5 replies to this topic

[NeuroNootropic]

There's conflicting studies on folic acid and cancer risk with some studies finding an increased risk in cancer while others a decreased risk. Where does Methylfolate stand here?

 

I've been taking 800 mcg of L-Methylfolate for a few weeks now with positive effects on mood, concentration, and energy, but I'm worried if supplementing it long-term is not good for you. Thoughts?

[smccomas01]

Are you taking the MTX also? The reason I ask is L-Methylfolate is routinely prescribed to people who are taking MTX. Taking MTX does increase a persons chance of developing some specific types of cancer. That said the reason a person would take MTX also increases risk of cancer regardless.

 

I have not heard of any studies that have linked Folic Acid to cancer on its own, if you have seen any please post I would be interested in reading them.  

[mikeinnaples]

I think the tie to cancer and folic acid probably comes from those with the MTHFR mutation. Combine reduced ability to process folic acid with the fact that many foods are 'fortified' with folic acid, leading to 2/3/4x or more than you need daily ......

 

*IF* you are going to supplement it, methylfolate is the way to go by far and if you are MTHFR, then you *should* be supplementing methylfolate and not eating foods fortified with 'folic acid'.

 

 

[Kevnzworld]

Folic acid is synthetic. 5 methyl folate is a natural folate. That may be part of the problem

[NeuroNootropic]

Are you taking the MTX also? The reason I ask is L-Methylfolate is routinely prescribed to people who are taking MTX. Taking MTX does increase a persons chance of developing some specific types of cancer. That said the reason a person would take MTX also increases risk of cancer regardless.

 

I have not heard of any studies that have linked Folic Acid to cancer on its own, if you have seen any please post I would be interested in reading them.  

 

No, I'm not taking MTX. There a lot of conflicting studies on folic acid and cancer, here are some:

 

http://ajcn.nutritio...80/5/1123.short

 

http://cebp.aacrjour...16/7/1325.short

 

http://www.gastrojou...olar.google.ca/

 

My dad currently takes 5 mg of folic acid. It's a very high dose and it was prescribed by one of his doctors because he has thalassemia. I don't think this is necessary at all and in fact could be problematic. Also, the fact that I benefit greatly from Methylfolate supplementation may mean I have an MTHFR mutation and this gene is inherited so my dad could also have an MTHFR mutation, but he's supplementing the wrong form of folate and at a very high dosage too. Is this not potentially dangerous?

 

BTW, does anyone know what form of folate is found in vegetables and foods not fortified with folic acid?

[Darryl]

The issue with folic acid is upstream of MTHFR. Folic acid is promptly reduced to tetrahydrofolate in rats and mice, and was attractive as a shelf- and heat-stable folate for processed foods. Alas, only after folic acid fortification of flour was mandated, the same tests were done on liver samples from human subjects, and our enzyme is barely up to the job.

 

Bailey SW & Ayling JE. 2009. The extremely slow and variable activity of dihydrofolate reductase in human liver and its implications for high folic acid intake. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(36), 15424-15429.

 

This meta-analysis largely dispelled my concerns with dietary folic acid fortification:

 

Vollset SE et al. 2013. Effects of folic acid supplementation on overall and site-specific cancer incidence during randomised trials: meta-analyses of data on 50 000 individuals. The Lancet,381(9871), 1029-1036.

 

I don't supplement, but there are intriguing potential cardiovascular benefits from perxoxynitrite quenching and NADPH oxidase inhibition (for either folic acid or methylfolate).