High Folate

[purpanda]

What does it mean to have consistently high levels of Folate in the blood without supplementation? I've had high Folate for years so I don't take Vit B12.

Recent lab results:

FOLATE: 20 ng/ml (4.2-19.90)

VITAMIN D, 25OH: 31.6

FERRITIN:

37 (ng/mL)

IRON BINDING CAPACITY

: 250 (mcg/dL (calc)

IRON, TOTAL

: 138 (mcg/dL)

% SATURATION: 55 (% calc) Range 11-50

[HashiFedUp]

Healthy diets can give you good folate. I wouldn’t worry it’s good to have high folate : ) for your red blood cells etc.

[RockyPath]

MTHFR genetic polymorphisms? The cellular energy process of methylation uses folate, when it’s working at full capacity, but there are genetic variants that underutilize folate. The result is, the levels on the test make the clinicians ecstatic, but the human carrying the polymorphism(s) is less than fully energized.

If you have raw data from 23andMe, there are firms that will dig out the relevant bits and provide an explanatory report.

[purpanda in reply to RockyPath]

Thank you. I will look into getting a 23andMe report. I definitely do not feel as though my body is absorbing the folate.

[RockyPath in reply to purpanda]

23andMe is offering the health and ancestry kits at half off now ($99 vs $199).

Xcode Life is one source of reports -- you can get just the methylation report -- and StrateGene is another that provides a single report the encompasses methylation and other related processes. 23andMe disclaims responsibility for the accuracy of the data and you have to hunt for the page to download the raw file.

But it is informative. Lots of polymorphisms lurking in our genes, making life challenging.

[purpanda in reply to RockyPath]

Thanks for the find! These tests aren’t cheap. I did some research this afternoon and found we can also test our homocysteine levels to see if you have the mutation. But even if levels were high, that won’t give us the specific DNA data to analyze.

[RockyPath in reply to purpanda]

And then, even when you have the genetic data, and can see homocysteine levels, and have all of the dietary recommendations, there remains an element of ambiguity that results in seeming to beat your head against a brick wall to try to effect a meaningful change in physical performance. 😱

There’s a lot of persistence and hope required in this journey.

[Angel_of_the_North]

If you eat a lot of veg you will have high folate, but it can also show liver problems, SIBO, pernicious anaemia (yes, you'd expect low, but apparently not always). Your vit D and ferritin are way too low, suggesting that you may be a vegetarian or vegan (which might explain high folate)

[purpanda in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

The funny thing is, I don't get enough vegetables in my diet. My ferritin has always been low. When I supplement with iron pills, only the % Saturation seems to increase, and it goes above range.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to purpanda]

Could it be this: irondisorders.org/Websites/... ?

[purpanda in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I think so

[purpanda in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks for the link. I'll show my doctor. I think I might also have the MTHFR mutation that I keep hearing about. No one to know for sure unless I run more tests.

[purpanda]

Thanks. At least I know where to start now.