The 4th generation folate

: Folate

Folate is an innovative dietary ingredient designed to act as a nutrient in all areas where folic acid and folate supplementation is recommended and allowed. An ingredient with health benefits across the entire body, folate is especially beneficial for supplementation before conception and during pregnancy.

Folate is considered a “finished” folate, meaning that the body can use it immediately without any kind of metabolization. Folate plays an essential role in human growth and development. It contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy, normal homocysteine metabolism, among other benefits.

The terms folic acid and folate are often used interchangeably for the water-soluble B-complex vitamin, essential for the maintenance of cellular functions and health.

Folate deficiency is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies and eating folate-rich foods may not provide the recommended daily dosage; thus the need for supplementation.

1^st generation – Food folate

2^nd generation – Folic acid

3^rd generation – (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt

The 4^th generation: Folate

FOLIC ACID VS FOLATE

: Folic acid

Folic acid itself is not active and must be metabolized through several steps in order to enter the folate cycle.

Unmetabolized folic acid is found in blood at doses >200 mcg / day

Lesser bioavailability.

High doses of folic acid can mask vitamin B12 deficiency and delay its diagnosis by correcting hematological signs.

: FOLATE

Main folate form in blood and cord serum

It is already the biologically active form.it can enter directly the folate cycle

No unmetabolized folic acid with quatrefolic

Higher bioavailability :pre_clinical study in vivo with Folate showed a plasmatic (6s)-5-MTHF concentration peak about 3 times higher for Folate than folic acid.

AS Folate is already the biologically active form,it doesn’t mask the vitamin B12 deficiency.

Benefits especially for women

Humans need to maintain and adequate dietary intake of folic acid during various stages of their lives.

Folate plays an essential role in cell division and DNA synthesis and involved in human growth and development.

Helps prevent birth defects

Promotes heart health

Natural depression remedy

Reduces risk of Alzheimer’s

Helps breakdown triglycerides

Decreases risk of colon cancer

May lower homocysteine levels

: Folate deficiency

Folate deficiency represents one of the most common nutritional deficiencies and may occur when dietary intake is inadequate, when an increased need is not matched by an increased intake (particular physiological conditions such as pregnancy, lactation, child growth), when there is altered absorption/excretion (or losses) and when metabolism or drug use interferes with the ability of the body to use folate.

Several conditions can lead to nutritional folate deficiency such as enzyme defects, malabsorption, digestive system pathology, liver disease but also conditions with a high rate of cell turnover such as rapid tissue growth (infants, kids and adolescents) pregnancy and lactation

? What causes folate deficiency

Folate deficiency may occur if a person does not consume enough foods that contain folate. However, even people who eat a healthful, balanced diet can develop folate deficiency.

The causes of folate deficiency anemia include:

not eating enough folate-rich foods
having a disease or condition that interferes with vitamin absorption, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
having alcohol use disorder, as alcohol interferes with folate absorption and causes the body to remove folate too quickly
being pregnant, which increases the body’s demand for folate
taking a medication that interferes with folate absorption or lowers folate levels
having a methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene variant, as this interferes with the body’s ability both to convert folate to its active form in the body and to use it

: Symptoms of folate deficiency

Anemia

diarrhea

loss of appetite

weight loss

weakness

headaches

heart palpitations

behavioral disorders

: clinical abnormalities in folate deficiency

macrocytic anemia

cardiovascular diseases

birth tube defects

carcinogenesis

elevated levels of homocysteine

cerebrovascular

neurological diseases

mood disorders

: Dosage information

: Reference

Strum et al. “Enzymatic reduction and methylation of folate following pH-dependant, carrier-mediated transport in rat jejunum.” Biochim Biophys Acta 1979; 554, 249-257

2. Kelly et al. “Unmetabolized folic acid in serum: acute studies in subjects consuming fortified food and supplements.” Am J Clin Nutr 1997:65:1790-5

3. Jamil K. Clinical Implications of MTHFR Gene Polymorphism in Various Diseases. Biol Med. 2014

4. Wilcken B et al. Geographical and ethnic variation of the 677C>T allele of 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR): findings from over 7000 newborns from 16 areas worldwide. J Med Genet. 2003

5. Seremak-Mrozikiewicz A et al. The significance of 1793G>A polymorphism in MTHFR gene in women with first trimester recurrent miscarriages. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2010

6. Tsang BL et al. Assessing the association between the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T polymorphism and blood folate concentrations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of trials and observational studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2015

Smith AD. Folic acid fortification: the good, the bad, and the puzzle of vitamin B-12. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007

8. Smith D. A. et al. Is folic acid good for everyone? Am J Clin Nutr. 2008