5-MethyltetrahydroFOLIC ACID

[suzievv]

My Swanson Ultra bottle of MTHF says that it's "5-Methyltetrahydrofolic acid." It also says that it's Quatrefolic. I thought that Quatrefolic was Methyltetrahydrofolate. Is there a difference? I know that folic acid is synthetic; and methyltetrahydrofolate is the "active" form. So what's Methyltetrahydrofolic acid?

 

[PeterPositive]

They have probably mislabeled it. Quatrefolic refers to a specific form of methyl folate.
Maybe you can drop them an email so they can correct the mistake on the next labels. It is indeed a bit misleading, though it's a common error. Even doctors sometimes say "folic acid" instead of "folate" etc...

 

[Valentijn]

"-ate" and "-ic acid" are basically the same thing. "Malic acid" and "malate" are one example where different words are used but indicating the same thing. But the bad version of folic acid (for some) lacks the methyl group. So long as it's "methyl-blahblah-folic acid" and not plain "folic acid" it should be fine.

 

[PeterPositive]

"-ate" and "-ic acid" are basically the same thing. "Malic acid" and "malate" are one example where different words are used but indicating the same thing.

You're probably right but in medical terms "folic acid" is normally referring to a very specific type of folate, the synthetic, non biologically active one. In other words the worst of all Because it's the one that goes through the slowest path to become active and it can also remain unmetabolized in the body but still competing for folate receptors in the cell.

"Folate" on the other hand is used to represent any type of naturally occurring substance from that same family. Eg: folinic acid, DHF, THF etc...

Folate is a naturally occurring form of the vitamin, found in food, while folic acid is synthetically produced, and used in fortified foods and supplements.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid

 

[Valentijn]

"Folate" on the other hand is used to represent any type of naturally occurring substance from that same family. Eg: folinic acid, DHF, THF etc...

Yes, but that's a matter of terminology, not of biochemistry. They're using "folate" as a shorthand for the active form, and "folic acid" for the plain inactive form. But there is no such thing as a plain "folate", except folic acid itself.

They're being a bit silly, but they're citing Mayo Clinic, so no surprise there

 

[suzievv]

Thanks!! I understand *most* of what you all are saying. I want the active form, so I'm just going keep on using this "methylblahblah-folic acid" and assume that it's fine. I'm also going to give Swanson some feedback about the label being possibly confusing for customers.

 

[WillowJ]

Thanks!! I understand *most* of what you all are saying. I want the active form, so I'm just going keep on using this "methylblahblah-folic acid" and assume that it's fine. I'm also going to give Swanson some feedback about the label being possibly confusing for customers.

I'd be interested in what they say, if they answer.

I thought I read something somewhere, saying it was going to be a new rule that all forms of folate would be required to be labeled as folic acid.