Folic acid is essential at every stage of life, especially during pregnancy, when the neural tube closes in newborns.
Vitamin B9 also commonly known as folic acid is an essential vitamin with important implications for pregnancy. Vitamin B9 or folic acid is involved in DNA and RNA synthesis, cell growth, the formation of red blood cells and the functioning of the nervous and immune systems. Folic acid is therefore essential at every stage of life, particularly during pregnancy when the neural tube closes in newborns. So it's easy to understand why you shouldn't be short of it, especially during these crucial periods of development.
Given its link with cell growth, folic acid also plays a key role in fertility and the health of newborns and infants.
It's important to understand that there are in fact two forms of vitamin B9: folates from the diet, and folic acid produced by human hands (in synthetic form).
Unfortunately, folic acid in its synthetic form is not well assimilated by the body. We've found a solution for you: folic acid. 5-MTHF.
What is folic acid?
L’acide folique, ou vitamine B9, existe dans la nature sous différentes formes qui constituent le groupe des folates. L’homme est incapable de les synthétiser, il doit les trouver dans son alimentation et avec des suppléments nutritionnels. Une partie des folates absorbés est méthylée à l’intérieur de la cellule intestinale et réduite en méthyle tétrahydrofolates (MTHF). L’acide folique rejoint le foie où il est transformé en MTHF. Il est ensuite remis dans la circulation et diffusé dans tous les tissus. Les folates circulants sont essentiellement constitués de MTHF.
Therapeutically, 5-MTHF helps reduce homocysteine levels, prevent neural tube defects and improve vascular endothelial function.
When should you start?
Une bonne vitamine prénatale devrait être l’un des premiers achats que vous faites après avoir décidé que vous voulez être pregnant. Vous pouvez commencer dès que le désir d’un baby est là et jusqu’à la fin de l’allaitement. Maintenant, il est important de comprendre que toutes les formes d’acide folique contenues dans les vitamins ne sont pas égales.
Il y a 2 formes d’acide folique. L’acide folique fait de folates synthétiques et aussi communément appelé folic acid et le folate que l’on retrouve naturellement dans les aliments.
How do you choose a folic acid that is better assimilated?
Look for methylated folate rather than synthetic folic acid. Some labels state folate MTHF, methylfolate, 5-MTH, 5-5-methyltetrahydrofolatehas, L-5-MTHF, L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, 5-MTHF. These are all the same type of folate. The importance of this vitamin and its role in the development of the baby's neural tube are well documented. Of course, it also plays many other roles in the body.
What is methyl folate?
Methylfolate is the form of folic acid that is active in the body, in its natural form. This methylated form of folic acid is what is needed for the body to benefit from folates.
Unfortunately, up to 60% of the population carries a genetic mutation that does not allow folic acid to be converted correctly into this active form of methylfolate, which can lead to folate deficiency. This is why it is important that only methyfolate is present in your food supplements. For simplicity, we'll call it folic acid 5-MTHF for the rest of this article.
Folic acid 5-MTHF reduces the risk of neural tube defects
It is now widely accepted that an adequate intake of dietary folate is an important factor in reducing a woman's risk of giving birth to a child with a neural tube defect. Folic acid supplementation around the time of conception significantly reduces the occurrence of neural tube defects. Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy increases the child's birth weight, improves Apgar scores (assessment of the newborn's state of health) and reduces the incidence of foetal growth retardation and maternal infections.
Insufficiency and deficiency
Due to the high frequency of the MTHFR gene mutation, many women are folate deficient, with levels below recommended levels. Folate deficiency can also develop as a result of a diet low in folate-containing foods, particularly dark green vegetables, citrus juices and foods.
In addition, folate deficiency can be difficult to detect because the symptoms are generally non-specific, but include mouth sores, swollen tongue, fatigue and grey hair.
Does my prenatal vitamin contain enough 5-MTHF folic acid?
When choosing a prenatal vitamin, it is important to select one that contains the right type and quantity of folate. Dietary supplements +mum and +fertiwomen +fertimen are made with 5-MTHF folic acid, the predominant form of folate found naturally in the body. Folate is recommended by doctors for all women of childbearing age to reduce the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.
As it is difficult to obtain this amount of folic acid from food alone, women should take a daily prenatal vitamin containing at least 400 micrograms, starting at least one month before pregnancy and continuing during pregnancy for at least the first 12 weeks.
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) specifically recommends that women wishing to bear a child take a folic acid supplement of at least 400 micrograms per day.
Our dietary supplements for pregnancy and fertility all contain at least 400 micrograms of folic acid 5-MTHF per daily dose.
If you want to carry a child, we recommend our supplements +fertimen & +fertiwomen. Once your pregnancy is confirmed, you can change your supplements to +mum until the end of breastfeeding.
How do I know if I need more 5-MTHF folic acid?
Certain circumstances warrant an increase in folate, including a history of miscarriage, a history of a child with a neural tube defect, and people taking epilepsy medication. Ask your obstetrician-gynecologist whether folate supplementation is indicated in your case.
Does it increase your chances of getting pregnant?
In addition to preventing congenital malformations and pregnancy loss, taking a multivitamin containing folic acid 5-MTHF daily before and during pregnancy can not only prevent congenital malformations, but also improve the chances of achieving and maintaining a pregnancy.
If a woman Following IVF, doctors often recommend taking more than 800 micrograms of additional 5-MTHF folic acid. This recommendation is based on a study suggesting a relationship between supplementation with certain micronutrients, including folic acid, and a greater chance of IVF success.
5-MTHF folic acid offers many advantages
In a nutshell, folic acid is a B vitamin with many benefits for both mother and baby, including improved fertility results, lower miscarriage rates and reduced birth defects (mainly neural tube defects). Not all forms of folic acid are easily absorbed or utilized by the body, so it's important to look for highly bioavailable methylfolate (5-MTHF), such as that found in Plusbaby pregnancy and fertility supplements.