library.onepin.app/methylfolate Peptide Education Library
Education only, not medical advice 21+ Every dose is an example to finalize with a licensed provider
Metabolic Dietary supplementBioactive Folate (5-MTHF / L-Methylfolate)

Methylfolate

L-Methylfolate · 5-MTHF · L-5-MTHF · Active Folate

400-800mcg daily (general); 1-15mg (depression) Sublingual 1x daily
400-1000 mcg Oral Daily
Methylation Cycle CofactorMTHFR Variant SupportDietary Supplement / EU Pharmaceutical

Methylfolate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate / 5-MTHF / L-methylfolate) is the bioactive form of folate (vitamin B9) - the form that crosses the blood-brain barrier and participates directly in methylation cycle reactions. Standard folic acid (synthetic, oxidized) requires conversion through dihydrofolate reductase and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) to become bioactive 5-MTHF.

Quick Start
Route
Oral capsule or sublingual
Start low
400-800mcg Sublingual
Frequency
1x daily
Timing
Independent

Starting dose. 400-800mcg — Daily (general); 1-15mg (depression)

Morning preferred.

Start here. Every protocol below is ordered lowest-first. Begin at the smallest effective dose, hold about a week to assess tolerance, and step up only if needed.

Tiered Protocols · lowest first
Conservative start
400-800mcg daily (general); 1-15mg (depression) · Oral capsule or sublingual · 1x daily
conservative starter
400-800mcg daily (general); 1-15mg (depression)
1x daily
Standard
Methylation Support
400-1000 mcg · Oral · Daily
human clinical trial · Papakostas et al. 2012 (Am J Psychiatry 169(12):1267-74; senior author Fava)
Do not confuse with synthetic folic acid, which many individuals (MTHFR mutations) cannot effectively process.
400-1000 mcg
Daily
01

How it works

Methylfolate functions in the methylation cycle:

Direct Bioactive Form

5-MTHF is the active form used in DNA methylation, neurotransmitter synthesis (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine), and homocysteine recycling. No conversion needed.

Bypasses MTHFR

Standard folic acid requires MTHFR enzyme conversion to 5-MTHF; MTHFR polymorphisms (C677T, A1298C) reduce this. Methylfolate provides direct active form.

SAMe Production

5-MTHF donates methyl groups to homocysteine, producing methionine and ultimately SAMe (universal methyl donor).

Neurotransmitter Synthesis

Folate cycle is required for tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) regeneration - cofactor for serotonin, dopamine, NE synthesis. Methylfolate supports neurotransmitter production.

Homocysteine Reduction

Lowers serum homocysteine - cardiovascular risk marker.

Avoids Unmetabolized Folic Acid

Some individuals accumulate unmetabolized folic acid on high-dose synthetic folic acid - theoretical concerns for cancer and immune function. Methylfolate avoids this.

02

What to expect

Early
Days 1–7

Days 1-14: subtle effects.

Mid
Weeks 2–4

Weeks 2-6: peak depression effects.

Later
Weeks 4–12

Long-term sustained.

03

Evidence

HumanStrong
AnimalPresent
In-vitroPresent

Each reference below was re-fetched from its PubMed record, and the quoted sentence was confirmed to appear in that abstract and to support the claim it sits under. Follow any of them to read the source.

Evidence boundary from the checked abstract: The prescription of Deplin (L-methylfolate) greatly reduced the symptoms.

The prescription of Deplin (L-methylfolate) greatly reduced the symptoms.

Antifolates and MTHFR. Therapeutic drug monitoring · 2015 · PMID 25929315

Evidence scope. This entry supports only the exact statement quoted from the live abstract; it does not independently verify OnePin's displayed dose, route, frequency, formulation, population, or broader mechanism.

Claims we could not support

No abstract we checked supports these for this molecule at this route. That is not the same as saying they are false — it marks where the evidence is missing.

Dose/route: 400-800mcg daily (general); 1-15mg (depression); Oral capsule or sublingual; 1x daily. No checked live PubMed abstract verified this exact displayed dose, route, and frequency for the same molecule/formulation and relevant population.

Primary safety claim: No primary safety text present in source JSON. No checked live PubMed abstract directly verified this source-JSON safety claim at the displayed formulation, route, and regimen.

04

Side effects & safety

Commonly reported

  • Generally well-tolerated
  • Mild headache (rare)

Less common & notes

  • Mania in bipolar at high doses.
  • Methotrexate antagonism.
  • Long-term safety good.
05

Pharmacokinetics

Illustrative plasma concentration · 14 h
Half-life
~3 hours

Plasma

Peak · Tmax
1-2 hours
Elimination

Cumulative methylation cycle effects over weeks

Bioavailability

Oral very high (no MTHFR conversion needed)

Duration of action

Daily dosing for sustained effects

Clearance

Hepatic and renal

Storage. Capsule. Cool dry location, light-sensitive.

06

Regulatory status

Dietary supplement (US, DSHEA). Deplin (L-methylfolate) is FDA medical food for depression.

Put it to work

Calculate, log & track

Open Methylfolate straight into OnePin with your vial and dose pre-filled, then let it handle the syringe math and remind you before the vial runs out.

Open Methylfolate in the app →

Go deeper

The guide & community

The complete Methylfolate walkthrough, real protocol discussion and coaching live inside the BlessUp community on Skool.

Join the community ↗
Open in app Community

Track it in OnePin. Log vials, draws, and protocols in the app.