WHY FOLATE?
Folate works like Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C to help the body break down, use and make new proteins. It helps to form red blood cells and to produce DNA. It is a B Vitamin and is water-soluble and not stored in the fat tissues of the body. Leftover amounts of Folate leave the body via urination. Blood levels of folate will decrease after a few weeks of eating diet low in this vitamin. Folate is found in green leafy vegetables and liver. Elevated levels of folate are not considered to be of significance, but if they are from synthetic vitamins then they are.
Folate (Vitamin B9) is found naturally in food as tetrahydrofolate derivatives. Folate is metabolised to THF in the small intestine, which allows for easier accessibility to the body.
NATURAL FOOD SOURCES OF FOLATE
It is essential to your health to get adequate folate intake from natural food sources such as lentils, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, beetroot, romaine lettuce, bok choy, cauliflower, parsley, pinto beans, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, papaya, Brussel sprouts, green peas, bell peppers, green beans, celery, cabbage, summer squash and strawberries,
METHYLATION & MTHFR
This is because not everyone can process folate the same, you can research methylation or MTHFR gene mutation. In order to assess MTHFR status, note that this enzyme is responsible for metabolising synthetic folic acid supplements (i.e. folic acid) into the active form of 5-MTHF. Taking synthetic folic acid supplements if there is a problem with the MTHFR gene can result in elevated folate levels due to poor conversion into the active form. The naturally occurring form of folate in food is 5_MTHF. This is the form predominantly found in leafy green vegetables. Therefore eat plenty of organic leafy greens regularly.
FOLATE & PREGNANCY
Folate is required by the body during rapid cell division and growth. It is also essential for human development, normal never functioning, proper brain functioning and reducing blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine (a cardiovascular risk factor). Folate also supports growth of the placenta and foetus and helps prevent certain birth defects (neural tube defects & low birth weight).
FOLATE, B12 & IRON
Many women present with aneamia these days. Lack of blood or iron in the body metaphysically represents a lack of joy in life. Overwork and overburden, lack of rest and time for pleasure. Vitamin B12, folate and iron are closely linked and it is important that these three nutrients are considered alongside each other. A deficiency in one of these nutrients can be suppressed or masked by supplementing with either of the other two. It is always optimal to absorb vitamins and minerals for real quality food than synthetic supplements.
Low B12 can be due to a digestive deficiency and the body struggling with absorbing the B12 from the food (in Traditional Chinese Medicine) spleen (digestive) deficiency. Focus on your digestive health to improve iron, folate and B12 absorption.
ACCURATE FOLATE BLOOD TEST
The Red Cell Folate test is run in conjunction with Vitamin B12 test. Red blood cells store up to 95% of the circulating quantity of folate. It is considered better to measure the red blood cell folate level rather than the standard serum folate level test, as serum folate fluctuates according to dietary intake.
ELEVATED FOLATE ISSUES
Elevated levels of folate in the body can increase the risk of cancer. Note that taking folic acid and also consuming fortified food will increase risks. Unlike folate, folic acid is not found in nature so we don’t know the effect of excess in the body. Raised levels can also be due to methylation defects, especially if seen concurrently with elevated B12 levels and high mean corpuscular volume (MCV). This occurs if the body is unable to convert folic acid into the active form of 5-MTHF, leading to a build up of unmetabolised folate in the body. When red cell folate is elevated, it demonstrates that this conversion is not happening effectively.
Chinese Medicine Perspective
If you have low folate, low vitamin B12 and/or low iron this presents as a form of Qi and Blood deficiency in traditional Chinese Medicine. Low folate levels increase susceptibility to DNA damage (hence poor expression of Jing), essence which preserves ageing. High folate levels are linked to increased risk of cancer; suggesting a patter or blood/qi stagnation.
Signs of High Folate Levels
The association of high folate levels with methylation defects and symptoms of headaches and depression also matches with the TCM pattern of qi/blood stagnation.
FOLIC ACID
Is an oxidised synthetic compound that is more stable and bioavailable than natural folates. Increasing evidence is suggesting that it is more difficult for the human body to process. Not naturally found in foods.
FOLINIC ACID
Is a metabolically active form of folic acid that does not require the enzymatic conversion. It is one of the forms of folate that is naturally found in foods. It is a folate substance that is stable when is isolated.
BEST FOLATE SUPPLEMENT
If you cannot get enough folate through your diet, I suggest you look for natural folate supplements which are derived from whole-food, non-synthetic sources. It is a good idea to look for products that list 5-MTHF on the label which means it requires no conversion because it is bio identical to folate’s bioactive form. 400mcg daily recommended.
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