Updated Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid And Folate

At Binto, our mission has always been to provide women with the best possible support for their health, especially during pregnancy. As co-founders who have both dedicated our lives to women's health, we are constantly striving to improve our offerings based on the latest scientific research and feedback from our community. That’s why we’re excited to share an important update to our Essential Prenatal Vitamin and Prenatal Plus vitamin.

You might be wondering why we decided to update our prenatal vitamins. The answer lies in our commitment to providing you and your baby with the most comprehensive and effective nutritional support available. Over the years, research has increasingly highlighted the importance of both folic acid and folate in prenatal supplements. This dual approach ensures that your body gets what it needs in the most bioavailable form, which is crucial for your baby's development.

Folic acid and folate are often used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same. Folate is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B9, found in leafy greens, legumes, and other foods. Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic form of this vitamin, often added to fortified foods and supplements.

The body uses folate and folic acid in slightly different ways. Folate from foods is more easily processed by the body, while folic acid needs to be converted into its active form, methylfolate, by the liver before it can be used. This conversion process is efficient for most people, but not for everyone. About 40% of the population has a genetic variation in the MTHFR gene that affects the ability to convert folic acid into methylfolate effectively. This is why it’s so important to include both forms in prenatal vitamins.

By including both folic acid and folate in our updated Essential Prenatal and Prenatal Plus vitamins, we are ensuring that you get the benefits of both forms, regardless of your genetic makeup.

Folic Acid: Numerous studies have shown that folic acid plays a critical role in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida in the early stages of pregnancy . It’s also been linked to reduced risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, and certain congenital heart defects.

Folate: Folate, particularly in its active form, is essential for DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation processes, which are crucial during the rapid cell division that occurs in early pregnancy . Additionally, folate has been shown to support proper brain development and reduce the risk of autism spectrum disorders when taken preconception and during early pregnancy.

The decision to include both folic acid and folate in our prenatal vitamins isn’t just about covering all the bases; it’s about ensuring that both you and your baby are getting the best possible support. The combination of these two forms of vitamin B9 helps to maximize absorption and utilization, ensuring that your body—and your baby’s developing body—receives the full benefits of this essential nutrient.

Our decision to update our prenatal vitamins is supported by a growing body of scientific evidence. A 2021 study published on NCBI found that women who took both folic acid and folate had higher blood concentrations of the active form of vitamin B9, which is linked to better pregnancy outcomes. Another study published on NCBI demonstrated that supplementing with both forms of B9 can reduce the risk of NTDs more effectively than folic acid alone.

At Binto, we understand that every woman’s body is unique, and we’re committed to providing the best possible nutritional support to meet your individual needs. Updating our Essential Prenatal Vitamin and Prenatal Plus vitamin to include both folic acid and folate is just one example of how we’re constantly working to improve our products based on the latest research.

We hope that this update gives you confidence in the support you’re providing for your body and your baby. We’re honored to be part of your health journey, and we’re always here to answer any questions you might have about our products and you can take the quiz as many times as you'd like to see what you get matched with!

Up Your Glow, 

Suzie and Andi
Co-founders of Binto