What is folate?

When people think of vitamins, they likely jump right to major vitamins like vitamin C (citrus!) or vitamin D (sunshine!). But there are other vitamins that are just as important to a person’s health. One of these is folate, which is essential to cell health. Here’s what people should know about folate and how to help ensure they’re getting enough of it.

In this article:

What is folate?

Folate is one of several B vitamins the body needs. Folate, also known as vitamin B9, helps the body make new cells and tissues. Brain cells, blood cells, hair cells, skin cells — they all need folate to form. The vitamin also works with other nutrients, like vitamins B12 and C, to help the body break down and use proteins. Folate also helps produce deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which contains genetic information. It’s water-soluble, so it isn’t stored in the body’s fat tissues. Leftover amounts of folate are removed when a person urinates.

Folate vs. folic acid

Sometimes, the words “folate” and “folic acid” are used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Both folate and folic acid are B9 vitamins, and they both have potential benefits for a person’s health. Some foods, like dark leafy greens, naturally contain folate. Other foods, like fortified breads and pastas, have another version of the vitamin, called folic acid, added in. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate that’s found in many enriched food products and dietary supplements.

Differences between folate and folic acid

Folate and folic acid have a few critical differences.

• They’re absorbed differently. Folate and folic acid are absorbed and metabolized differently in the body. When compared to dietary folate, folic acid can take a bit longer to become active
• They work at different rates. Typically, the body can quickly use folate that comes from the food a person eats. On the other hand, folic acid needs to be converted to another form before it can be used. These conversion rates can also differ from person to person. As a result, folic acid can take longer to work.
• They range in stability. Folic acid that is added to supplements and fortified foods is more stable than folates found in food.

Folic acid benefits during pregnancy

Getting enough folate is important for everyone, but this vitamin is commonly associated with pregnancy. In addition to its other benefits, folate helps the neural tube develop. The neural tube will become a baby’s brain and spine. Folic acid helps prevent serious birth defects that can occur in the first weeks of pregnancy. These defects, known as neural tube defects (NTDs), include anencephaly or spina bifida, among others.

How much folate to get a day

It is recommended that pregnant people get 600 micrograms of folic acid a day. Because it’s hard to get that much from diet alone, they are urged to take a daily prenatal vitamin that contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. It is recommended that this vitamin is taken at least 1 month before getting pregnant and for the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy.

However, just over 40 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S. are not intended. This means that some pregnant people who don’t get enough folate might not be able to prevent an NTD. As a result, experts recommend all people with the ability to get pregnant get 400 to 800 micrograms a day, even if they’re not planning to become pregnant. This folate could be either from their food or from a folic acid supplement.

For everyone else, the recommended daily amount of folate needed depends on age. The amount is based on dietary folate equivalents (DFEs). This measurement is used because a person absorbs more folic acid from supplements and fortified foods than they do folate from natural foods. So, people need less folic acid than natural folate to get the recommended amounts.

Sources of folate

Since the body doesn’t produce folate, people need to make sure they’re getting enough of this vitamin through the foods they’re eating. Foods that naturally contain folate include:

• Beef liver
• Dark leafy vegetables, like spinach and mustard greens
• Fruits and fruit juices, like oranges
• Nuts, beans and peas, like peanuts, black-eyed peas and kidney beans
• Vegetables, like asparagus and Brussels sprouts

Foods that are fortified with folic acid, or have folic acid added in, can include:

• Enriched bread, flour and cornmeal
• Enriched pasta
• Enriched rice
• Fortified breakfast cereals

Folic acid supplements

Before taking a supplement or vitamin containing folic acid, it’s important to speak with a health care provider. People should also check supplement and nutrition labels to make sure supplements contain the vitamins they may need.

Symptoms of low folate

People who don’t get enough folate in their diet can become deficient. Folate deficiency may cause a variety of problems, including:

• Certain types of anemia
• Diarrhea
• Graying hair
• Mouth ulcers
• Swelling of the tongue
• Ulcers in the lining of the stomach or upper part of the small intestines

While folate deficiency is rare in the U.S., there are specific groups of people who are more likely to have trouble getting enough of the vitamin. Here are groups that are more susceptible to folate deficiency:

• People with alcohol use disorder
• People with disorders that interfere with nutrition absorption, like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease
• Non-Hispanic Black women
• Teen girls and women ages 14 to 30 (For the purposes of this article, “girls” and “women” refer to biological sex.)

Speak with a health care provider to determine if a supplement could be beneficial.

How folate affects health

Aside from the role folate and folic acid supplements play in preventing complications during pregnancy, there are a few other ways folate — or a lack of folate — can impact a person’s body.

Depression

Experts say people with low levels of folate in their blood may be more likely to experience depression. This group may also have trouble responding to antidepressant medications as opposed to people with normal folate levels.

Heart disease and stroke

Research says taking folic acid supplements may lower the level of homocysteine in a person’s blood. This is an amino acid that is commonly associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Taking folic acid supplements doesn’t directly lower the risk of a person developing heart disease; it just lowers the amino acid level. However, some studies say that taking folic acid in combination with other B vitamins can help prevent stroke.

Is folate safe?

When consumed correctly, health care providers say folate is safe to consume. People 19 years and older should not take 1000 micrograms a day without the advice of their health care provider. Before taking any supplements, a person should check with their health care provider to see which dose is right for them.

Key takeaways

It might not be the first vitamin on a person’s radar, but folate is important for a person’s overall health. It helps the body make new cells and tissues. During pregnancy, getting enough folate, or vitamin B9, is especially important because it helps prevent birth defects. Most people can get their daily recommended amount of folate from foods like leafy greens, fruits and beans. People who need more folate can consider taking folic acid supplements, but they should always check with a health care provider first.

FOR VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS: Consult your health care provider before taking any vitamins or supplements. This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.