Folate and folic acid are forms of a water-soluble B vitamin that helps the body make healthy new cells. While folate occurs naturally in food, folic acid is a synthetic form of the vitamin.
Folate, or folacin or vitamin B9, occurs naturally in a variety of food sources.Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate used in supplements to fortify foods.
What’s The Difference Between Folate and Folic Acid?
Folic acid is used for preventing and treating low blood levels of folate and high blood levels of homocysteine. While it’s most popularly used for women that are pregnant to prevent miscarriage and birth defects, folic acid is also used for conditions including depression, hearing loss, and cognitive decline.
Folic acid helps hair growth by helping red blood cells in the body. In short, our red blood cells carry oxygen to all of our organs, including hair follicles.
If you already take a daily vitamin, check the label to make sure you’re getting 100% of the daily value. Most women need 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, or the same amount in a separate supplement.