Folate (vitamin B-9) is an essential vitamin, often added to fortified foods or supplemented in its synthetic form, folic acid. The problem with folic acid is that it must be converted by the body into L-methylfolate before it can provide any benefits. About half of the global population has inherited genetic variations that make this conversion inefficient. The consequences typically manifest as difficulty balancing mood and energy levels, or pathologies related to high homocysteine. For most people, L-methylfolate supplements are a superior alternative to folic acid. L-Methylfolate is highly bioavailable and delivers the benefits of active folate to everyone. L-Methylfolate is not exclusively for those with an MTHFR mutation, however, it can raise circulating levels of activated folate for those individuals in a way that folic acid cannot.