Advanced Adult Multivitamin & Mineral with 5-MTHF - Hypoallergenic

Kirkman^® Advanced Adult Multivitamin/Mineral with 5-MTHF offers the same excellent blend of nutrients that are in our original formulation except that the folic acid form in this new product is 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). In addition, the vitamin B-12 concentration has been increased to ensure the proper absorption rate of the 5-MTHF.

Our new Advanced Adult Multivitamin/Mineral with 5-MTHF was formulated to offer 5-MTHF, which is a more active form of folate in the body than folic acid. Most foods and dietary supplements contain folic acid, which is a synthetic form of vitamin B that is not biologically active in the body until it is converted to 5- Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and 5-Formyltetrahydrofolate (folinic acid), which are the active forms found in the liver and the gut.

In order for the folic acid to be converted to these biologically active forms in the body, a particular enzyme must be functioning normally. This enzyme is called methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). If this enzyme is functioning normally your body will convert the folic acid to the active forms. If certain mutations in the MTHFR gene are present, however, the conversion may not be complete, resulting in unmetabolized folic acid remaining in the body and incomplete utilization of the ingested folic acid.

There are approximately 40 mutations of the MTHFR gene in the body. Certain mutations may interfere with the proper conversion of folic acid to its active forms. This can lead to methyl folate deficiency and can lead to health problems and birth defects in newborns. It is estimated that 10 to 25 percent of the population have a faulty MTHFR enzyme resulting in a 40-60 percent decreased ability to convert folic acid to its biologically active forms.