Pourquoi il est important de choisir le bon type de folate pour vous et votre bébé.
La période préconceptionnelle et la grossesse sont des moments cruciaux où la supplémentation en folates est recommandée pour soutenir le développement sain du fœtus. Vous avez sûrement entendu parler de l'acide folique (ou vitamine B9), mais saviez-vous qu'il existe une forme de folate plus bénéfique pour certaines personnes ?
Dans cet article, nous allons vous expliquer les différences entre l'acide folique et le folate méthylé (5-MTHF), et pourquoi nous avons choisi cette dernière forme pour notre Pregnancy Formula.
Pourquoi les folates sont essentiels avant, pendant et après la grossesse
All women who are considering becoming pregnant should take daily folate supplements. Folate is crucial for the normal development of your baby's spinal cord, brain, and skull, especially during the first four weeks of pregnancy. Postpartum, it's also a great ally in preventing postnatal depression, and so much more! Clearly, folate is important for both you and your baby, so it's advisable to supplement with a multivitamin before, during, and after pregnancy.
La préférence pour le folate actif : 5-MTHF
Have you noticed that we emphasize "folate" rather than "folic acid"? That's because folic acid is a form of folate—ultimately, your body converts it into the active form of folate, known as 5-MTHF. But while folic acid supplements flood the market and are promoted as pregnancy essentials, they may not be the ideal form of folate for expectant or aspiring mothers. Genetic variations can make it hard to absorb folic acid, which is why we use the active form of folate, 5-MTHF, in our Pregnancy Formula.
L'Importance du type d'acide folique pour la grossesse
Folic acid is not naturally present in our diet or bodies. It was introduced through mandatory fortification of cereal products in 1998. On the other hand, you're likely consuming natural folates daily, especially from leafy greens, citrus fruits, and legumes like kidney beans and lentils.
Why does this matter? It comes down to how folic acid is converted in the body. Again, when we consume folic acid, it needs to be converted into the active form of folate—known as 5-MTHF—for our body to use it. And that's where some people may run into trouble. Up to a third of adults have a genetic variation that makes it difficult to efficiently convert folic acid, leaving them with excess unconverted folic acid in their system. Many pregnancy-focused supplements only contain this synthetic form, folic acid, which raises the question: if this genetic variation is common and the NIH suggests that 5-MTHF could be a more beneficial solution for some, why stick with folic acid?
La quête du folate Idéal : 5-MTHF vs acide folique
De nombreux compléments alimentaires dédiés à la grossesse ne contiennent ainsi que cette forme synthétique du folate, l'acide folique. Ce qui soulève la question : si cette variation génétique est répandue et que le NIH suggère que le 5-MTHF pourrait être la solution la plus bénéfique pour certains, pourquoi s'en tenir à l'acide folique ?
There are a few possible reasons for this—firstly, folic acid has a long history, from mandatory cereal fortification to years of use in supplements. It's a stable and cost-effective version of folate (it's been popular for so long that you're probably more familiar with the term "folic acid" than "folate"). Because of its history and popularity as an ingredient, many studies on pregnancy supplementation have relied on data related to folic acid. This means that many companies making pregnancy-specific supplements stick to this trend.
Le choix entre l'acide folique et le 5-MTHF est donc une décision cruciale pour de nombreuses femmes enceintes ou envisageant de l'être. Bien que l'acide folique ait une longue histoire et une utilisation répandue, le 5-MTHF présente des avantages indéniables pour ceux qui rencontrent des problèmes d'assimilation. Il est important de faire un choix éclairé pour assurer la meilleure santé possible à la fois pour la mère et le bébé pendant cette période cruciale de la vie.
