Release time：2023-04-01 Click:
We always receive inquiry with different products name such as L-methylfolate, L-methylfolate Calcium, L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate,6S-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Calcium, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, active folic acid, etc. I suppose that you've felt confused by so many names, and you may wonder which exact the one we should use or we can use. Let's take this chance to share more details to make it clear for you.
Firstly, from the view of chemical, you will find the matched CAS.number for each aboved name. But, the question is coming, can we use each ingredient as the folate source in your dietary/food supplement?
The answer will surely be NO. Which ingredient can we use, the easiest way is to refer to local regulation, such as USA FDA, European EFSA, Chinese MOH,etc.
Let's see the regulation from EFSA,you will easy to find that approved chemical substance should be the one named by L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Calcium under CAS.151533-22-1.
So, if you were sourcing whatever L-methylfolate, L-Methylfolate calcium, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, then, the correct chemical substance you can and should use is L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Calcium (short by L-5-MTHF Ca). Some people maybe will wonder why we need to use the calcium salt, it's a good question!
Because only bonding with the calcium salt, L-5-MTHF can be stable to be kept.
There still a chemical substance is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium, what's the difference between it and L-5-MTHF Ca?
The difference is "L", one has L, the other one doesn't have L. " L" represents levo spatial structure，if no L, that means the product has dextro. So we can also say 5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium as D-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Calcium. L or D? The answer will surely be L, because the folate form in our blood is mainly made by the L-5-MTHF form.
However, everything has a en exception, almost 99% countries worldwide approved L-5-MTHF Ca (L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt) as the folate source except South Africa who approved both L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Calcium and 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate. While, essentially, it will be a big challenge to have a commerical production for 5-MTHF since it's too unstable.
PS:
The link of EFSA's regulation regarding L-5-MTHF Ca
chrome-extension://ibllepbpahcoppkjjllbabhnigcbffpi/https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/jecfa_additives/docs/Monograph1/Additive-090.pdf