Many people are familiar with the need for folate for an expectant mother because it reduces the risk of having a child with a birth defect of the brain or spinal cord.* But folate is a crucial nutrient for all of us: women, pregnant or not, and men. Folate acts like a master switch for a process in the body called the methylation cycle, which is the mechanism that allows the “gears” in our body to turn by turning on and off the individual biological switches for a host of body systems.*
When the methylation cycle is working optimally, it has a significant positive impact on the biochemical reactions that regulate our cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, and detoxification systems, specifically reactions relating to DNA production, histamine metabolism, estrogen metabolism, eye health, fat metabolism, cellular energy, and liver health.*
Because folate also contributes to the production of serotonin, melatonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, it is also key for healthy mood.*