Folic acid or folate?

[Redporti]

I have been taking folic acid 5mg a day for 3 years as I had a folate deficiency. Every time I stop the tablets within a month I am deficient again. I know it because of my diet but I have many digestive disorders that prevent me from eating folate rich food.

My question is that I have heard people say that it is better to take folate rather than folic acid as the folic acid has to be made into folate by the body. So the folate works better. Is that true?

I have been taking methyl folate 400ug for two weeks now & i have got my irritable legs back. I had irritable legs when I found out I had a folate deficiency & 2 months after starting folic acid 5mg they went away. I’m now wondering if the folate I’m taking is not as strong as the folic acid. Anyone have any ideas?

My folate on my last blood test in February was 20> ug/l (2.99-26.8).

[RockyPath]

400ug is 0.4 mg. If you were taking 5 mg per day for three years and now you’re taking less than a tenth the amount, you would definitely notice. Folate is the natural form, and folic acid the synthetic. Methylfolate is the form ultimately used in your cells. Many people have a genetic mutation that impairs conversion of folate/folic acid to Methylfolate. It you felt well on 5 mg of folate you should stick with that dose.

[Redporti in reply to RockyPath]

That’s what I was thinking as my folate levels were good whilst taking the folic acid. Thanks.

[salmanc1]

When you say irritable legs what did you

mean ?

[Redporti in reply to salmanc1]

A feeling like my legs want to move on their own.