What Does Folate Do For The Body? - Top 5 Benefits

  • By Performance Lab
  • 8 minute read
What Does Folate Do For The Body? - Top 5 Benefits

While we typically hear about it for pregnancy, folate does more than just support fetal growth and development. It has several important jobs in the body, ranging from converting carbs into energy, forming blood cells, synthesizing DNA and RNA, and more.

If this critical vitamin isn't on your supplement radar, it's high time it is. Folate deficiency is a real thing and can cause significant impairments to physiological function, so ensuring you're taking in sufficient amounts is key to optimal physical and mental performance.

Not sure where to start? You're in the right spot. This article breaks down everything you need to know. We're giving you the knowledge on what folate is, the benefits of folate, and signs and symptoms to look out for if you may be folate deficient.

What Is Folate And What Does It Do?

Also known as vitamin B9, folate is a water-soluble vitamin often found lumped in with the other B vitamins. While not required in significant amounts, your body uses folate for a wide array of critical functions, including 1-4:

  • Synthesis, repair, and methylation of DNA and RNA
  • Cell division
  • Conversion of homocysteine to methionine
  • Maturation of red blood cells

The importance of this vitamin is based on the fact that it functions in several coenzyme forms in various reactions. Folate-dependent metabolic processes are influenced by folate intake and the intake of other essential nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and B6 5.

Because of its essential role, a deficiency of folate can lead to a number of negative health outcomes, including megaloblastic anemia, increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers, as well as birth defects in babies whose mothers were deficient in folate 1.

Folate vs. Folic Acid

But here's the thing—what form do you choose?

There's two terms you'll often hear used interchangeably with respect to vitamin B9—folate and folic acid. While most people assume them as one and the same, there is a distinction between the two, which causes a lot of confusion.

Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9 that is found in many food sources and is converted to the active form, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) before entering the liver and systemic circulation 6.

Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic form of vitamin B9 that's found in supplements and added to many nutrient-fortified foods like flour and breakfast cereals. Unlike its natural counterpart, not all folic acid is converted into the active form—5-MTHF—in the digestive tract, which means it must undergo conversion in other tissues 7, 8.

However, the process can be relatively slow and inefficient, which means that even small doses may not be fully metabolized before taking the next dose and may appear in the blood.

Benefits Of Taking Folate

Both folate and folic acid are commonly consumed in supplemental form for several reasons, and although both forms are typically used to treat the same conditions, they don't have the same effects in the body and therefore offer different health outcomes.

With that said, here's what folate has to offer you.

1. Supports Nucleotide Biosynthesis (DNA and RNA)

While folate has many critical functions, one of its major roles is in supporting the biosynthesis and maintenance of RNA and DNA and DNA methylation 9.

DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that happens that is essential to normal genome regulation and development, and folate is a critical nutrient that provides one carbon group used to methylate DNA.

Because the development of all mammals relies on DNA methylation, changes in folate intake can alter DNA methylation and thus present issues with normal growth and development.

Specifically, there are several folate-dependent mechanisms that are involved in modulating chromatin structure and processes within the nucleus, including transcription, replication, repair, and processing of RNA 10.

Because folate is critical to these processes, DNA cannot develop normally when insufficient levels and chromosomal abnormalities and damage can result.

2. Assists In Amino Acid Conversion

Folate also plays a major role in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Homocysteine is an amino acid produced as a byproduct of protein breakdown, and elevated levels can lead to trouble.

Under normal circumstances, the conversion of homocysteine to methionine is mediated by the donation of a methyl group from 5-MTHF, the active form of folate; this reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme methionine synthase (MS) and requires vitamin B12 as a coenzyme 11.

However, insufficient levels of B12 or folate can impair homocysteine conversion, which causes it to build up in the blood.

Elevated homocysteine has been shown to induce programmed cell death in human vascular tissue cells by interfering with protein synthesis; because homocysteine is similar to methionine, it can enter protein synthesis pathways and result in the production of abnormal proteins that are toxic to cells 12.

Both of the pathways that keep homocysteine levels in check require B6, folate, and B12 as co-factors, so a deficiency in any one of these vitamins interrupts the conversion and results in elevated homocysteine levels.

3. Boosts Red Blood Cell Production

For those that are anemic, folate becomes a non-negotiable nutrient. Erythroblasts, which are immature blood cells, require the presence of both folate and B12 during the proliferation phase of differentiation 13.

A deficiency of either folate or vitamin B12 inhibits purine and thymidylate syntheses, interferes with DNA synthesis, and causes erythroblast apoptosis, all of which can result in anemia from ineffective erythropoiesis.

What's more, both B12 and folate are required to form heme, the pigmented, iron-containing portion of hemoglobin in red blood cells. Again, a deficiency in either one inhibits the maturation of erythroblasts and can lead to erythroblast apoptosis (death).

Low hemoglobin can result in nasty symptoms like fatigue, low energy, paraesthesia (pins and needles), mouth ulcers, muscle weakness, and cognitive impairment.

But it's important to know that anemia can develop both from inadequate intake as well as inadequate intestinal absorption of folate, usually because of damage to the intestinal lining.

4. Prevents Birth Defects And Pregnancy Complications

This one is perhaps the most well-known benefit of folate supplementation, especially for women in their child-bearing years. For women who are already pregnant, folate has probably flown into their radar, but it's equally important pre-conception to prevent the development of neural tube defects.

From the time conception happens, folate is required to develop the brain and spinal cord. Folate is well known to protect babies from neural tube defects, which develop from the failure of the embryonic neural tube to close between 21-27 days after conception, which also happens to be a time when most women may not even realize they're pregnant 14.

Neural tube defects are several malformations, including those in the brain (anencephaly) or lesions of the spine (spina bifida), both of which can be life-threatening.

As such, ensuring sufficient folate intake is critical whether you're trying to conceive or are already pregnant. One study even found that 22.8% of women aged 12-49 had suboptimal levels of RBC folate concentration 15.

5. Better Brain Health

While folate may not be the first nutrient you link with better cognitive function, it's totally necessary. Research shows that low levels of folate, even normal levels on the cusp of low, are associated with reduced brain function and an increased risk of cognitive impairment 16, 17.

Some research suggests that folate supplementation may improve brain function in people struggling with cognitive impairment.

A 2019 study published in the European Journal of Nutrition of 180 adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) found that 400mcg of folic acid daily for two years resulted in significant improvements in various measures of brain function, including verbal IQ, as well as reduced blood levels of proteins involved in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease 18.

Other Benefits

There's also research supporting the efficacy of folate for 19-21:

  • Reducing inflammation
  • Improving glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity
  • Reducing risk factors for heart disease
  • Mitigating side effects of certain medications

Signs And Symptoms Of Folate Deficiency

Think you might be low in folate? Not consuming enough folate can lead to a deficiency in a relatively short period, so watch out for these symptoms:

  • Fatigue
  • Grey hair
  • Mouth sores
  • Swollen tongue
  • Growth retardation

Some of the most common symptoms of anemia that occur due to low folate include:

  • Persistent fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Lethargy
  • Pale skin
  • Shortness of breath
  • Irritability

However, it's important to know that a high intake of folate can actually mask a B12 deficiency, so while the body requires sufficient folate amounts, you don't want to go overboard.

Final Thoughts

Taken together, there's no arguing that folate is an essential nutrient, regardless of age or gender. But the thing is that many people aren't getting what they need to maintain optimal performance due to external or biological factors.

So, rather than stressing about whether your folate intake is sufficient or you're absorbing what you're eating, invest in Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi.

It's a revolutionary multivitamin supplement supplying 100% RDI of over 17+ vitamins and minerals, all complexed with factors that enhance absorption and biological action.

References

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  3. K Pietrzik, L Bailey, B Shane. Folic acid and L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate: comparison of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.Clin Pharmacokinet. 2010;49(8):535-548.
  4. YM Chan, R Bailey, DL O'Connor. Adv Nutr. 2013;4(1):123-125.
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  7. AJ Wright, JR Dainty, PM Folic acid metabolism in human subjects revisited: potential implications for proposed mandatory folic acid fortification in the UK.Br J Nutr. 2007;98(4):667-675.
  8. MR Sweeney, J McPartlin, J Folic acid fortification and public health: report on threshold doses above which unmetabolised folic acid appear in serum.BMC Public Health. 2007;7:41.
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  11. D Dell'edera, A Tinelli, GN Milazzo, et al. Effect of multivitamins on plasma homocysteine in patients with the 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T homozygous state. Mol Med Rep. 2013;8(2):609-612.
  12. J Homocysteine: Friend or Foe?.Integr Med (Encinitas). 2014;13(4):8-14.
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  15. SC Tinker, HC Hamner, YP Qi, KS Crider. S. women of childbearing age who are at possible increased risk of a neural tube defect-affected pregnancy due to suboptimal red blood cell folate concentrations, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2012. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2015;103(6):517-526.
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  17. S Jang, JW Han, J Shin, et al. Normal-But-Low Serum Folate Levels and the Risks for Cognitive Impairment. Psychiatry Investig. 2019;16(7):532-538.
  18. F Ma, Q Li, X Zhou, et al. Effects of folic acid supplementation on cognitive function and Aβ-related biomarkers in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Nutr. 2019;58(1):345-356.
  19. F Bahmani, M Karamali, H Shakeri, Z Asemi. The effects of folate supplementation on inflammatory factors and biomarkers of oxidative stress in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2014;81(4):582-587.
  20. JV Zhao, CM Schooling, JX Zhao. The effects of folate supplementation on glucose metabolism and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Ann Epidemiol. 2018;28(4):249-257.e1.
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