FolateVitamin B9 · Folic acid
A B-vitamin that partners with B12 for healthy blood and nerves.
Folate (vitamin B9) is an essential B-vitamin found in leafy greens, legumes and fortified foods; folic acid is its synthetic form used in supplements. It is needed to make and repair DNA and to build red blood cells.
It matters because folate works hand in hand with B12: a shortfall of either causes a similar large-cell anaemia and pushes up homocysteine. Adequate folate is especially important before and during early pregnancy, when it lowers the risk of neural-tube defects.
In practice, folate is read alongside B12 and the full blood count, since treating one without checking the other can mask a B12 problem; most people meet their needs from a varied diet.
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Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale, MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
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