February 13, 2025
Medically Reviewed By Elizabeth A. Swick, MS, RDN

Benefits of Folate Supplementation

Folate is thought to be an important nutrient that is thought to play a primary role in a variety of human body processes, from the normal development of the neural tube and spinal cord during pregnancy to supporting cell growth and function and even stimulating digestive acids.

Although folate exists naturally in a range of common foods, many people struggle to get enough folate solely through their dietary intake. For instance, since pregnant women have higher folate needs that are related to the physiological demands of fetal development, they might have trouble eating enough folate-rich foods to meet these high requirements.

In these cases, and with the advice of a qualified medical professional, taking a daily folate supplement may be an excellent choice, especially one that is formulated for high bioavailability and absorption (such as a 5-MTHF supplement).

What Is Folate?

The word “folate” commonly refers to a group of compounds also known as vitamin B9, and also generally refers to those found in real foods, such as fruits, dairy, beans, grains, nuts, liver, and leafy green veggies.¹

The digestive system is typically responsible for transforming the majority of the folate in these foods into 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), which is usually the bioactive form of vitamin B9 that the body can actually use for essential processes.²

The functions of folate may be wide-ranging throughout the human body. They commonly include supporting cell growth and function, promoting brain health, stimulating digestive acids, improving fertility, and preventing birth defects.

Folate Supplements

Folic acid is usually the type of folate that is found in most folate supplements. Folic acid is typically synthetic (meaning that it must be created by humans) and is also commonly known as pteroylmonoglutamic acid or mono pteroylglutamic acid. In addition to supplements, folic acid may be the most customary form of folate that’s used in fortified foods, such as wheat flour and breakfast cereals.³

About Folate Deficiency and Anemia

Despite the probable importance of folate for overall health, a deficiency of vitamin B9 does not usually cause symptoms in and of itself. However, a lack of folate can often lead to anemia (with symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, pale skin, and shortness of breath). In addition, in severe cases, folate deficiency may worsen symptoms like premature gray hair, mouth sores, tongue swelling, and growth problems.⁴

The Top Six Benefits of Folate Supplementation

Since folate may have so many essential functions in the human body, there may be numerous folate supplement benefits for those who struggle to consume enough folate through diet alone. Here are the top six reasons to consider taking a folate supplement:

1) Preventing Birth Defects

One of the primary benefits of folate for women in particular is that this nutrient may be extremely important for fetal development. Thus, pregnant women should make sure to consume plenty of folate not only while pregnant, but also before conceiving. Most notably, folate supplementation before conception and in the first trimester may reduce the likelihood of neural tube defects (a group of potentially severe birth defects that include spina bifida⁵ ) by 40 to 80 percent.⁶

Women who expect to conceive, as well as those who are currently breastfeeding, should most likely get about 400 to 1,000 micrograms of folate daily from food and supplements combined.⁷

2) Improving Fertility

Some studies suggest that having healthy folate levels and adequate folate intake can increase women’s fertility. For instance, a study of dietary folate and reproductive success in women undergoing assisted reproduction, found that a higher folate intake was associated with higher rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth.⁸ This is in part since folate may be necessary for healthy and normal ovulation, which can be crucial for conception.⁹

3) Treating Anemia

Because folate is thought to be necessary for the body to produce red blood cells, a lack of folic acid can often lead to folate deficiency anemia. More specifically, it may lead to megaloblastic anemia, where red blood cells become larger than normal and there are too few of them to transport oxygen to the tissues. Symptoms of this condition often include pale skin, lack of appetite, irritability, fatigue, diarrhea, and a smooth/tender tongue. Folate supplementation may be the most effective treatment for this condition.¹⁰

4) Supporting Cell Growth and Function

Not only may folate be an important factor for the formation of red blood cells, but also for the growth of a variety of different types of cells throughout the body¹¹. Just as a lack of folate can usually reduce the proliferation of numerous cells, having enough folate (whether through supplementation, diet, or a combination of the two) allows this proliferation to most likely happen normally.¹²

5) Promoting Brain Health

Similarly to other B vitamins, vitamin B9/folate may be essential for brain health across life stages. This is because folate often plays a key role in the body’s ability to produce S-adenosylmethionine, which is a universal methyl donor that may be needed to produce neurotransmitters.¹³ Thus, it is no surprise that one study found that supplementing with folic acid and other B vitamins for two years reduced brain atrophy in older adults.¹⁴

6) Stimulating Digestive Acids

Folic acid can often help to increase appetite and stimulate the formation of digestive acids, which are crucial for the digestion process.¹⁵ Relatedly, folic acid is believed to modulate gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders through several notable protective mechanisms, including the possibility of reducing overall inflammation in the digestive system.¹⁶

How To Increase Folate Intake

In addition to eating high-folate foods such as spinach, liver, brussels sprouts, asparagus, and fortified grains,¹⁷ adding a daily folate supplement to your routine may ensure the consistent intake of this important vitamin.

Folate Supplementation

Folate is present in many common foods, but for some people, it can be difficult to get enough folate via diet alone. For instance, because pregnant women often have such high folate needs, folate supplementation may be a crucial source of this vital nutrient.

In addition, some people can have genetic mutations that make it more difficult for them to metabolize folate. In these cases, not only have folate supplements been found to be useful, but those with folate in the form of 5-MTHF may be particularly bioavailable.¹⁸

Also problematic is the instability of the forms of folate which are typically found in folate-rich foods; when exposed to heat, light, and/or metal ions, such as during cooking, dietary folate may oxidize and become harder for the body to absorb and use it.¹⁹

Speak to a Doctor Before Adding a Folate Supplement

Although most people can tolerate a folate supplement with minimal or no issues, there are some medical situations for which folate supplementation is contraindicated.

For example, people with a history of cancer should not take large doses of folate, because there is research indicating that supplementing with 0.8 to 1 mg of folic acid daily might increase the risk of cancer. Likewise, people recovering from angioplasty may not be a good candidate to take folate, as it may cause arteries to narrow further.²⁰

In those with seizure disorders, supplementing with folate may cause an increase in symptoms. Anyone with risk factors for or a history of B12 deficiency should know that a folic acid supplement may hide the symptoms of this deficiency. In addition to these contraindicated conditions, folic acid supplementation is known to interact with anticonvulsants, methotrexate, barbiturates, and pyrimethamine, at times.²¹

Especially in light of all these potential interactions, it is essential to speak with a medical professional who is familiar with your medical background and history before beginning to take a folate supplement.

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