Vitamins · 3 min read ·

Folate: folic acid or methylfolate?

The body needs folate to make DNA and divide cells. It matters most before pregnancy and early in pregnancy — and supplements now offer it in two forms.

B9

In a nutshell

1What it does and how much you need

Folates help cells make DNA and divide, and they are needed to convert homocysteine into methionine. A deficiency disrupts blood cell production and causes anaemia with large red blood cells.1

EFSA recommendation 330 µg DFE EFSA recommends 330 µg of folate a day for adults, 600 µg in pregnancy and 500 µg when breastfeeding. It is counted in dietary folate equivalents (DFE), which take into account how well each form is absorbed.1
EFSA recommendation up to 24% Up to 24% of people in some European countries carry two copies of the MTHFR 677T gene variant. They tend to have a poorer folate status, so EFSA set the recommendation to cover them too.1

2Where to find it

Data 557 µg Pulses and liver have the most folate: a hundred grams of dry chickpeas contain 557 µg, dry lentils 479 µg, chicken liver 588 µg and cooked edamame 311 µg. Among vegetables, spinach stands out with 194 µg.4

3Forms and absorption

EFSA recommendation 1 : 1.7 : 2 Folates in food are unstable and absorbed less well than synthetic folic acid. EFSA therefore counts folic acid from supplements 1.7 times, methylfolate the same at doses below 400 µg a day and double from 400 µg.1,2
Weak evidence — one study 80% In a study of 72 adults, folates from fruit, vegetables and liver were absorbed about 80% as well as folic acid — better than long assumed.5
Moderate evidence — a randomised trial 144 women Women aged 19–33 were given 400 µg of folic acid, the same amount of methylfolate, half a dose of methylfolate, or placebo for 24 weeks. Red blood cell folate rose most with the full dose of methylfolate.6

In the EU, supplements may contain folic acid (pteroylmonoglutamic acid) or methylfolate as the calcium, glucosamine or monosodium salt.7

4Pregnancy and the upper level

Strong evidence −69% Folic acid taken around conception reduced the risk of neural tube defects in the baby, such as spina bifida, by 69%.8
Upper level 1,000 µg The upper level is 1,000 µg a day for folic acid and methylfolate from supplements and fortified foods combined; folate from ordinary food does not count. EFSA looked mainly at the risk of nerve damage in people with vitamin B12 deficiency. According to EFSA, the limit is exceeded mainly by people who regularly take high-dose supplements.3

What to take from this

Sources

Written on , based on studies available at that date. Newer research may change the conclusions.

  1. EFSA NDA Panel (2014). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for folate. EFSA Journal 12:3893. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3893
  2. EFSA NDA Panel (2022). Conversion of calcium-L-methylfolate and (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid glucosamine salt into dietary folate equivalents. EFSA Journal 20:e07452. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7452
  3. EFSA NDA Panel (2023). Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for folate. EFSA Journal 21:e08353. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8353
  4. USDA ARS (2018). FoodData Central — SR Legacy, folate per 100 g: chickpeas, dry 557 µg (FDC 173756), lentils, dry 479 µg (FDC 172420), chicken liver, raw 588 µg (FDC 171060), edamame, cooked 311 µg (FDC 168411), spinach 194 µg (FDC 168462). fdc.nal.usda.gov
  5. Winkels R. M. et al. (2007). Bioavailability of food folates is 80% of that of folic acid. Am J Clin Nutr 85:465–473. doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/85.2.465
  6. Lamers Y. et al. (2006). Red blood cell folate concentrations increase more after supplementation with [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate than with folic acid in women of childbearing age. Am J Clin Nutr 84:156–161. doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/84.1.156
  7. Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, Annex II — forms of vitamins and minerals permitted in supplements (consolidated version 26 Nov 2025). eur-lex.europa.eu
  8. De-Regil L. M. et al. (2015). Effects and safety of periconceptional oral folate supplementation for preventing birth defects. Cochrane Database Syst Rev CD007950. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007950.pub3

This is general information and does not replace a doctor. Deal with folate in pregnancy and high doses for anaemia with a doctor — vitamin B12 deficiency needs to be ruled out.