Folate is in the news again: Trump's recent statements about Tylenol, Leucovorin, Wellcovorin and autism

Folate is in the news again: Trump's recent statements about Tylenol, Leucovorin, Wellcovorin and autism

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Katie Stone - Naturopath

Written By:

Katie Stone - Naturopath
Kari Asadorian - BSN, RN

Medical Reviewer:

Kari Asadorian - BSN, RN
Jamie Hope - Methyl-Life® Founder

Edited By:

Jamie Hope - Methyl-Life® Founder

Updated On:

September 25, 2025

Folate is in the news again: Trump's recent statements about Tylenol, Leucovorin, Wellcovorin and autism

Folate is back in the spotlight - and not all claims are consistent with research. So, let’s look at what the science says.


Trump has claimed that using Tylenol (acetaminophen), especially during pregnancy, is linked to a “very increased risk” of autism. This claim is based on research that children with autism have genetic variations or autoimmune disorders that prevent folate from reaching the brain.


Trump administration has announced that leucovorin (also known as L-5-formyl tetrahydrofolic acid or folinic acid, a less potent racemate form) will now be approved for treating cerebral folate deficiency in children with autism.

Unlike folic acid or dietary folate, leucovorin can enter the brain via the reduced folate channel (RFC) rather than via folate receptor alpha (FRα). One study found that children with autism were 19 times more likely to have a folate ‘block’ than their non-autistic siblings.2


Several health organizations - including the World Health Organization and the Autism Science Foundation - have stated that there is no scientific evidence to suggest Tylenol causes autism.3


Trump himself said he was not citing scientific research: "You know, I'm just making these statements from me," he said. "I'm not making them from these doctors, because when they talk about, you know, different results, different studies, I talk about a lot of common sense. And they have that too. They have that too, a lot."

Key Takeaways

  • Icon Leucovorin (folinic acid) is an active form of folate. It is one enzymatic conversion away from becoming the body’s active form of folate, methylfolate.
  • Icon Methylfolate is the most bioavailable form of folate. It requires no further conversion in the body, so it is immediately available to support neurotransmitter production, cognitive function, DNA/RNA synthesis, and cellular repair.
  • Icon Current research suggests that leucovorin is showing promise to improve symptoms of autism, but there are no definitive results yet.
  • Icon No existing or published studies have proven that Tylenol can be causatively associated with autism.
  • Icon The cause of autism is uncertain. Each case may be linked to genetics, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, and more.
  • Icon Methylation pathway disruptions are common in autism.1
  • Icon Treating autism requires a customized, multi-factor approach - not a single intervention.

What Trump might be right about:

  • Icon Folate deficiency has been implicated in autism. Folate plays a critical role in brain development in the fetus and during the first three years of life, when the brain changes more rapidly than at any other life stage. Poor folate in both mother and baby at this time can impair normal neurodevelopment and this has been linked to neurocognitive disorders such as autism.4

What Trump didn’t mention:

  • Icon The MTHFR genetic mutation impairs normal folate metabolism.
  • Icon Cerebral Folate Deficiency (CFD) is a very rare genetic condition estimated to affect only one in 1,000,000 individuals worldwide.5
  • Icon Folate deficiency IS common - but not because of CFD. An estimated 40% of the population is affected by MTHFR gene mutations that can reduce their ability to convert dietary folate and folic acid (the synthetic form in most supplements and fortified foods) into its active, bioidentical form, methylfolate.
  • Icon Several studies have found associations between low folate levels and high homocysteine in children affected by autism.6
  • Icon MTHFR has been associated with autism, as reported by:
    - A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports found that the MTHFR C677T variant is frequently found in autism, possibly due to elevated homocysteine.7
    - A 2023 study published in Genes also found high levels of homocysteine and low levels of vitamins B12 and folate in people with autism, which can be caused by both picky eating (common in those with autism) and MTHFR genetic variants.8
  • Icon Methylfolate is the bioactive form the body uses for DNA synthesis, neurotransmitter production, and methylation. Methylfolate is especially critical for women before and during pregnancy to support healthy neural development.

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References

  1. Martine W Tremblay, Yong-hui Jiang; "DNA Methylation and Susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorder"; Annual review of medicine; 2019 Jun

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6597259/

  2. Daniel A. Rossignol, Richard E. Frye; "Cerebral Folate Deficiency, Folate Receptor Alpha Autoantibodies and Leucovorin (Folinic Acid) Treatment in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"; Journal of Personalized Medicine; 2022 April

    https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/11/11/1141

  3. World Health Organisation; "WHO statement on autism-related issues"; 2025 Sep

    https://www.who.int/news/item/24-09-2025-who-statement-on-autism-related-issues

  4. Rebecca J Schmidt, Daniel J Tancredi, Sally Ozonoff, Robin L Hansen, Jaana Hartiala, Hooman Allayee, Linda C Schmidt, Flora Tassone, Irva Hertz-Picciotto; "Maternal periconceptional folic acid intake and risk of autism spectrum disorders and developmental delay in the CHARGE (CHildhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment) case-control study"; The American journal of clinical nutrition; 2012 May

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3374734

  5. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs; "Autism Announcement Fact Sheet"; 2025 Sep

    https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/autism-announcement-fact-sheet.html

  6. Lorena Carboni; "Active Folate Versus Folic Acid: The Role of 5-MTHF (Methylfolate) in Human Health"; Integrative medicine; 2022 Jul

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9380836/

  7. Mahdi Malekpour, Mohamad Parhizkar, Fahimeh Golabi, Rachel Thompson, Mohammed Al Zakwani, Saeed Soleymanjahi, Elnaz Chohedri; "Exploring the shared genetic basis between autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal disorders: a bioinformatic study"; Scientific Reports; 2025 Aug

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-15476-w

  8. Melissa Roufael, Tania Bitar, Yonna Sacre, Christian Andres, Walid Hleihel; "Folate–Methionine Cycle Disruptions in ASD Patients and Possible Interventions: A Systematic Review"; Genes; 2023 Mar

    https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/3/709

Katie Stone - Naturopath

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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