Whole Food Folate

Standard Process

Natural Folate Supplement

• Standard Process Whole Food Folate is a folate supplement containing natural sources of folate (B9) and B12 without folic acid to support various cellular processes including the methionine cycle and homocysteine metabolism.
• Contains a vegetarian whole food source of natural folate and vitamin B12*
• Excellent source of folate and B12
• In combination with a healthy, folate rich diet:
• Supports folate status*
• Supports homocysteine metabolism*
• Supports healthy methylation capacity*
• Supports healthy vascular function by helping to maintain homocysteine levels already within healthy limits*
• Supports central nervous system health, including neurotransmitter synthesis*
• Supports healthy cellular processes such as DNA formation and replication*
• Supports red blood cell health*
• Supports healthy aging*
• Frequently Asked Questions
• What is Folate?
• Folate is a B vitamin which is sometimes referred to as Vitamin B9. It is a key player in the transfer of one carbon methyl (CH3) groups, a process that plays a crucial role in DNA synthesis and repair, cell growth, and the conversion of homocysteine to methionine in the synthesis of SAMe – an important methyl donor. It has been studied for its role in preventing neural tube defects in newborns, and in 1996 the FDA authorized mandatory fortification of enriched grains with folic acid to reduce the risk.1
• What foods contain folate?
• Most plants contain some folate, but the best sources include leafy greens, broccoli, beans, citrus fruit, and certain algae. It’s important to eat a variety of different folate sources to get the benefits of the different folate forms present in each. For instance, some plants have higher levels of methylfolate (folate with a methyl group (CH3) attached), and others have higher levels of formylfolates (folates with one or more formyl groups (CHO) attached).
• What form of folate is in Whole Food Folate?
• Whole Food Folate combines three food sources of folate: collard greens, turnip greens, and golden chlorella. This helps ensure the presence of multiple folate forms, making it a full-spectrum folate product.
• Why are multiple folate forms important?
• Different forms of folate have different actions in regard to DNA synthesis and cell replication. In addition, certain genetic variants (MTHFR, DHFR and others) can make it difficult for some people to convert folate into its active form. Formylfolate is readily converted to active methylfolate, but not the other way around.2 Dietary intake from a variety of whole foods will ensure supply for the wide range of folate needs.
• What is the difference between folate and folic acid?
• Folate is the generic term for a set of chemically similar compounds, both synthetic and naturally occurring in food.1 Folic acid is a synthetic form that is more stable than natural folate but requires conversion to the active form after absorption.1 Some people have difficulty converting folic acid to the active form, so if taken in high doses it can lead to the accumulation of unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA). UMFA is being studied for possibly inhibiting the uptake of the active form of folate.1,4
• What makes Whole Food Folate unique?
• Whole Food Folate is the first and only natural folate supplement on the market sourced exclusively from whole foods.
• Is the amount of folate in this product significant?
• One serving of Whole Food Folate contains 20% of the Daily Value (DV) for folate. This is the equivalent to what would be present in approximately 4 cups of mixed salad greens.5
• Cited References
• Office of Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). Folate (Health Professional Version). U.S. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/
• Lam NSK, Long XX, Li X, Saad M, Lim F, Doery JC, Griffin RC, Galletly C. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022 Feb
• 146:112541. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112541. Epub 2021 Dec 22. PMID: 34953391.
• Ramaekers V, Sequeira JM, Quadros EV. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2013 Mar 1
• 51(3):497-511. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2012-0543. PMID: 23314536.
• Menezo Y, Elder K, Clement A, Clement P. Folic Acid, Folinic Acid, 5 Methyl TetraHydroFolate Supplementation for Mutations That Affect Epigenesis through the Folate and One-Carbon Cycles. Biomolecules. 2022 Jan 24
• 12(2):197. doi: 10.3390/biom12020197. PMID: 35204698
• PMCID: PMC8961567.
• FoodData Central. 2024. Mixed salad greens, raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture: agricultural research service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709792/nutrients