Description
Note: 1 mg of 5-MTHF is recommended for fetal support during pregnancy; the 15 mg option is recommended only when directed by a health-care practitioner.
It is important for a woman of childbearing age to get enough folic acid – not just those women who are planning to become pregnant. Because half of pregnancies are unplanned, any woman who could become pregnant should get enough folic acid every day. Folic acid intake is especially important before conception and during early pregnancy, since its biggest need is during the first trimester – when a woman might not even know she is pregnant. Supplementation with the active form of folic acid – 5-MTHF (L-5 Methyltetrahydrofolate)– is always preferable.
Acting with vitamin B12, 5-MTHF functions as a methyl-group donor, thereby facilitating the conversion of the amino acid homocysteine to methionine. An elevated homocysteine level is a risk factor for a number of undesirable health conditions. Methyl-group donation is vital to many biochemical conversion processes, including the synthesis of serotonin, melatonin, and DNA.
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