Folate helps with brain and personality
Everyone knows how important B vitamins are, especially for energy and nerve health.
One of the most famous vitamins is
B9, which you may see on store shelves as “folic acid.” This is a nutrient that’s required for proper spinal development in fetuses, and very commonly suggested by obstetricians. Folic acid is a synthetic precursor to natural folate or 5-MTHF which your body manufactures in a very complex biochemical process.
Now there’s a new scientific paper that shows folate can help your brain. Researchers examined a bunch of clinical studies in what’s called a “meta-analysis” and discerned from all the data (across 60 studies/publications) that folate can help with Alzheimer’s disease. The article is published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.
More specifically, they found that folate levels (tested via blood) were reduced in Alzheimer’s patients compared with healthy controls.
Alzheimer’s disease is a memory disorder that affects more than 6 million Americans, according to the the Alzheimer’s Association.
On an interesting side note, I can’t help but question how many people with memory disorders are suffering from the “drug mugging” effect of other medications they started a few years ago.
Did you know that certain drugs impact your ability to absorb folate, as well as other nutrients needed to make acetylcholine, your memory chemical? Folate is mugged by at least 178 different drugs, and probably more.
This is well documented in my world, and I’ve studied and written a book about it called “Drug Muggers,” which is available on Amazon.
A folate deficiency can change your personality.
As for folate versus folic acid, the choice is clear to me. Take the biologically active form (folate which is also called 5-MTHF) and spend the extra money to buy the body-ready form of it. Otherwise, you won’t get optimal effects.
Don’t believe people who tell you that your body will convert the folic acid to folate. If you are short on riboflavin for example, the pathway comes to a screeching halt.
To see what I mean, visit my website and read the longer version of this article, where I have posted a graphic to show you how difficult this process actually is.
Most people are not short on folate. But if you are, then you should be supplementing with the very best, and eating foods rich in folate like salads, leafy greens, peas, broccol and hummus.
If you would like to read the longer version of this article, and find out more about other herbs that can support your brain function and cognition, please sign up for my free newsletter at my website.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For a longer version of this article, visit Suzy Cohen’s website at www.suzycohen.com.