Why has my folate dropped?

[Beads]

Following on from last week’s post…

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

I’ve managed to remember to do the anaemia bit of the MMH test. The results are in.

Last tested February.

Ferritin was 129 (?15-450)

Active B12 104 (?37-210)

Folate 13.3 (?4-25)

Today’s results:

Ferritin 136

Active B12 135

Folate 6.5

So ferritin and B12 are doing well, not so much the folate. Any clues as to why this would have plummeted as I’m still taking the B complex? Would the fact that yeast extract is now not a part of my diet have this much effect? Should I add a separate folate or see how it looks in 6 months to see if this is a trend or a blip?

Thanks for any advice.

The photo is just for a bit of cheeriness today.

Edit: This is the B complex I take, amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07... , not changed he brand in the last couple of years.

[GlowCoach Administrator]

The B complex you are taking is a relatively low dose in folate and B12 if you compare the % values with Thorne Basic B or some of the other brands we recommend lately.

These products are also similar in ingredients, cost less and are more easily available than the Thorne.

amazon.co.uk/Liposomal-Soft...

amazon.co.uk/Yipmai-Liposom...

hempoutlet.co.uk/vitablosso...

I'd suggest you pick one from the above three which will increase the amount of folate you are taking.

Thorne Basic B ingredients

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to GlowCoach]

Could it be that your system is running better so greater uptake and therefore need or maybe you have cut back on your leafy greens 🐰?

Just an aside, Thorne is the only one from all of those mentioned that has the better form of B6... ( I just found out that I don't convert the other form 😕 but unlikely most would check this) Still available from iHerb at around £20 for 60 🤷‍♀️ uk.iherb.com/pr/thorne-basi...

Cute little terrorist 🤗

[Beads in reply to TiggerMe]

Hmmmm, my diet hasn’t changed much, just the usual winter/summer split, i still eat plenty of veg, not so much fruit. I knew yeast extract was a good B vit source, didn’t think missing out on regular smears would make much difference though, just because of the small amounts.

It was 8-11 months ago my body went through massive stress, so I would have thought if any levels were down they would be the February ones.

[Sparklingsunshine]

Your pic is lovely, is that your Westie? What a cutie 💕

[Beads in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Yep, number 3. He’s still very much a baby, we got him beginning of last year when number 2 was going downhill and the inevitable became a thing I had to take seriously. He gave number 2 quite a boost though and I’m sure we had an extra few months with him.

Westies

[Sneedle in reply to Beads]

I really like this photo😀, a pair of Specials.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Beads]

Ahhh he looks lovely. Westies seem such nice little dogs xxx

[Sneedle]

Sorry not to be of any help, but exactly the same happened to me earlier this year. I was supplementing with Yipmai Liposomal B Complex with 400mcg folate, it went from around 14 to almost bottom of range at 8.98. (slightly diffferent range). It was higher before I started supplementing! It's really strange and I haven't got to the bottom of it.

Could it be something to do with B12 eating it up faster than it's being supplemented? (Making things up here). Best wishes and I hope you get some answers!🌺

[Beads]

Thanks guys.

I’ve got some separate folate on order to add to the rest of this bottle of pills. Will reassess B complex when it’s time to reorder.

[Hedgeree]

Hi Beads,

It may be the reduction in your consumption of yeast extract. I'm saying this as the same thing happened to me and when I was trying to figure out why I knew I'd had a break from eating the yeast extract as I'd ran out.

My folate levels dropped from 28.4nmol/L in May

13.8nmol/L at the end of July

Range 8.83-60.8nmol/L for both.

I realise this is anecdotal? It could be another factor but thought I'd share.

Yes I'm back on the yeast extract.

[Beads in reply to Hedgeree]

Just looked it up, that tiny smear each morning gives us a quarter of our needs for folate. And even the Sainsbury reduced salt one gives us a quarter gram of salt per 4g, and I’m pretty sure I smear more than that, it’s the salt I can’t ’afford’. 😢

Anectodes are all good.

Edit: just found Meridian salt free YE, eye watering price!