Choosing a supplement for pregnancy, lactation, and trying to conceive is daunting!  Dozens and dozens of prenatal vitamins exist!  How do you choose?  One important way to narrow it down is to choose one with a “natural folate.”  Recently, I ran two posts on folate/folic acid (here and here) and why people may want to steer away from folic acid use in foods and vitamins–but NOT folate in general–just the folic acid form.

Today I will post two really readable articles regarding folic acid versus folate in prenatals that readers may be interested in.  Remember, my blog is a story of what I am learning.  It is absolutely not to be used as medical advice.

Two Fairly Easy to Read Articles on Folic Acid in Pregnancy

“Should you skip prenatal vitamins with folic acid?“

(Click on article title to link to the article.)

This is a nice overview article from the news written in common language.  I think it summarizes the thoughts from my second post on folic acid versus folate (click here to read it).  Basically, those people with MTHFR (methyltetrahydrofolate reductase) issues would benefit from L-methylfolate rather than folic acid.  But how do you know if you’re “one of those people?”  Unless you’re tested, you don’t.  And in this article, it states that about 50% of women can be affected.  So you’re playing a guessing game.  Am I good with folic acid?  Or would I be better off with L-methylfolate?

If you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or taking folic acid, this would be a good article to read to help you understand whether or not taking folic acid (versus folate) is best for you.

“Multi-vitamin Supplementation During Pregnancy:  Emphasis on Folic Acid and L-methylfolate.“

(Click on article title to link to the article.)

This is a nice little interview between an obstetrician and a nutritionist regarding L-methylfolate, folic acid, and MTHFR issues.  The conclusion is very similar to the article first listed (and similar to what I concluded), but rather than being in the general news, it is from an obstetrical journal.

Closing

The next post will discuss what I look for in a prenatal vitamin along with some vitamins that I looked at, but the take-away message that I learned is this:  If you don’t know your MTHFR status, it might be wise to stay away from folic acid supplements (but not folate).

~~Terri