Folate / folic acid supplements with the fewest additives
Folate and folic acid (occasionally also called pteroylglutamic acid, vitamin B9, or folacin) may fight birth defects, lower homocysteine levels, and more. However, many folate / folic acid supplements contain more than just folic acid. For example, silica or silicon dioxide are often added to prevent caking, magnesium stearate / stearic acid for easier manufacturing and lecithin, as an emulsifier.
I try to avoid these additives because they may have questionable health effects, and I'd suggest the folate form rather than folic acid for better safety:
Recommended for folate supplementation:
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- lecithin-free
- contains stearic acid / magnesium stearate
400mcg Folate (as Quatrefolic (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid glucosamine salt), cellulose, magnesium stearate (vegetable source), gelatin capsule.
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- stearic acid-free / magnesium stearate-free
- lecithin-free
- expensive, although each dose is very generous in quantity
10mg Folate (as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, calcium salt), non-GMO rice maltodextrin, vegetarian cellulose capsule.
In the UK?
I'm not aware of a company that will ship Metabolic Maintenance anywhere but the US/Canada/Australia, so I'd suggest trying one of these UK-based products. These are both the folic acid form, I don't know of an ideal UK-based folate option. Please let me know in the comments if you do.
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- stearic acid-free / magnesium stearate-free
- lecithin-free
Pteroylmonoglutamic acid, purified water, citric acid.
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- stearic acid-free / magnesium stearate-free
- lecithin-free
Folic acid, purified water, potassium carbonate.
Outside the US/UK?
Metabolic Maintenance will ship the recommended product to Canada or Australia.
If you frequently need US-based products, Reship.com and MyUS.com can forward packages to you from the US.
If you find a better option in your country, please let me know in the comments.
Other folate / folic acid supplements
The following are other folate / folic acid supplements I'm aware of, sorted alphabetically.
| Name | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| 21st Century Health Care Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, calcium (from calcium carbonate), cellulose, silicon dioxide, stearic acid, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate. |
| Bluebonnet Nutrition EarthSweet Vitamin B-6 B-12 Plus Folic Acid Raspberry (Tablets) | Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine HCl), folate (folic acid), vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin), natural raspberry flavor, natural strawberry flavor, EarthSweet [juice concentrates (wild blueberry, cranberry, prune, cherry, strawberry, grape, raspberry, and bilberry fruits, grape seed, raspberry seed extracts), cane crystals], stearic acid, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Bluebonnet Nutrition Folic Acid (Veggie Capsules) | Folate (folic acid), 100% kosher vegetable capsules, vegetable cellulose, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Carlson Labs Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid (folate), dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate. |
| Carlson Labs Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid (folate), dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide. |
| Country Life Gluten Free Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, cellulose, stearic acid, silica, magnesium stearate. |
| DaVinci Laboratories of Vermont Folic Acid Vegetarian (Capsules) | Folic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearate. |
| Doctor's Best Best Fully Active Folate Featuring Quatrefolic (Veggie Capsules) | (6s)-5-MethylTetraHydroFolate (MTHF), (elemental, as 800 mcg (6s)-5-methylterhydrofolic acid, a glucosamine salt (vegetarian source)), rice flour, modified cellulose (vegetarian capsule). |
| FutureBiotics Folic Acid from Lemon Peel (Tablets) | Folic acid (from organic lemon peel extract), organic rice maltodextrin, organic rice concentrate, organic rice extract. |
| Jarrow Formulas Folic Acid (Capsules) | Folic acid, cellulose, magnesium stearate (vegetable source) and dicalcium phosphate, capsule consists of gelatin. |
| Jarrow Formulas Methyl Folate (Veggie Capsules) | Folate (quatrefolic (6s)-5-methyl tetrahydrofolate glucosamine salt), cellulose and magnesium stearate (vegetable source), capsule consists of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. |
| Kirkman Labs Folinic Acid (Capsules) | Folinic acid (calcium folinate), microcrystalline cellulose, calcium folinate, plant cellulose capsule. |
| Life Extension Optimized Folate (L-Methylfolate) (Veggie Capsules) | Folate [as (6s)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, glucosamine salt], microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable cellulose (capsule), silica, vegetable stearate. |
| Metabolic Maintenance 5-MTHF Quatrefolic (Capsules) | L-methylfolate, (as (6s)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, glucosamine salt), glycine, vegetarian capsule. |
| Metabolics Folic Acid (Veggie Caps) | Folic acid, microcrystalline cellulose (derived from alpha cellulose wood pulp), methylcellulose capsules. |
| Natrol Folic Acid (Capsules) | Folic acid, cellulose, gelatin, water, magnesium stearate, silica. |
| Natural Factors Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, cellulose, calcium phosphate, magnesium stearate (vegetable grade). |
| Nature's Bounty Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, dicalcium phosphate, vegetable cellulose, maltodextrin, vegetable stearic acid, croscarmellose, silica, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Nature's Plus Folic Acid Hearts (Tablets) | Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxine HCl), folic acid, vitamin B-12 (as cyanocobalamin), di-calcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, silica, magnesium stearate, riboflavin and pharmaceutical glaze. |
| Nature's Way Folic Acid (Capsules) | Folic acid, cellulose, millet, maltodextrin, gelatin (capsule), magnesium stearate. |
| Now Foods Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin), cellulose, stearic acid (vegetable source) and magnesium stearate (vegetable source). |
| NutraLife Folic Acid (Lozenges) | Folic acid, mannitol, sorbitol, modified cellulose gum, kosher vegetable stearic acid, silica, natural strawberry flavor. |
| Nutricology QuatreActiv Folate (Veggie Capsules) | 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (from [6s]-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, glucosamine salt), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, l-leucine. |
| Olympian Labs Inc. Folic Acid (Capsules) | Folic acid (vitamin B-9), microcrystalline cellulose (plant fiber), rice flour, ascorbyl palmitate, and silica. |
| Pure Advantage Folic Acid | Folic acid USP, purified water, vegetable glycerine, & potassium sorbate. |
| Rexall Sundown Naturals Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, dicalcium phosphate, vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, silica, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Solgar Folate (Tablets) | Folate (as l-methylfolate as metafolin), provides a dietarily insignificant amount of sugar alcohol, mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, vegetable cellulose, silica, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Solgar Folate (Tablets) | Folate (as l-methylfolate-metafolin), provides a dietarily insignificant amount of sugar alcohol, mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, vegetable cellulose, silica, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Solgar Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folic acid, dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, silica, vegetable cellulose. |
| Solgar Folic Acid (Veggie Capsules) | Folic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Source Naturals Folic Acid (Tablets) | Folate (as folic acid), microcrystalline cellulose, dibasic calcium phosphate, stearic acid, and magnesium stearate. |
| Source Naturals MegaFolinic (Tablets) | Folate (as calcium folinate [folinic acid]), microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid and magnesium stearate. |
| Superior Source Folic Acid MicroLingual (Tablets) | Folic acid, lactose (milk) and acacia gum. |
| Superior Source Folic Acid MicroLingual (Tablets) | Folic acid, stevia leaf extract, lactose (milk) and acacia gum. |
| Swanson Ultra Folate 5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid (Veggie Caps) | Folate (as Quatrefolic® [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid equivalent to 1.6 mg of [6S]-5- methyltetrahydrofolic acid, glucosamine salt), brown rice flour, hypromellose (vegetable capsule), may contain one or both of the following: magnesium stearate, silica. Magnesium stearate or silica represent less than 2% of capsule weight. |
| Thorne Research Basic B Complex (Veggie Capsules) | Thiamin (as thiamin HCI), riboflavin (as riboflavin 5'-phosphate sodium), niacin (130 mg as niacinamide and 10 mg as niacin), vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate), folate (200 mcg as calcium folinate and 200 mcg as l-5-methyltetrahydrofolate from l-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, glucosamine salt), vitamin B12 (200 mcg as adenosylcobalamin and 200 mcg as methylcobalamin), biotin, pantothenic acid (as calcium pantothenate), choline citrate, hypromellose (derived from cellulose) capsule, magnesium citrate laurate, silicon dioxide. |
| Thorne Research Folacal (Veggie Capsules) | Folate (as calcium folinate), microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose (derived from cellulose) capsule, leucine, silicon dioxide. |
| Twinlab Folic Acid Caps (Capsules) | Folic acid, rice flour, gelatin, medium chain triglycerides, silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, soy lecithin, magnesium stearate. |