Study confirms HY-FOLIC, featuring Quatrefolic active folate, is two-fold more bioavailable than folic acid.
Gnosis by Lesaffre is excited to share a new study published in the International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics. The study evaluated the pharmacokinetic profile of HY-FOLIC®, a finished product produced by PT. Simex Pharmaceutical Indonesia, versus folic acid after single oral administration in healthy volunteers. The results showed that HY-FOLIC®, which delivers (6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid, Glucosamine Salt as Quatrefolic® active folate, is twice more bioavailable than folic acid.
The randomized, open-label, crossover design[1] demonstrated that a single dose of HY-FOLIC revealed several key advantages of active folate:
- Superior Absorption and Bioavailability: HY-FOLIC (Quatrefolic®) is two-fold more bioavailable than folic acid (higher peak plasma concentration Cmax and AUCt), ensuring the body can access and utilize folate twice as effectively.
- Avoidance of Metabolic Limitations: Unlike folic acid, HY-FOLIC bypasses the metabolic conversion steps requiring the DHFR and MTHFR enzymes, making it particularly beneficial for individuals with genetic polymorphisms (~40% of the worldwide population) that impair folic acid metabolism.
- Reduction in Unmetabolized Folic Acid (UMFA): HY-FOLIC resulted in significantly lower levels of UMFA, which can accumulate in the bloodstream when folic acid is not fully metabolized, potentially causing adverse effects.[2]
- Clinical Importance in Specific Populations: This study highlights HY-FOLIC as an ideal supplement for groups with higher folate demands, such as pregnant women, individuals with folate deficiencies/inadequacies, or those undergoing methotrexate therapy, where optimal folate availability is crucial.
Why Folate is Important?
Folate, vitamin B9, is essential for women of reproductive age as it plays a vital role in DNA synthesis, cell division, and the proper neurological development of the fetus. Folate is critical for the approximate 140 million women who give birth each year – and their newborns.
However, folic acid is the current recommendation for those seeking to become pregnant. Yet, many women express an MTHFR polymorphism, which inhibits and reduces the conversion of folic acid into its active form, 5-MTHF; this potentially affects folate bioavailability. Unlike folic acid, active folate (Quatrefolic®) doesn’t require conversion in the body, making it more effective, particularly for those with this genetic mutation.
“Our study findings suggest that HY-FOLIC® increases 5-MTHF levels in the body more effectively than folic acid,” states Merrylin Saragih, Head of Product Department at PT. Simex Pharmaceutical Indonesia. “This is especially important for individuals requiring enhanced folate bioavailability, such as pregnant women or those with genetic polymorphisms affecting folic acid metabolism.”
Gnosis has enjoyed a trusted partnership with PT. Simex for years. The company supplies its clinically validated Quatrefolic and shares in the vindication of these findings.
“We have espoused the need for the standard of care to change,” says Jean Francois Jeanne, Substantiation and Application Manager at Gnosis by Lesaffre, noting that Quatrefolic® from Gnosis is a well-studied active folate, with research substantiating and quantifying its benefits in several health contexts for women’s health, including overall folate metabolism [3,4], cardiovascular health [5], and fertility [6]. “We contend that clinically validated Quatrefolic offers substantial advantages over folic acid, but also for a wider population. This study provides another strong element to that argument.”
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