Folic Acid 800 mcg (1333 mcg DFE) by Pure Encapsulations

Pure Encapsulations Folic Acid provides 800 mcg of folic acid in one capsule a day. (The label also lists it as 1,333 mcg DFE, or dietary folate equivalents, the unit US labels use.) Folic acid is the form of vitamin B9 that US preventive care guidelines recommend for anyone planning or able to become pregnant: 400 to 800 mcg a day, starting at least a month before trying to conceive and continuing through the first 2 to 3 months of pregnancy.

Why the timing matters: a baby's brain and spinal cord form in the first weeks of pregnancy, often before a pregnancy is known. Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord birth defect (doctors call these neural tube defects), which is why folic acid is started before trying, not after a positive test.

Folic acid is the form used in the studies behind that guidance. Other forms, such as methylfolate, also raise folate levels, but no study has shown that they lower the risk of these birth defects, so folic acid is the evidence-based choice before and in early pregnancy.

How to take it: one capsule a day with a meal. If you already take a prenatal vitamin, check its label first: look for the folic acid amount in parentheses after "Folate". If it shows 400 mcg or more of folic acid, you don't need this as well. If it lists only methylfolate, ask your doctor whether to add folic acid, the form the guidelines are based on.

Anyone planning a pregnancy should check in with a health care provider. If you've had a pregnancy affected by a brain or spinal cord birth defect, talk to your doctor before starting, because a much higher dose is often recommended.

Good to know: 1,000 mcg a day or more can hide a vitamin B12 deficiency, so stay at the recommended dose unless your doctor advises otherwise, and ask about checking B12 if you're vegan. Check with your doctor if you take methotrexate or an anti-seizure medicine, as folic acid can interact with them.