{"id":2013,"date":"2016-10-11T07:00:18","date_gmt":"2016-10-11T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/?p=2013"},"modified":"2016-10-10T20:14:04","modified_gmt":"2016-10-11T00:14:04","slug":"folic-acid-vs-folate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/folic-acid-vs-folate\/","title":{"rendered":"Folic Acid vs. Folate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are Supplement Manufacturers Trying to Mislead You?<\/p>\n

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney<\/p>\n

\"folic<\/a>There has been much confusion on folic acid vs. folate. \u00a0For example,\u00a0I recently received this question from a reader:<\/p>\n

\u201cI have gotten so much clarification about folic acid from your video – thank you!
\nBut I have another question I was hoping you could answer.<\/p>\n

When a supplement label states there is “folate” rather than “folic acid”, is there really a difference between the two? I hear women telling each other to only use the one that says folate because it’s made from food. And folic acid isn’t. These women are also paying more money for these products because of this. Is this true? (And I’m not talking about tetrahydrafolate, either)
\nI’ve been told by one manufacturer that they label it as folic acid, but they know other companies who use the exact same source of folic acid. \u00a0Still, \u00a0they put folate on their label, possibly to avoid controversy.
\nAre these women being duped? Should they be asking the manufacturer certain questions for clarification?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The video, this reader is referring to is my \u201cThe Truth About Methyl Folate<\/strong><\/a>\u201d video in which I debunk the many myths about methyl folate circulating on the internet, and, unfortunately, repeated by some doctors.<\/p>\n

However, the reader is correct. I did not address the folic acid vs. folate nomenclature in that video. I will attempt to clarify it in this article.<\/p>\n

Folic Acid vs. Folate<\/h2>\n

A Rose By Any Other Name<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"rose\"<\/a>I call this section \u201cA Rose By Any Other Name\u201d from the famous Shakespeare quote from Romeo and Juliet \u201cA rose by any other names would smell as sweet\u201d.<\/p>\n

Biochemists and nutritionists use the terms folic acid and folate interchangeably. There is a sound chemical rationale for that.<\/p>\n

Folic acid has a glutamic acid residue on one end. Thus, folic acid is what chemists refer to as an organic acid, specifically a carboxylic acid. Under acidic conditions the appropriate suffix for an organic acid is \u201cic\u201d. However, under neutral or alkaline conditions, organic acids lose their protons. Once that happens, the appropriate suffix is \u201cate\u201d.<\/p>\n

The exact pH of vitamin pills may vary from brand to brand. In our body our stomach is acidic, our intestines are alkaline, and our blood and cells are normally near neutral. Thus, vitamin B9 could correctly be labeled either folic acid or folate in supplements. It will be folic acid in our stomach and will be folate in our intestines, bloodstream, and cells. \u00a0Beginning to see the difference between folic acid vs. folate?<\/p>\n

The bottom line is that nobody is trying to trick you by using the term folate for the vitamin B9 on their supplement label. Furthermore, whether the label says folic acid or folate, the actual vitamin B9 will be in both the folic acid and folate form as it travels through your body.<\/p>\n

In answer to your other question, since folic acid and folate are two names for the same molecule, folate is not more natural than folic acid. If someone is charging you extra because they use the term folate on their label, they are ripping you off.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What About Tetrahydrofolate?<\/h3>\n

\"uderstanding<\/a>The person who sent me the question also asked about tetrahydrofolates. \u00a0Here the story gets a bit murkier. \u00a0As folic acid or folate enters our cells, three things immediately happen:<\/p>\n