![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cecilia on January 20, 2008, at 23:20:11
Lots of discussion about Deplin on the med board. What is the closest substitute that can still be bought over the counter? Cecilia
Posted by d0pamine on January 21, 2008, at 19:13:23
In reply to Deplin substitute, posted by Cecilia on January 20, 2008, at 23:20:11
> Lots of discussion about Deplin on the med board. What is the closest substitute that can still be bought over the counter? Cecilia
Metagenics makes a product that they call Actifolate, which contains L-5 methyl tetrahydrofolate which I believe is the same thing that's in Deplin.
It can be purchased here
http://www.luckyvitamin.com/755571010056.html
Posted by JLx on January 21, 2008, at 20:31:08
In reply to Re: Deplin substitute, posted by d0pamine on January 21, 2008, at 19:13:23
> > Lots of discussion about Deplin on the med board. What is the closest substitute that can still be bought over the counter? Cecilia
>
> Metagenics makes a product that they call Actifolate, which contains L-5 methyl tetrahydrofolate which I believe is the same thing that's in Deplin.
>
> It can be purchased here
> http://www.luckyvitamin.com/755571010056.html
>"ActiFolate is Metagenics proprietary blend of L-5 methyl tetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF), 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate (5-formyl THF), and folic acid." http://www.luckyvitamin.com/755571010056.html
Deplin® contains 7.5 mg of L-methylfolate.http://www.deplin.com/DeplinFacts,HowItWorks
There's another product called Metanx that has 2.8 mg of L-methylfolate. http://www.metanx.com/SuperiorBioavailability.
Cerefolin has 5.2 mg of methylfolate. http://www.cerefolin.com/Lmethylfolate
Apparently Source Naturals once sold Methylfolate but then Merck made it prescription only. See this discussion: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=17913
All of those drug sites above compare methylfolate with folic acid, not a product like the Metagenics one which is farther along the pathway that ends with "methylfolate" than folic acid itself, if I understand their diagrams correctly. It's not clear to me if the Metagenics product is equivalent to methylfolate or is one step removed. Looks to me like the latter, but the only option other than prescription that may be more effective than plain old folic acid.
I've never heard of this stuff before and think I may try the Metagenics Actifolate.
Thanks for the topic!
JL
Posted by JLx on January 21, 2008, at 20:54:07
In reply to Re: Deplin substitute » d0pamine, posted by JLx on January 21, 2008, at 20:31:08
Ok, according to the Metagenics website, http://www.metagenics.com/products/detail.asp?pid=226
L-5-methyl tetrahydrofolate IS Metafolin which is Merck's brand name for L-methyfolate.So the Metagenics product is the same as the prescription products, but without knowing the exact dose, since the Metafolin is lumped into the label of Folate, 800 mcg. Maybe there's very little, no where near equivalent to the drugs. Perhaps that is how they are able to sell it without prescription.
But I also wonder if it's only a matter of time before this product is as unavailable as the Source Naturals one is now.
JL
Posted by Darwin on January 22, 2008, at 5:56:00
In reply to Deplin substitute, posted by Cecilia on January 20, 2008, at 23:20:11
Source Naturals now produces a product called "MegaFolinic". Each capsule contains 800 mcg of folinic acid. Folinic acid is just one step away from becoming l-methylfolate (Deplin) and, for most people, is easily converted to l-methylfolate in the small intestine with high efficiency. No prescription is required for "MegaFolinic" and it is reasonably priced. I bought my supply at "iherb.com".
Posted by Cecilia on January 23, 2008, at 2:15:58
In reply to Re: Deplin substitute » d0pamine, posted by JLx on January 21, 2008, at 20:31:08
From the Metanx and Cerefolin websites, it looks like both are this crazy prescription only "medical food". Big Pharma has definitely figured out a new way to make money! Cecilia
Posted by JayBTV2 on January 24, 2008, at 9:00:38
In reply to Re: Deplin substitute, posted by Cecilia on January 23, 2008, at 2:15:58
Recent article on this subject:
http://www.psychweekly.com/aspx/article/articledetail.aspx?articleid=662
Posted by JLx on January 25, 2008, at 21:41:14
In reply to Re: Deplin substitute, posted by JayBTV2 on January 24, 2008, at 9:00:38
> Recent article on this subject:
>
> http://www.psychweekly.com/aspx/article/articledetail.aspx?articleid=662The comparison being made is between methylfolate and folic acid. What about the other products? How do they compare to methylfolate?
What is the difference between folinic acid, such as the Source Naturals product someone mentioned, and folic acid? Folinic acid and methylfolate?
What is the difference between methylfolate and "L-5-MTHF" which Metagenics says is "a body-ready, nature identical folate that will not mask B12 deficiency and is the only folate that crosses the blood-brain barrier"?
I think the drug companies are starting to sniff out additional profit to be made in changing am alt med substance just enough to be able to patent it and sell it by prescription only (and thereby reassuring people who trust the medical establishment). They've done this with fish oil, of all things with Omacor. The question is, how necessary is it? What is the real difference?
When it comes to Omacor, the difference is nil. It's just fish oil, albeit concentrated and at a hugely inflated price.
JL
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Alternative | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.