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How to get rid of unmetabolized folic acid?

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Methyl Life

Folate or folic acid is referred to as vitamin B9, a key cofactor in one-carbon metabolism. Folate is the common terminology used for a group of molecules including folic acid, folinic acid or 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (5-FTHF), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) or L-methylfolate, 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate (10-formyl-THF), 5,10-methylene-THF and unsubstituted tetrahydrofolate (THF).

Supplementation of folate is required to maintain adequate levels in mammals.  Folic acid, folinic acid and 5-MTHF are different forms of folate that can be found in folate supplements1. The main differences between folate and folic acid is all about the forms in which they exist, folate is a reduced form while folic acid is an oxidized form. The reduced forms of vitamin B9 such as dihydrofolate and tetrahydrofolate are less stable biochemically, whereas the oxidized form, folic acid in supplements and fortified foods stays stable for a longer period of time2. Folic acid is a synthetic (man-made) water-soluble compound that does not exist in nature. It is comprised of a pteroyl group which is connected to a glutamic acid part and shows greater stability than the folates which are in reduced forms.  In addition, folic acid depends upon 4 different conversion processes that need to happen within the body before it can become the 5-MTHF which your body can then directly absorb and use.

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