I had been getting the Source Naturals brand of Metafolin (biologically active form of folic acid) from a particular vitamin/supplement web site, but within the past few months it has “disappeared”. The only reference I can find now on the Source Naturals web site for Metafolin is the original press release document http://www.sourcenaturals.com/articles/5039/ (can no longer find the actual product representation on the site). It appears that maybe Metafolin has been replaced by MegaFolinic ?? http://www.sourcenaturals.com/products/GP1872/. This “new” product doesn’t look exactly the same as the original Metafolin (L-methylfolate). Did Merck “pull the plug” on Metafolin?

I'll have to look around... perhaps call them.

I still have some left, as I buy ahead, and only take it when I don't use my other B100 complex.

Folinic acid was previously an RX item, called Leucovorin and was in 5mg doses.

Methylfolate is in the new Metanx and Cerefolin. I wonder if they are trying to restrict its availability so the RX will make more of an impact? I never underestimate $$ as a motivator.

I won't be able to do this til Sat, or so. But I will look around. This is very interesting and thank you for bringing it up. That product is soooooo nice.

I will post as soon as I get an answer back.

MetaFolin has a trademark on its name. And I suspect it is licensed to be sold.
It that is true, they may have raised their price to a prohibitive amount, for OTC sales.

This is just a theory so far. I did find some papers stating that folinic acid does cross the BBB after conversion...but it requires "some" conversion to do that, and methylfolate does not require conversion at all.

Folic acid is artificial and requires several steps to activation--
here is a website with a simple understandable graph:
http://www.hsfighters.com/folate_not_folicacid.htm

I will email these folks too, to see if they are supplying it now.

Well....it was fast, I have to admit.

Here are excerpts from the two emails:

1) from HS product:
This sounds like market manipulation to me... what I suspected in the previous posts.

The second email from Source Naturals:
So this also suggests that Merck is removing this wonderful product to RX only.

Major bummer!

Thanks mrsd for the research. Do you know if the MegaFolinic product would be the best alternative at this time? I would also consider a reasonably priced “formulation” of B12 (as methylcobalamin), Folate (as L-methylfolate), and B6 (as P5P), but I notice that even the “HSFighters” product from Health Science Nutrition only contains the Pyridoxine HCl form of B6 (not P5P).

I also recently found a “High Bioavailability” B-Complex on the Swanson web site http://www.swansonvitamins.com/webap...d=16824&R=5225 (I get most of my supplements from Swanson) and may just switch to this B-Complex. It’s a bit expensive, but probably no more than buying the methylcobalamin, methylfolate, and pyridoxal 5 phosphate separately.

Thanks again!

Before answering.

I did find some PubMed studies on Folinic acid for children with blood brain barrier failures to folic acid, itself. The articles stated that folinic was converted by them and succeeded in removing the deficiency.

It is hard to answer this question since so many polymorphisms exist for folate.
The chemistry is very complex and it depends on where the errors are, in the conversion cycle. I would have no clue as to the details of that.

Folinic acid has been used for a long time as RX for people on Chemo. It is called Leucovorin and even is available in an IV form.

I have some days off coming tomorrow, so I will search around some.

But this whole situation is a huge bummer, and bad sign to me. I sure hope methylcobalamin does not suffer this same fate!

Solgar Vitamin company now has the rights to Metafolin and will be offering it in health food stores in June.

It is very welcome! (and needed)

I've sent an email to Solgar for any more details on this potential situation.
I could not find it on Google or their website.

I have found a single source methylfolate: It is made by Metagenics...

It is called FolaPro and is 800mcg/tablet.

It is expensive however, $26.00 for 120. (and higher at some other sellers)
You can Google it. Some sites sell only to doctors but I found one site
that sells to anyone.

I would call before ordering...to see if it is really in stock.
I found it at another forum, where they use it for autism (along with methylB12)

I did not receive an email answer.

So I called Solgar...and this is where it becomes exciting, but complex.

Tomorrow they will have marketing call me back for details, what I can say
on the net accurately, etc.

from http://www.aacc.org/publications/cln...stry_0208.aspx

I talked to the technical employee who said a single source methylfolate has not been decided upon as yet. However methylfolate is included in the above
new product line.

There is only one retailer in my area who has been trained in this so far.
So I am going to go there soon (I have a doctor appointment next Weds and is conveniently nearby) and check it out, it is a drive for me. So I will
be trying to save some gasoline.
Only about 100 retailers have been trained so far across the country. And perhaps in 3 months that will change.

So after I hear from the marketing department of Solgar, I may be posting more here.