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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    If choosing to supplement folate, which is best: folic or folate tabs?

    Related Topics
    Nutrition Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
    I have read that folic acid gets into your system better but there are women that do not absorb it as well. Folate tablets like the Solgar ones are on the market that would seem to be more of a natural alternative however are they absorbed as well?

    I'm not looking to take a prenatal vitamin just the minimum amount of fake tabs I need.

    At the moment I plan to take:

    400mcg folic acid
    10mcg vitamin d
    liquid iron supplement (unsure of the amount)
    essential fatty acids from fish source

    Many, many thanks.
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  • 2

    Thanks

    Dr Gary Sykes

    Obstetrician

    Dr Gary Sykes is a graduate Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B, B.S.) from Sydney University. He commenced his initial postgraduate training at … View Profile

    I agree it sounds very confusing and often the words folate and folic acid are interchanged as it they are the same entity.
     
    Folate is a water soluble B vitamin that is found naturally in a variety of food. Excellent food sources of folate include asparagus, bran flakes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, chick peas, dried beans, lentils and spinach.
     
    Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate that can be found in most supplements and is added to fortified foods (such as bread and breakfast cereals).
     
    Pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy are an important times to optimise folic acid intake. This is to minimise the risk of your baby having a neural tube defect (such as spinal bifida).
     
    As well as a healthy diet (with at least 600mcg of folate), it is recommended that women planning a pregnancy take an additional 400mcg of folic acid each day for at least one month before and three months after conception.
     
    Pregnancy supplements typically have 400mcg or more of folic acid and I find most women planning pregnancy are taking a pregnancy supplement before becoming pregnant
     
    Folic acid is more easily absorbed than naturally occurring folate, but this is not a major issue in deciding which to take. Indeed the answer to which is best is ‘both’ are important.
     
     

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    Thanks

    Nikki Warren

    Naturopath

    Nikki Warren is committed to preconception care, natural fertility, and pregnancy through to postnatal care. Nikki is a degree qualified Naturopath, Medical Herbalist, Doula and … View Profile

    There are many different forms of folate supplementation - folic acid, folinic acid (a more active form) and the most bioavailable form 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF).    About half of the population have a genetic defect which impairs their ability to absorb folic acid.  This is called an MTHFR genetic enzyme defect and is commonly tested for in Australia with a simple blood test. 

    Some women who are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant and have this genetic enzyme defect are being informed that they should take 5mg of folic acid, however this is incorrect as their body will not be able to metabolise it.  They should be taking the 5-MTHF form of folate and this is only available through a naturopath or integrative GP.

    Folate should always be taken in combination with other B vitamins for better absorption and because taking folate on its own can mask a B12 deficiency. 

    You also mentioned taking vitamin D supplements - make sure you have a blood test for this as well because vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which is toxic in excess.  It is best to consult with a naturopath who uses blood tests as a diagnostic tool regarding nutrient deficiencies.  They will know the appropriate doses to take based on the results of those tests.

    Also, before taking fish oil supplements, check with the manufacturer what sort of tests they are doing to test for radiation from the Fukushima disaster and how strict their heavy metal testing is.  The quality of supplements found over the counter is generally not as good as the quality of “practitioner-only” supplements.  That is why retail supplements are a lot cheaper.

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