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The Little Known (But Crucial) Difference Between Folate and Folic Acid

August 30, 2020 by Joe

Re-printing from https://chriskresser.com/folate-vs-folic-acid/

If I asked you which of these vitamins was found naturally in food, folate or folic acid, would you know the answer? If not, you’re in good company. Medical professionals, nutrition experts, and health practitioners frequently mix up the two, simply because the terms are often used interchangeably.

Many health professionals would even argue that folate and folic acid are essentially the same nutrient. While folic acid is often considered to be a supplemental form of folate, there is an important distinction between these two different compounds. For women past childbearing age, and for men in general, excessive doses of the synthetic form of this nutrient are not necessary, and may even be harmful.

What’s the difference between folate and folic acid?

Folate is a general term for a group of water soluble b-vitamins, and is also known as B9. Folic acid refers to the oxidized synthetic compound used in dietary supplements and food fortification, whereas folate refers to the various tetrahydrofolate derivatives naturally found in food.

The form of folate that can enter the main folate metabolic cycle is tetrahydrofolate (THF). (2) Unlike natural folates, which are metabolized to THF in the mucosa of the small intestine, folic acid undergoes initial reduction and methylation in the liver, where conversion to the THF form requires dihydrofolate reductase.The low activity of this enzyme in the human liver, combined with a high intake of folic acid, may result in unnatural levels of unmetabolized folic acid entering the systemic circulation.

Several studies have reported the presence of unmetabolized folic acid in the blood following the consumption of folic acid supplements or fortified foods. (3) Human exposure to folic acid was non-existent until its chemical synthesis in 1943, and was introduced as a mandatory food fortification in 1998. (4) Food fortification was deemed mandatory due to overwhelming evidence for the protective effect of folic acid supplementation before conception and during early pregnancy on the development of neural tube defects (NTD) in newborns.

Risks associated with excessive folic acid intake

While the incidence of NTDs in the United States been significantly reduced since folic acid fortification began, there has been concern about the safety of chronic intake of high levels of folic acid from fortified foods, beverages and dietary supplements. (5) One of the major risks associated with excessive intake of folic acid is the development of cancer. (6) In patients with ischemic heart disease in Norway, where there is no folic acid fortification of foods, treatment with folic acid plus vitamin B12 was associated with increased cancer outcomes and all-cause mortality. In the United States, Canada, and Chile, the institution of a folic acid supplementation program was associated with an increased prevalence of colon cancer. (7, 8) A randomized control trial found that that daily supplementation with 1 mg of folic acid was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. (9)

Researchers have hypothesized that the excessive consumption of folic acid in fortified foods may be directly related to the increase in cancer rates. Excess folic acid may stimulate the growth of established neoplasms, which can eventually lead to cancer. The presence of unmetabolized folic acid in the blood is associated with decreased natural killer cytotoxicity. (10) Since natural killer cells play a role in tumor cell destruction, this would suggest another way in which excess folic acid might promote existing premalignant and malignant lesions.A high intake of folic acid might mask detection of vitamin B12 deficiency and lead to a deterioration of central nervous system function in the elderly.

In one study, consumption of folic acid in excess of 400 micrograms per day among older adults resulted in significantly faster rate of cognitive decline than supplement nonusers. (11) Another study found a higher prevalence of both anemia and cognitive impairment in association with high folic acid intake in older adults with a low vitamin B12 status. (12) As vitamin B12 deficiency is a common problem for many older adults, these studies suggest that high folic acid intake could cause serious cognitive consequences in the elderly.

Folate from natural food sources is best

Despite the risks associated with high levels of folic acid intake, it is well established that adequate folate intake from the consumption of folate-rich foods is essential for health.

Folate aids the complete development of red blood cells, reduces levels of homocysteine in the blood, and supports nervous system function. It is well known for its role in preventing neural tube defects in newborns, so women of childbearing age must be sure to have an adequate intake prior to and during pregnancy.

Excellent sources of dietary folate include vegetables such as romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils. (13) Not surprisingly, some of the best food sources of folate are calf’s liver and chicken liver.

You can supplement with folate if your dietary intake is inadequate. Look for products that contain the Metfolin brand, or list “5-methyltetrahydrofolate” or “5-MTHF” on the label. Avoid products that say “folic acid” on the label. Make sure to check your multivitamin, because most multis contain folic acid and not folate.

Women planning on becoming pregnant should consume between 800 and 1200 mcg of folate per day for several months before the start of pregnancy. Unless you’re consuming chicken or calf’s liver and substantial amounts of leafy greens on a regular basis, it’s difficult to obtain this amount from diet alone. If you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant, I recommend supplementing with 600-800 mcg of folate per day, depending on your dietary intake. Solgaris a good brand, but there are several others that typically use 5-MTHF including Designs for Health, Thorne, Metabolic Maintenance and Pure Encapsulations.

All other people, such as men and older women, should be able to get plenty of folate in a diet with adequate vegetable consumption, and do not need to supplement.

Filed Under: Nutrition

Cancer risk and Alcohol

October 20, 2017 by Joe

We often council our patients to reflect on their alcohol consumption. Even previously considerate “moderate” consumption of alcohol now seems to be a risk factor in regards to many forms of cancer. Recent NIH research supports this link. We have found in our clinical practice that alcohol negatively affects the energetic balance and health of our patients often contributing to pain syndromes, insomnia and emotional volatility and depression. As we age, and especially as women age, our ability to handle and detoxify consumed alcohol is greatly reduced. Here is a link to the recent NIH alcohol and cancer risk information.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet

 

Filed Under: Chronic Illness, Nutrition

Eating Paleo: Are Nuts and Seeds Healthy?

August 10, 2017 by Joe

Nuts and seeds are a very popular snack among Paleo eaters and some people end up consuming quite a few of them. After all, they’re an easy and handy snack to bring to work or on hikes and most of them are loaded with nutrients. We know however that the fact that most nuts and seeds were available to our ancestors is not enough in itself to justify frequent consumption. We need to look further into the composition of nuts and seeds, their levels of toxins and their nutritive value and assess things from there.

I already recommend cutting all nuts and seeds to people with digestive or autoimmune problems and people with gut flora imbalances, but what about healthy people?

You’ll see here that the answer is a mixed bag (of nuts) and that not all nuts or seeds are created equal. You’ll also see why I recommend keeping most nuts to a minimum and as an occasional snack while keeping in mind that the nutritional value is often offset by undesired properties. There are also some steps that can be taken to reduce the toxic load of most nuts that should prove helpful to those who want to indulge.

In the conclusion, I’ll recommend the best nuts to consume and those to eat only very sporadically.

Read the full article here: https://paleoleap.com/are-nuts-and-seeds-healthy/

Filed Under: Chronic Illness, Nutrition

Build Your Vitamin D Naturally

March 29, 2017 by Joe

Now is the time to begin building your Vitamin D naturally. When it is sunny, spend some time in the sun. With no sun tan lotion for some part of the time. If you do this regularly this spring and summer, you can begin the reduce your vitamin D drops. Here are a few helpful hints from the Vitamin D council:

March marks the first month that everyone around the world can receive adequate vitamin D from safe sun exposure. However, March is also the month when vitamin D levels are the lowest for those living in northern mid-latitudes.

Get outside and enjoy the sunshine, but keep in mind these important facts:

  1. Do NOT burn. You only need to expose your skin for around half the time it takes for your skin to turn pink.
  2. Wait to apply sunscreen. Sunscreen blocks vitamin D production. So, while it’s important to protect your skin, allow yourself some time outside in the sunshine without sunscreen.
  3. If your shadow is shorter than you are tall, the sun is at the right angle for your skin to make vitamin D.

Filed Under: Living Seasonally, Nutrition

Nutrition

August 10, 2015 by Tamazine Soprani

True healing is achieved by our entire self. Each part of our self is important and each part contributes to the whole of being well. When I say each part I am referring to all of the things that make up the whole of who we are. Our relationships, our creative life, our work life, our spiritual life and our relationship with our body. Since I am talking about food here I am going to focus a little more on the body but it would be incorrect to say that food is only about the body. It is really deeply connected to all the other parts of us as well.

Food and the nourishment that it gives is one of the foundation pieces of vibrant health. When we eat we are bringing into our body the necessary components for all the millions of chemical processes that our physical body runs on. An example of this is getting adequate protein. Proteins are the source of amino acids which in turn are the building blocks of some of the thousands of different substances needed to run a human body. They are an essential part of running our detox pathways, and insure that we have adequate neurotransmitters or brain chemicals. This is just one example out of millions of processes that happen daily, even hourly in our body that are dependent on our having the macro and micro nutrients the we get from eating high quality food.

The foundations of a diet that supports and builds excellent health begins with eating organic food free of toxic chemicals, lots of vegetables and adequate protein and fats. This is a great place to start a delicious relationship with food. But what about the fact that each of us is different. Its true, each of us is different and we each have our own particular nutritional quirks and needs. Often there are acute situations that need to be addressed with an individually crafted diet and sometimes there are foods that an individual just doesn’t do well with for the long haul. This takes some work and guidance to figure out.

There’s more. Food isn’t all about balancing protein carbs and fats. There is the pleasure aspect of food, how it tastes, the enjoyment and creativity of cooking and sharing a meal and conversation with your people. Then there is the absolute beauty of a well grown head of Romanesco Broccoli. The benefits of relating to food in this way are real and have a measurable impact on our whole being. So excellent nutrition and an alive relationship to food in all its aspects is one of the real foundations and bedrocks of glowing good health.

Filed Under: Nutrition

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