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Folate

Meaning

Folate is the generic term for a group of water-soluble B vitamins, specifically Vitamin B9, which are essential cofactors in numerous critical one-carbon transfer reactions within human physiology. Its active, metabolically usable form is tetrahydrofolate, crucial for the synthesis of nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA and RNA, and for the proper metabolism of amino acids. Adequate folate status is vital for cell division, tissue growth, and the prevention of megaloblastic anemia and certain birth defects.