Balchem’s Optifolin+ outperforms folic acid in bioavailability and rapid absorption, clinical study finds

New clinical research supports Balchem’s choline-enriched L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF) folate ingredient, Optifolin+, to be 2.6 times more bioavailable and 3.5 more quickly absorbed than standard folic acid in healthy adults. 

“Optifolin+ is the bioactive, choline-enriched L-5-MTHF form of folate, meaning it bypasses the metabolic bottlenecks and genetic hurdles that folic acid faces entirely,” says Eric Ciappio, Ph.D., senior manager, Nutrition Science, Balchem Human Nutrition and Health.

“These new study findings demonstrate how leveraging the bioactive form translates to real bioavailability advantages for consumers,” he continues. “Optifolin+ also goes a step further — providing seven times the methyl groups found in standard folate forms for methylation support, as well as excellent solubility and stability for ease of formulation.”

“We are thrilled to see these benefits in action as part of our ongoing commitment to opening up innovation opportunities with this crucial vitamin.”

Comparing relative bioavailability

Over 24 hours, the randomized, double-blind, controlled crossover study compared the bioavailability of Optifolin+ to standard folic acid in healthy men and women aged 29–40 years.

Plasma concentrations of L-5-MTHF — which the body uses to support vital cellular functions — were significantly higher following Optifolin+ intake compared to those after folic acid. This was seen in both healthy men and women.

Optifolin+ also increased folate status (as 5-MTHF) by over 240% more than folic acid, and significantly faster, reaching maximum plasma levels of L-5-MTHF in under an hour compared to 2.8 hours with folic acid.

Additionally, Optifolin+ did not increase blood levels of unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA), unlike folic acid. The researchers say this is an important finding, as UMFA has no known biological function and high levels of UMFA have even been linked to health risks.

Bioactive folate

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is an essential nutrient that supports cellular functions and the production of key molecules such as DNA and RNA, amino acids, neurotransmitters, and hormones.

Widely supplemented for prenatal nutrition, the vitamin provides methyl (CH3) groups for DNA methylation, homocysteine metabolism, and other crucial reactions in the body. As such, Balchem notes that the ingredient has potential in the healthy aging market.

The company highlights that folate as L-5-MTHF also plays a key role in the lifelong support of brain health and cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and epigenetic health.

“Currently, many supplements and fortified food and beverages rely on folic acid as a source of folate. However, folic acid is a synthetic form of vitamin B9, which must undergo several enzymatic conversion steps within the body to become the biologically active form, L-5-MTHF,” details Balchem.

“This process is inefficient for a large proportion of consumers — up to 31% of the European population and 40% of the US population for example — who carry variations in the MTHFR gene that can reduce the activity of the enzymes responsible for the final conversion of folic acid into L-5-MTHF.”

For these individuals, traditional folic acid supplementation may not provide optimal folate status, the company notes. Additionally, an excessive intake of folic acid could risk overwhelming the body’s enzymatic metabolism, leading to UMFA build-up in the bloodstream.

“Another exciting element of this trial is the broad demographics of participants,” adds Lauren Eisen, senior marketing and business development manager, Minerals and Nutrients at Balchem.

“While many studies have previously focused on women — due to the prominence of folate in prenatal nutrition — this new study expanded the scope to include healthy men and women across a wide age range and saw significant benefits,” she notes.

“Now, with clinically-backed superior bioavailability in this wider population, as well as a seven-times methyl group advantage, Optifolin+ offers a powerful tool for supplement brands to create next-generation solutions to support health at all stages of life.”

The clinical findings are published in Food & Nutrition Research.

Nutrition Insight hosted an exclusive webinar with Balchem exploring how Optifolin+ supports optimal cellular health across all life stages, linked to prenatal care, heart, and brain health.