Folic Acid

Supports neural tube development, Maximum support for the health of both mother and baby.


Folic acid NRV:

The NRV recommends 200ug of folic acid per day, however, the NHS recommends double this at 400ug. Her.9 contains 400ug, 100% of the NRV for the day (this amounts to roughly 2.6 cups of broccoli).

 

Major Functions:

  • DNA synthesis
  • Energy
  • Red blood cell health
  • Neural tube development during pregnancy

Benefits:

Folate is involved with DNA synthesis and methylation (a process related to gene expression) and supports red blood cell formation and health.

Also known as vitamin B9, folic acid is one of the most important vitamins for supporting the health of both mother and baby during pregnancy. Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth and supports neural tube development during pregnancy by preventing neural tube defects in the developing foetus.

In addition to pregnant women, the NHS recommends that all women of child-bearing age should take a daily folic acid supplement. This is because the earlier a woman begins taking folic acid, the better the chance they have of a safe and successful delivery. Many supplements opt for folic acid, a synthetic form of folate. However, for many women folic acid is difficult to use effectively in the body due to up to one-third of the population having a genetic variation of the MTHFR enzyme, an enzyme utilised to help process folic acid. Her.9 combats this issue by containing the active form of folate, Quatrefolic®, so that even those with the MTHFR gene variation are supported throughout their pregnancies. Quatrefolic®, is a fourth-generation folate that provides longer-lasting stability, improved bioavailability and the highest level of safety.

 

Food Sources:

  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts.
  • Leafy green vegetables
  • Peas
  • Chickpeas
  • Breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid.

     

    References:
    • Bailey, L. B., Stover, P. J., McNulty, H., Fenech, M. F., Gregory III, J. F., Mills, J. L., ... & Molloy, A. M. (2015). Biomarkers of nutrition for development—folate review. The Journal of nutrition, 145(7), 1636S-1680S.
    • Chinthapalli, K. (2014). Alzheimer’s disease: still a perplexing problem. Bmj, 349.
    • Wilson, R. D., Audibert, F., Brock, J. A., Carroll, J., Cartier, L., Gagnon, A., ... & Pastuck, M. (2015). Pre-conception folic acid and multivitamin supplementation for the primary and secondary prevention of neural tube defects and other folic acid-sensitive congenital anomalies. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 37(6), 534-549.
    • Scholl, T.O. and Johnson, W.G. (2000). Folic acid: influence on the outcome of pregnancy. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(5), pp.1295S1303S
    • Lassi, Z.S., Salam, R.A., Haider, B.A. and Bhutta, Z.A. (2013). Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy for maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.