UPC: 733739004765
# N0476

NOW Foods Folic Acid 800 mcg with Vitamin B-12 – 250 Tablets

NOW Foods Folic Acid 800 mcg delivers a pure, laboratory-tested B-vitamin formula designed to support healthy homocysteine metabolism, normal red blood cell development, and cellular energy production. Every single tablet pairs 800 mcg of pure folic acid (1,360 mcg Dietary Folate Equivalents) with 25 mcg of Vitamin B-12 (as cyanocobalamin) [1, 2]. This balanced combination helps your body recycle metabolic waste products naturally, keeping your cardiovascular system, nerves, and cells working smoothly every day [1, 3].

Quick Specs Snapshot

  • ✔ Active Form & Potency: 1,360 mcg DFE (800 mcg pure folic acid) plus 25 mcg Vitamin B-12 (as cyanocobalamin) per single-tablet serving.
  • ✔ Primary Cellular Target: Cellular DNA synthesis, healthy red blood cell production, and the homocysteine-to-methionine recycling cycle [1, 4].
  • ✔ Supply & Value Math: 250 tablets per bottle provides more than 8 months of daily nutritional support for just pennies a day.
  • ✔ Formulation Purity: Certified Non-GMO, 100% vegan, kosher, and free from gluten, wheat, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, and sesame. Bottled in 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin.

Buyer’s Guide & Biochemical Form Comparison

Many cheap drugstore brands sell standalone folic acid pills that completely leave out Vitamin B-12. In your body, folate and Vitamin B-12 work together like two workers on an assembly line; taking high amounts of folic acid alone can hide an underlying Vitamin B-12 shortage while cellular sluggishness continues [2, 3]. NOW Foods solves this by combining 800 mcg of stable, bioavailable folic acid with 25 mcg of cyanocobalamin, ensuring your body has both essential partners to support daily methylation and red blood cell health without metabolic bottlenecks [1, 3].

Ideal For Shoppers Who:

  • ✔ Want to support healthy homocysteine balance for long-term cardiovascular and blood vessel wellness [1].
  • ✔ Need reliable nutritional support for normal red blood cell development, cellular growth, and natural daily energy [2, 4].
  • ✔ Prefer an economical, tiny, easy-to-swallow tablet that delivers over 8 months of verified pure B-vitamins in a single bottle.

Consider Another Option If:

  • ✘ You have a confirmed severe MTHFR genetic mutation and your doctor specifically recommends pre-methylated folate (such as 5-MTHF Quatrefolic®).
  • ✘ You cannot swallow solid tablets and require a chewable berry lozenge or liquid drop format.
  • ✘ You need high-dose therapeutic Vitamin B-12 (such as 1,000 mcg to 5,000 mcg) to address a doctor-diagnosed B-12 deficiency.

Risk-Free Guarantee: Every purchase from VitaNet®, LLC is protected by our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—we even pay the return shipping costs on opened bottles so you can try this formula with complete confidence.

Biochemical Mechanism & Cellular Pathways

To understand how folic acid works, imagine your body as a busy city factory. When your cells break down dietary proteins, they create a natural byproduct called homocysteine. Think of homocysteine like exhaust smoke or soot: in normal, small amounts it is harmless, but if it builds up to high levels, it can irritate blood vessel walls and burden cardiovascular health [1].

Folic acid (Vitamin B-9) serves as a vital methyl donor in a biochemical pathway known as one-carbon metabolism [4]. In your cells, folate donates a small chemical unit (a methyl group, -CH3) to help convert homocysteine safely back into methionine, a beneficial amino acid that your body uses to build healthy tissue and produce SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine), which supports mood and brain function [1, 4].

However, the enzyme that moves this methyl group—called methionine synthase—cannot work without Vitamin B-12 [1, 3]. If Vitamin B-12 is missing, folate becomes trapped in a non-usable chemical state known biochemically as the methyl-folate trap [3]. By including 25 mcg of Vitamin B-12 alongside 800 mcg of folic acid, NOW Foods ensures this enzymatic machinery runs at full speed.

At the same time, this active folate cycle supplies essential carbon units needed to synthesize thymidine and purines—the basic building blocks of DNA and RNA [4]. This makes adequate folate crucial for bone marrow cells, which must divide rapidly to manufacture fresh, properly shaped red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your entire body [2, 4].

Dosing, Timing & Synergy Protocol

Optimal Timing & Meal Pairing

Take 1 tablet daily, preferably with a meal. While water-soluble B-vitamins can technically absorb on an empty stomach, taking your tablet alongside food triggers natural stomach acid and pancreatic enzyme release, which dissolves the tablet smoothly and protects sensitive digestive linings against transient nausea.

Morning vs. Evening Schedule

Take your dose in the morning with breakfast or at lunch. Because B-vitamins play an active role in cellular energy synthesis and metabolic turnover, morning dosing matches your body’s natural daytime rhythm and prevents any mild alertness that could disturb sleep if taken late at night.

Nutrient Synergies & Spacing Rules

This formula works exceptionally well when paired with Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, and dietary iron, as all three act as biological cofactors in red blood cell synthesis and homocysteine clearance [1, 2]. However, if you take antacids, prescription acid reducers (such as PPIs or H2 blockers), or high-dose calcium or zinc supplements, space them at least 2 hours apart from this tablet, as reduced stomach acidity can slow down B-12 uptake [2].

Timeline of Expectations

  • Days 1–7: The tablet dissolves rapidly in your digestive tract. Active folate and B-12 enter the bloodstream to replenish circulating vitamin pools without stomach upset [4].
  • Weeks 3–4: Cellular folate levels rise, supporting efficient homocysteine recycling and normal red blood cell development in bone marrow [1, 4].
  • Months 2–3+: Long-term steady tissue levels support vascular integrity, nervous system function, and sustained cellular vitality [1, 2].

Physical, Sensory & Clean Excipient Profile

Tablet Size & Swallowability

NOW Foods Folic Acid 800 mcg is compressed into a very small, round, compact tablet. Unlike large multivitamins or bulky horse pills, this micro-tablet glides down effortlessly with a single sip of water, making it comfortable for older adults and anyone with swallowing hesitation.

Natural Aroma, Taste & Color

These unflavored tablets have a clean, virtually neutral scent with no medicinal odor or chemical taste. Because NOW never uses artificial colorings, synthetic dyes, or titanium dioxide, natural batch-to-batch color variation ranging from off-white to pale yellow-speckled is completely normal.

Other Ingredients Demystified

Every non-active ingredient in this bottle serves a clean, functional purpose:

  • Microcrystalline Cellulose: Purified plant fiber that binds the tiny nutrient particles together into a solid tablet shape.
  • Maltodextrin (Non-GMO): A plant-derived complex carbohydrate used to distribute the microscopic 800 mcg dose evenly throughout every tablet.
  • Stearic Acid (Vegetable Source): A natural plant-based fatty acid that helps hold the tablet together during compression.
  • Magnesium Stearate (Vegetable Source): A plant-derived mineral lubricant that allows the tablets to release cleanly from manufacturing molds without sticking.

Storage & Bottle Stability

Keep the bottle securely closed in a cool, dry place after opening (such as a pantry cabinet, rather than a humid bathroom). This product is packaged in a dark amber container constructed from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin, which shields the light-sensitive B-vitamins from ultraviolet degradation while keeping plastic waste out of landfills.

Supplement Facts, Lab Testing & Retailer Verification

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 Tablet

Servings Per Container: 250

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Folate
1,360 mcg DFE** (800 mcg folic acid)
340%
Vitamin B-12 (as Cyanocobalamin) 1,042% (25 mcg)

** DFE = Dietary Folate Equivalent

Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Maltodextrin (non-GMO), Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source).

Allergen Statement: Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

NOW Brand In-House Testing & Strict Contaminant Limits

Many cheap vitamins sold at big-box discount stores are mass-aggregated overseas with minimal quality control. In contrast, NOW Foods operates two of the most advanced analytical testing facilities in North America, accredited under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). Their scientists perform over 19,000 comprehensive laboratory tests every single month to guarantee purity:

Curator’s Trust Note: VitaNet®, LLC (Since 1995)

Founded in 1995 in Hartville, Ohio, VitaNet®, LLC brings over 31 years of continuous hands-on nutritional expertise to your family. We maintain direct, authorized manufacturer relationships with NOW Foods, storing every bottle in clean, temperature-regulated facilities to ensure vitamins never sit in hot freight trailers. Backed by an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and real human customer phone support at 1-800-877-8702, your health is always in trusted hands.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Caution: For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why does this formula include Vitamin B-12 with Folic Acid?

Vitamin B-12 and Folic Acid work as biological partners. B-12 is required to activate folate inside your cells so it can convert homocysteine to methionine and build new DNA. Formulating them together ensures smooth cellular function and prevents the “folate trap,” where taking folic acid alone can mask a hidden Vitamin B-12 deficiency.

2. Can I crush or cut this tablet if I have trouble swallowing pills?

Yes. These tablets are very small, but if you prefer not to swallow them whole, they can be safely split with a pill cutter or crushed into applesauce or yogurt without destroying the active vitamins.

3. How does this tablet compare to big-box store brand folic acid?

Many generic big-box store vitamins cut costs by skipping rigorous parts-per-billion heavy metal screening, using cheap chemical binders, and leaving out Vitamin B-12 entirely. NOW Foods tests every batch in ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories using ICP-MS and HPLC to guarantee 100% purity, zero heavy metal contamination, and the synergistic benefits of added B-12.

4. Will this folic acid tablet break an intermittent fast?

No. A single tablet contains virtually zero calories, sugar, or macronutrients and will not spike insulin levels or disrupt autophagy. However, because taking B-vitamins with a meal optimizes digestive comfort, we recommend taking your tablet with your first meal when opening your eating window.

5. Who should choose active methylfolate (5-MTHF) instead of folic acid?

Standard folic acid is highly stable and easily converted by most people into active folate. However, individuals with severe genetic variations in the MTHFR gene may have reduced ability to convert folic acid and may benefit from taking pre-methylated folate (such as (6S)-5-MTHF Quatrefolic®). If you are unsure, consult your healthcare practitioner.

Scientific References & Authoritative Sources

  1. Selhub, J. (2008). Public health significance of elevated homocysteine. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 29(2 Suppl), S116–S125.
  2. Stabler, S. P. (2013). Clinical practice. Vitamin B12 deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(2), 149–160.
  3. Scott, J. M., & Weir, D. G. (1981). The methyl folate trap. A physiological response in man to prevent methyl group deficiency in kwashiorkor and an explanation for folic-acid induced exacerbation of subacute combined degeneration in pernicious anaemia. The Lancet, 318(8242), 337–340.
  4. Bailey, L. B., et al. (2015). Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development—Folate Review. The Journal of Nutrition, 145(7), 1636S–1680S.
  5. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Folate: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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