The depths one can go in choosing effective supplementation can be a similar experience to spelunking without a head light or map. Voyaging and lost through misleading labels and sensory appealing packaged claims at GNC to simply lost and led by algorithms of Amazon. Fast and with the echo of a click the BUY button is smashed on expensive and ineffective powdered junk.
Speaking outside one’s primary supplementation stack (protein, creatine, etc.), there are a few lesser known that are gaining recognition for unlocking performance and health, especially for those with questionable dietary choices and unfortunate genetic mutations. Methyl Folate might be an incredibly powerful addition to your current vitamin regiment.
What is Methyl Folate?
Methyl folate is a bioactive form of folate (vitamin B9) that is readily useable without needing further conversion inside the body (most efficient version); methylation is the process whereby folate is converted to a more usable form.
What Does Methyl Folate Do?
Methyl folate is involved in many important regenerative and cognitive functions:
- DNA Synthesis & Repair – Vital for DNA repair, cell division, and overall growth & regeneration.
- Homocysteine Metabolism – Responsible for converting amino acid homocysteine into methionine (Methionine serving to methylate, protein synthesis, create anti-oxidants, etc). Elevated levels of homocysteine is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Neurotransmitter Production – Neurotransmitter production of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine is facilitated by methyl folate; critical in mood regulation and cognitive function.
Genetic Drivers behind Methyl Folate Deficiencies
For those with the gene mutation called MTHR (colloquially the mutherfucker gene), their ability to convert folic acid (added by food manufactures and known as “fortification”) or the natural form of consumed folate to the useable version needed by the body is degraded. This bottleneck of bioavailable vitamin causes deficiencies to critical growth and cognitive functions. Common symptoms of folate related conversion issues and build up of unprocessed folic acid include:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Anxiety
- bipolar
- Brain fog
- muscle pain
- Pregnancy complications
- Cardiovascular issues
- Neurological issues
- Immune deficiency
Although lists of such wide and general symptoms aren’t particularly helpful, the prevalence of the MTHR mutation is fairly common and in context of grocery stores mostly offering “enriched” folic acid containing foods, there may be fire below the smoke; explanation for the many cognitive and physical maladies increasingly suffered in first world populations.
Next Steps
Avoid folic acid (added to processed foods and potentially the primary culprit behind many aforementioned symptoms) and regularly consume foods rich in natural folate (leafy green vegetables and legumes). Supplementation with methyl folate can also decrease symptoms related to genome’s containing the MTHR snippet, and subsequent reduction to methylate folate (creating insufficient amounts of this bioavailable vitamin). Preemptive supplementation with methyl folate appears to be both inexpensive and reasonable insurance as genetic testing is often not practical or accessible in confirming presence of MTHR.
Avoid Folic Acid. Eat foods with natural occurring folate, and if in doubt, supplement with methyl folate.
