WHY ARE WE TOLD TO TAKE FOLIC ACID DURING PREGNANCY & BREASTFEEDING, WHEN ITS SO BAD FOR US AND OUR BABIES?

WHY ARE WE TOLD TO TAKE FOLIC ACID DURING PREGNANCY & BREASTFEEDING, WHEN ITS SO BAD FOR US AND OUR BABIES?

The terms “folic acid” and “folate” are often used interchangeably to describe Vitamin B9. The truth, however is that they are not the same. Folic acid, is actually a synthetic form of Vitamin B9, which is not found in nature, nor is it naturally found in the human body.

Some people possess the enzymes needed to get folic acid to do what natural folate does in the body. Some people can turn folic acid into folate at a much reduced rate, which puts them at a deficiency even though they are consuming a significant amount of folic acid. The deficiency may not be low enough to cause neural tube defects, but it may present in other ways such as growth trouble, tongue tie, and neurological problems.
Even when people can digest folic acid, there are new studies coming out showing that over consumption of the form folic acid (not natural folate) can actually turn off the ability to absorb it- even if these people do not have the MTHFR gene mutation.

WHY IS FOLIC ACID SO BAD?

Folic acid is bad for people who can’t process it because it ‘plugs’ the receptors on cells that need real folate, causing the body to not be able to access the real folate that does come in through your diet.
This is especially hard because folic acid is added to so many foods. It’s not a matter of only consuming enough real folate, but for those with the MTHFR gene mutation, they also need to avoid folic acid in order to make sure their body can access the folate it needs.

Read the full articles here:
https://healthhomeandhappiness.com/folate-vs-folic-acid-mthfr-and-why-i-regret-taking-my-prenatal-vitamin.html

https://wellnessmama.com/12543/folic-acid-vs-folate/#comments

https://metabolichealing.com/folic-acid-folate-methylfolate-potential-problems-and-critical-distinctions/

Using a supplement with folate instead of folic acid removes the added risks to mum with the synthetic form.

Labelling laws in the U.K. actually mean companies like Cytoplan who use folate have to label it Folic acid/ Folate

Cytoplan offer a plant based pregnancy and breastfeeding supplement called Pregna-Plan which contains Folic acid/ Methylfolate - Folate contributes to normal maternal tissue growth during pregnancy and supplemental folate intake increases maternal folate status. Increasing maternal folate status contributes to the reduction of the risk of NTD’s (Neural Tube Defects)

https://www.cytoplan.co.uk/pregna-plan