Cerebrofolate Vs Other Methylfolates
Product Recommendation
Consider L-methylfolate to improve mood?
Cerebrofolate vs other methylfolates: How does it compare?
Written By:
Katie Stone - Naturopath
Medical Reviewer:
Dr. Conor Sheehy - PharmD, BCPS
Edited By:
Kari Asadorian - RN
Updated On:
Sep 1, 2024
Key Takeaways
L-methylfolate supplements available OTC can vary considerably in terms of their potency, stability, and purity. Cerebrofolate™ has been tested as the most bioavailable and therapeutic source of L-methylfolate available without a prescription. Both Cerebrofolate™ and Metafolin® have the highest free L-methylfolate levels, indicating greater efficacy.So, what makes Cerebrofolate™ the best?
Types of methylfolate can vary considerably in terms of their potency, stability, and purity. If you’re looking for the best L-methylfolate, you’ll need to know how these major brands compare to one another - and which is the most effective.
A recent study from Cyntax Health Projects compared all three of the above leading brands: Metafolin®, Quatrefolic®, and Cerebrofolate™. Each brand was tested for stability, impurities, water content, and L-methylfolate potency, specifically measuring their free L-methylfolate levels over 90 days.
Purity refers to the percentage of the product that comprises the active element; in this case, how much of the raw ingredient is made up of “pure or free L-methylfolate”. The more L-methylfolate available by percentage in a raw ingredient, the more “pure” it is considered to be.
Cerebrofolate™ has tested as the top brand with a total of 80.7% potency, the highest percentage of pure “free L-methylfolate” in the study.
Impurities are the contaminants or degradation by-products present in the raw ingredient, which may occur during the processing or storage. Per USP standards, the sum of all impurities may not exceed 2.0% for L-methylfolate. The total impurities measured for Cerebrofolate™ was 0.8%.
How did they stack up?
First, let’s explain a bit more about USP standards and ‘free L-methylfolate levels’.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is the organization that sets the standards of quality for medicines, dietary supplements, and foods as recognized by the government.
“Free methylfolate” refers to the concentration of pure L-methylfolate in a nutrient after carriers have been removed, leaving the portion that’s readily available for direct absorption and utilization by the body. It’s essential for assessing the potency, stability, and effectiveness of a supplement.
In the study, Quatrefolic® and the generic brand declined sharply in free L-methylfolate levels compared to the other two crystalline calcium salt type brands. Over the 90-day period, Metafolin® and Cerebrofolate™ showed only minimal changes.
In fact, free L-methylfolate levels were highest for Cerebrofolate™ followed by Metafolin® right through to Day 90. By contrast, free L-methylfolate levels declined sharply for the generic brand (17.6%) and moderately for Quatrefolic® (4.5%).
Product Recommendation
Consider L-methylfolate to improve mood?
The result?
Cerebrofolate™ was clearly ranked as the most potent sample by the end of the study. Cerebrofolate™ is considered the purest methylfolate available to consumers as it has the highest percentage of pure L-methylfolate of any methylfolate type tested. Quatrefolic® ranked the lowest. Review the study results.
What’s more, Cerebrofolate™ and Metafolin® were found to be chemically identical, more stable, and of higher potency than both the amorphous form of L-5-MTHF Calcium salt and the patented glucosamine salt form. Over the 90-day testing period, Cerebrofolate™ and Metafolin® both showed minimal change in physical appearance, chemical composition, total water content, and total impurities.
Most importantly, both Cerebrofolate™ and Metafolin® showed higher free L-methylfolate levels compared to the other samples, indicating greater purity, potency, stability and therefore greater efficacy.
The takeaway
About the Author
Katie is a qualified naturopath (BNatMed) and freelance writer from New Zealand. She specializes in all things health and wellness, particularly dietary supplements and nutrition. Katie is also a dedicated runner and has completed more half-marathons than she can count!
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