Functions

1. Functions as a methyl donor after being enzymatically reduced to tetrahydrofolate by the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. (does this make tetrahydrofolate the "active" form?)
2. Required for SAMe
3. Required for proper metabolism of methionine.
   1. "Methionine is converted to homocysteine in the body. Homocysteine, in turn, may be converted back to methionine in a process requiring folic acid (tetrahydrofolate) and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) as a catalyst or it may be metabolized into cysteine in a process catalyzed by vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)."
   2. That's from the International Health News page Folic Acid: Don't Be Without It!, by Hans R. Larsen, MSc ChE. Lots more info there, with references.
4. helps control homocysteine [get more on this!]

Testing

Supplementation

1. James South recommends 0.4 mg -1 mg per day

My experience

• Actifolate - reacted to it.
• Bronson folic acid
  • took it off and on from 1998 to early 2004
  • stopped because it was too hard to add back after a liver attack.
• Try again