Vitamins & Nutrients
Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid)
Vitamins & Nutrients
Essential B vitamin for cell division, pregnancy and methylation pathways.
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Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a water-soluble vitamin that must come from your diet. It plays a central role in DNA synthesis, tissue repair and red blood cell production. Together with vitamins B12 and B6, folate keeps homocysteine levels in check and supports methylation processes throughout the body. Deficiency is particularly dangerous during pregnancy, when it can cause neural tube defects in the developing baby. Blood levels decline after just a few weeks on a low-folate diet, making regular testing valuable.
A folate test is relevant if you are pregnant or planning to conceive, if you eat few fruits and vegetables, smoke, drink excessively, or have a condition that impairs absorption such as celiac disease or IBD. Certain medications also increase your need for folate. Testing helps ensure adequate levels for cellular health and homocysteine regulation.
What a high value can mean
High serum folate usually reflects generous intake of fortified foods or supplements and is generally not harmful. However, excess folate can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency by correcting the anaemia it causes while allowing neurological damage to progress. If your folate is elevated and you are not supplementing heavily, a concurrent B12 test is advisable.
What a low value can mean
Low folate indicates inadequate dietary intake or impaired absorption. Because folate is water-soluble and not stored in fat, levels drop quickly on a poor diet. Causes include insufficient vegetable intake, overcooking food, malabsorption conditions (celiac disease, IBD), excessive alcohol use, certain medications and increased demand during pregnancy. Prolonged deficiency leads to megaloblastic anaemia.
Fast for at least 12 hours before this test (water only). Bring valid ID to the lab. If you take a supplement containing biotin (often sold for hair and nails), pause it for two days before the test, as high doses can distort the result.
Order your test
Choose your test and pay online. Your lab referral is created straight away.
Give your sample
Visit any of our partner sampling locations. No appointment needed at most of them.
The lab analyses it
Your sample is analysed at an accredited Swedish laboratory.
Get your results
Your values appear in your account with reference ranges and an explanation of each marker.
Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9 found in food. Folic acid is the synthetic form used in supplements and fortified foods. Both serve the same biological functions, though some people with MTHFR gene variants may benefit from methylated forms.
Folate is critical for neural tube development in the first weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. Adequate levels reduce the risk of spina bifida and other birth defects.
Recent studies show serum folate correlates well with red blood cell folate and may even be a better indicator. Wellth measures serum folate based on current evidence.
Excess folate is generally not dangerous on its own, but it can mask vitamin B12 deficiency, which may lead to undetected neurological damage. Always test B12 alongside folate.