What is folate, and why do we need it?
Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is an essential nutrient. It supports the growth, repair, and communication of every cell in the body, central to healthy brain function and helping the nervous system run smoothly.
You might be familiar with it under a few different names. Folic acid is a synthetic starter form. Folinic acid is a partly active form. The Mighty Kids Multivitamin contains the fully active form of folate that your body actually uses, in innovative liposomal delivery to support better absorption and help maintain healthy blood folate levels.
To find out more about what makes liposomal technology so advanced, see our blog post: The fascinating world of liposomal supplements
How does folate relate to autism spectrum disorder (or ASD)?
Many autistic children and adults describe hurdles like staying focused when the day is busy, managing sensory overload (sounds, lights, textures), keeping a steady mood, or sustaining their energy through school and after-school life. If any of these sound familiar, you aren't alone.
Furthermore, eating can pose its own challenges: selective (or sensitive) eating is common in autistic individuals, which may mean fewer B-vitamin-rich foods on the plate.
What the research is currently exploring:
Scientists are looking at a few biological contributors that could sit behind some of these experiences:
- A common gene variant, linked by a 2020 meta-analysis with higher odds of autism, has been shown to make conversion to the active folate form less efficient.³ Though it is important to note this is an association, not proof of cause, what it does show is that autistic individuals are more likely to have lower levels of this essential nutrient available, as their bodies may struggle to convert it into usable forms.
- In another subgroup, folate's movement into the central nervous system was found to be disrupted even when blood levels looked normal.¹ This suggests the autistic brain might find it harder to get all of the active folate it needs.
How does folate fit into this?
We can use this research to help individuals perform to the best of their abilities, whatever that looks like for them. When children are thriving, families thrive too. Keeping folate status healthy might not change everything, but it’s a practical way to back up the brain’s everyday chemistry alongside the routines and supports that already help. Ensuring adequate levels of folate can help ensure individuals are functioning at their best, in order to reach their full potential.
And studies have shown that it can do just that:
- A placebo-controlled trial found that folinic acid improved communication and social scores in autistic children.⁵
- A 2023 systematic review reported signals for improvements in sociability, cognition, and communication with folate/folinic acid in subsets of participants.⁶
Where does Mighty Kids come in?
We've tried to turn this science into a helpful and effective product you can actually use. Our multivitamin provides 95% of the recommended daily folate intake for children aged 13+. The liposomal form has a statistically significant higher bioavailability and absorption rate than standard supplements, so 95% of your daily intake in a Mighty Kids supplement is far more effective than 95% in a standard, non-liposomal supplement.
How Mighty Kids ensures the highest quality folate support:
We use active folate. By including the body-ready form, our products are effective even for individuals for whom conversion may be less efficient.³
The Mighty Kids multivitamin uses liposomal delivery. While liposomal delivery supports absorption and healthy blood folate levels, movement of folate into the brain depends on separate transport mechanisms. In individuals with less efficient transport, ensuring a consistent supply of bioactive folate in the bloodstream may help support overall availability. Our liposomal delivery helps maximise absorption and maintain healthy blood folate levels, making more folate available even when transport may be limited.
Our Multivitamin provides all the folate you need in a child-friendly format: designed to support the whole family, it can be taken by children and adults alike.
In summary
Folate helps the brain build and protect itself.⁴ In autism research, differences in conversion or transport, plus everyday realities like sensitive eating, suggest that supporting folate status may provide extra help in reducing some of the neurodivergent struggles of daily life.¹ ³ ⁵ ⁶ The Mighty Kids multivitamin contains liposomal folate to deliver the support that the mind needs, in a form that you can feel confident works.
For the sciencey people
If you are interested in the science behind the research discussed in this article, read on for some additional information (and a list of the studies used) below.
What makes folate so central to healthy brain function is the key role it plays in DNA synthesis, methylation (which switches genes on and off), and neurotransmitter balance.⁴
To elaborate, methylation influences how neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are made, how the brain handles stress and inflammation, and how neurons connect.
- The gene variant associated with less efficient conversion of folate to its active form is MTHFR C677T.³
In the subgroup tested where blood levels of folate looked normal, folate receptor-alpha autoantibodies (FRAA) were found to be the cause of reduced folate movement into the brain.¹
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The fully active form of folate in Mighty Kids supplements is Calcium 5-MTHF (Metafolin®). Calcium 5-MTHF doesn’t rely on MTHFR conversion, so is immediately available for the body to use.
A few research caveats to keep in mind:
- Association is not the same as causation. Genetic and observational links point to pathways, not proofs of direct effect.² ³
- Furthermore, many trials use folinic acid or 5-MTHF rather than standard folic acid, so outcomes may not generalise across forms.² ⁶
- Studies use samples, mixed inclusion criteria, variable outcome measures, and short durations. This may limit certainty and reduce the reliability of the results that are produced.
- Responses recorded may also depend on FRAA status, MTHFR variants, dietary context, and baseline B-vitamin markers.
References
1. Frye, R. E., Rossignol, D. A., Scahill, L., McDougle, C. J., Huberman, H., & Quadros, E. V. (2020). Treatment of Folate Metabolism Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Seminars in pediatric neurology, 35, 100835.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spen.2020.100835
2. Hoxha, B., Hoxha, M., Domi, E., Gervasoni, J., Persichilli, S., Malaj, V., & Zappacosta, B. (2021). Folic Acid and Autism: A Systematic Review of the Current State of Knowledge. Cells, 10(8), 1976. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10081976
3. Li, Y., Qiu, S., Shi, J., et al. (2020). Association between MTHFR C677T/A1298C and susceptibility to autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis. BMC Pediatrics, 20, 449. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02330-3
4. Lucock, M. (2000). Folic acid: Nutritional biochemistry, molecular biology, and role in disease processes. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 71(1–2), 121–138. https://doi.org/10.1006/mgme.2000.3027
5. Panda, P. K., Sharawat, I. K., Saha, S., Gupta, D., Palayullakandi, A., & Meena, K. (2024). Efficacy of oral folinic acid supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. European journal of pediatrics, 183(11), 4827–4835. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-024-05762-6
6. Roufael, M., Bitar, T., Sacre, Y., Andres, C., & Hleihel, W. (2023). Folate–Methionine Cycle Disruptions in ASD Patients and Possible Interventions: A Systematic Review. Genes, 14(3), 709. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14030709
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