A new clinical study led by Xinyin Jiang, professor of health and nutrition sciences, has found that 5-MTHF, an active form of folate, may be an effective alternative to folic acid in prenatal vitamins during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Nutrition, the 24-week randomized clinical trial examined how different forms of folate are processed during pregnancy. Jiang served as the study’s principal investigator.
“This study allows us to directly compare how different supplemental forms of folate are processed during pregnancy,” Jiang said. “We found that 5-MTHF can maintain folate status just as effectively as folic acid, but with significantly less unmetabolized folic acid circulating in the body.”
The study, funded by Ritual, followed 62 pregnant participants who received prenatal multivitamins containing either 5-MTHF or folic acid. Researchers found that those taking 5-MTHF maintained healthy folate levels while showing significantly lower levels of unmetabolized folic acid in both maternal blood and placental tissue. Folate plays a critical role in fetal growth and development, helping the body produce and maintain DNA. The findings contribute to a growing body of research aimed at improving prenatal nutrition and maternal health outcomes.
Jiang received both her doctoral degree in nutrition and her registered dietitian credential from Cornell University in 2013. Her research focuses on nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism, including choline, betaine, folate, and vitamin B12, which play an essential role in early development and long-term health outcomes. Her lab conducts cell culture, animal, and human studies exploring how maternal nutrition during pregnancy influences the health of both mother and child.
