What are the benefits of Vitamin B9?

Vitamin B9 is very important in many chemical reactions in the body.

There are a couple of different versions of vitamin B9: one is folic acid, and the other one is folate. Folic acid is the synthetic version, which is not recommended. Folate, on the other hand, is the natural version from folate-rich foods like vegetables or organ meats. If you’ve been wondering which is better, folate or folic acid, the better choice is folate.

Benefits

• Involved in many chemical reactions in the body, especially:

  • turning genes on and off

  • DNA repair

• Helps with allergies

• Supports the heart

• Prevents strokes

• Supports cognitive functions

• Supports fertility

• Prevents birth defects

• Reduces risk of cancer

• Counters depression

• Boosts antioxidant activity

• Supports the immune system

• Promotes healthy bones

• Supports healthy vision

• Protects against liver damage

• Might help address autism spectrum disorders

• Symptoms of deficiency

A deficiency of B9 is very common, and if you have too little B9 you could have a lot of body issues. Not having the active form of B9, which is methylfolate, at work in the body can lead to health issues like:

• High homocysteine (an amino acid, which can damage the arterial lining if it is high)

• Increased risk of cancer

• Heart disease

• Infertility

• Migraines

• Depression

• Inability to detoxify

• Problems with neurotransmitters

• Folic acid cons

You can have the problem of not getting enough of the natural vitamin B9 nutrient, but you may also be getting too much of the synthetic version. If you’re taking or being exposed to this synthetic version, you’re going to have a lot of additional problems. How might you be consuming folic acid without knowing?

• Grains are fortified with folic acid

• It may be included in synthetic vitamins or multi-vitamins

How to consume it

Consume foods rich in folate. If you have a supplement, follow the directions on the label for the proper dosage.

Also, if you are deficient in B9, consume the following:

• L-methylfolate

• B12 (take the methyl version, which is cobalamin)

Where to get it

You can get a supplement methyl version of folate at a health food store or order it online. Here is the list of food sources of folate:

• Broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

• Leafy greens

• Peas

• Cabbage

• Kale

• Spring greens

• Spinach

• Chickpeas

• Kidney beans

• Liver (if you are not pregnant)