L-5-MTHF SAPMetabolically active folic acid (science based) Folic acid, or folate, is a B vitamin that must be derived from dietary sources or through supplementation. Folate is necessary for a biochemical process in the body called "methylation" or "one carbon metabolism." This process does not work properly in a significant number of individuals who have a genetic polymorphism, and it can contribute to a host of different problems, including neural tube