficient folate during organogenesis and reduces the risk of neural tube defects by 50-70%.🙌🏻
The authors of the study claim that supplementation with active folic acid during pregnancy is more beneficial than supplementation with inactive folic acid because it does not require metabolic activation, is directly bioavailable to the mother and fetus, and is not affected by possible MTHFR gene mutations.✔️
Verra Fertility & Pregnancy Complex contains 400 ug of active folic acid👀😬.
Verra team💕
