Side-by-Side Comparison
Essential Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamin B9 (Folate & Folic Acid) vs. Zinc (Elemental Zn)
Comparing 2 standards across 9 specifications. 9 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Vitamin B9 (Folate & Folic Acid)
Zinc (Elemental Zn)
Vitamin B9 comprises natural dietary folates (polyglutamates) and synthetic folic acid (monoglutamate). Adult RDA is 400 µg DFE, with a Tolerable Upper Limit of 1,000 µg/day synthetic folic acid, essential as a single-carbon donor in thymidylate DNA synthesis and neural tube closure.
Zinc is an essential trace mineral serving as a structural component in over 2,000 transcription factor 'zinc finger' proteins and catalytic cofactor for 300+ enzymes. Adult RDA is 11mg (men) / 8mg (women), with a Tolerable Upper Limit of 40mg/day.
Specification Comparison Table
9 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Nutrient Type
|
Water-Soluble Pteroylglutamate Vitamin | Essential Trace Mineral |
|
Adult RDA / RDI
|
400 µg DFE / day (600 µg DFE pregnancy / prevents neural tube defects) | 11 mg / day (Men) / 8 mg / day (Women) |
|
Tolerable Upper Limit (UL)
|
1,000 µg / day (Synthetic folic acid only; masks B12 deficiency neuropathy) | 40 mg / day (Chronic excess induces copper deficiency) |
|
Chemical Forms
|
(6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF, active circulating form), Tetrahydrofolate (THF), Folic Acid (Pteroylmonoglutamic acid, synthetic) | Zinc Picolinate, Bisglycinate, Gluconate, Sulfate, Oxide |
|
Primary Biological Function
|
1-Carbon transfer reactions, dUMP -> dTMP methylation (Thymidine DNA synthesis), Methionine-Homocysteine cycle, Erythropoiesis | Zinc finger DNA transcription factors, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1), Carbonic anhydrase, Testosterone synthesis, Phagocytosis |
|
Deficiency Condition
|
Neural Tube Defects (Spina bifida, anencephaly in fetuses), Megaloblastic Macrocytic Anemia, Elevated Homocysteine | Impaired immunity, Hypogonadism, Delayed wound healing, Alopecia, Loss of taste/smell (Anosmia/Ageusia) |
|
Top Whole Food Sources
|
Beef Liver, Spinach, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Roman Lentils, Chickpeas, Fortified Flours | Eastern Oysters, Beef Chuck, Crab, Pumpkin Seeds, Hemp Hearts, Chickpeas |
|
MTHFR Genetic Polymorphism
|
Homozygous MTHFR C677T variant reduces folate reduction activity by ~70%, benefiting from direct 5-MTHF supplementation | — |
|
Copper Balance Warning
|
— | High zinc stimulates intestinal metallothionein which binds copper, risking microcytic anemia if copper is unsupplemented |
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