Vitamin B9 (methyltetrahydrofolate) — answers to folate, methylfolate, 5-MTHF
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A form of vitamin B9 that is already in the active, methylated form the body uses, as opposed to folic acid, which the body must convert through several steps. It is sometimes marketed as more readily usable, including by people with certain variations in the MTHFR gene.
Why it’s used
Taken to maintain normal folate status, which supports red blood cell formation and is relevant during periods of rapid cell division such as pregnancy.
What the evidence is for
maintaining normal folate status and red blood cell formation.
What the evidence says
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements' folate fact sheet establishes folate's role in DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation, and adequate folate status before and during early pregnancy is associated with lower rates of neural tube defects — evidence built mainly around folic acid rather than methylfolate specifically. Direct head-to-head evidence that methylfolate outperforms folic acid for these outcomes is more limited.
Dose studied
400–1000 mcg — adult RDA for folate up to the tolerable upper intake level for synthetic folic acid, per NIH ODS.
Context
The adult Recommended Dietary Allowance and the tolerable upper intake level for folate are set in dietary folate equivalents; studies on methylfolate specifically often use doses in a similar range but comparisons across forms are not always straightforward.
Educational information, not medical or safety advice. Consult a professional for allergies or medical concerns.