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NOW Foods Methyl Folate 1,000 mcg Review

Updated Jul 13, 2026 · Felix Hesse · Verified by SAC team

NOW Foods Methyl Folate 1,000 mcg — productSAC Studio
Best High-Dose Active FolateCONSIDER
6/10SAC Product Score™
How the score breaks downHide breakdown
SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
  • Form & Evidence Base30%6.1
  • Dose vs Clinical Target25%5.0
  • Third-Party Testing & Purity20%6.0
  • Tolerability & Safety15%7.0
  • Value10%6.5

Value high-dose methylfolate for a niche need

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Buy if…
  • Bioidentical L-5-MTHF, no conversion required
  • Good value for a 1 mg active-folate dose
Skip if…
  • 1,000 mcg exceeds the 400–800 mcg prenatal target
  • Active form lacks NTD-prevention evidence, and testing is self-attested
Read the full analysis
Also buy if…
  • Vegetarian, non-GMO and kosher

NOW's methyl folate delivers 1,000 mcg (1,700 mcg DFE) of L-5-MTHF at a friendly price for a high-dose active folate. For someone specifically directed to a higher active-folate intake who also wants value, it makes sense. But it stacks two of our downgrades at once: a dose well above the 400–800 mcg prenatal target, and the active form's absence of NTD-prevention trials.

It is well-made value within its niche, but that niche is narrow. Most women need neither 1 mg nor methylfolate, and this product offers both.

Read the complete Folate guide →See the full ranking
Best Folate Supplements
▸ THE SCORE

How we built the SAC Product Score™ — 6/10

Form & Evidence Base30%6.1/10

Methylfolate lacks NTD-prevention trials; a high dose does not create evidence that isn't there. The form is bioidentical L-5-MTHF, conversion-free and well-absorbed.

Dose vs Clinical Target25%5/10

1,000 mcg is well above the 400–800 mcg target — more than most women need without a specific reason.

Third-Party Testing & Purity20%6/10

GMP Quality Assured and non-GMO, but self-attested rather than independently verified.

Tolerability & Safety15%7/10

Vegetarian, non-GMO and kosher in a convenient tablet format, but 1,000 mcg is more than most women need without a specific reason.

Value10%6.5/10

About $14 for 90 tablets — good value for a 1 mg methylfolate, if you actually need 1 mg.

▸ SPECS

The product at a glance

Form
L-5-MTHF tablet
Dose
1,000 mcg (1,700 mcg DFE) L-5-MTHF
Count
90 tablets
Testing / Certification
Non-GMO, Vegetarian, Kosher, GMP Quality Assured
Cost per dose
~$0.16 per tablet
▸ TRUTH CHECK

Marketing claims vs. reality

Not verified

“1,000 mcg active folate is needed for MTHFR carriers”

Standard 400–800 mcg doses of active folate normalize folate status in MTHFR carriers (PMID 19917061); routine 1,000 mcg intake is not established as necessary.

Not verified

“High-dose methylfolate improves pregnancy outcomes”

No randomized trial demonstrates that 1 mg methylfolate prevents more NTDs or improves outcomes over the standard folic acid dose.

▸ THE DEEP DIVE

What our test actually found

01Correction: DFE conversion on the label

An earlier version of this review said this product delivers 1,000 mcg (1,667 mcg DFE) of L-5-MTHF. The Supplement Facts panel reads 1,700 mcg DFE (1,000 mcg (6S)-5-MTHF from Quatrefolic). We re-read the label on Sep 7, 2026 and corrected the DFE figure in the lead and specs.

02Two downgrades in one product

It is both above the target dose and in the unproven-for-NTD form. Either alone is a caveat; together they place it near the bottom despite fair pricing.

03Good value only if you need this specific product

For the narrow group directed to high-dose active folate, the price is attractive. For everyone else, cheaper and evidence-proven options exist.

▸ THE TRADE-OFFS

Pros & cons, no sugar-coating

Pros
  • Bioidentical L-5-MTHF, no conversion required
  • Good value for a 1 mg active-folate dose
  • Vegetarian, non-GMO and kosher
  • Convenient tablet format
  • 90-count bottle for a three-month supply
Cons
  • 1,000 mcg exceeds the 400–800 mcg prenatal target
  • Active form lacks NTD-prevention evidence, and testing is self-attested
▸ THE BOTTOM LINE

Niche high-dose value, not a general pick

This is a fine, affordable high-dose methylfolate for the narrow case where someone genuinely needs 1 mg of active folate. But it combines an above-target dose with a form that has no NTD-prevention data, so it ranks near the bottom. Most women should choose a 400 mcg folic acid tablet instead.

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▸ ALTERNATIVES

If this doesn’t fit — try these

Thorne 5-MTHF 1 mg

6.6/10

Same 1 mg active dose with rigorous third-party testing if you want clinician-grade quality

See it on the list →

Nature Made Folic Acid 400 mcg

8.4/10

The proven form at the right dose, USP Verified, for less

See it on the list →
▸ RESEARCH

Sources & further reading

  1. Prinz-Langenohl R, Brämswig S, Tobolski O, et al. [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate increases plasma folate more effectively than folic acid in women with the 677C→T MTHFR polymorphism. Br J Pharmacol. 2009;158(8):2014-21.Prinz-Langenohl R, Brämswig S, Tobolski O, et al. · 2009 · British Journal of Pharmacology · PMID 19917061

    [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate increases plasma folate more effectively than folic acid in women with the 677C→T MTHFR polymorphism

    Standard doses of 5-MTHF normalized plasma folate in MTHFR carriers; high doses not required.

  2. MRC Vitamin Study Research Group. Prevention of neural tube defects: results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study. Lancet. 1991;338(8760):131-7.MRC Vitamin Study Research Group · 1991 · Lancet · PMID 1677062

    Prevention of neural tube defects: results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study

    Folic acid — not methylfolate — was the form proven to prevent neural-tube defects.