News Details

Leucovorin is one of the active, bioavailable forms of vitamin B9, and it is used to support and enhance folate pathways in the brain. It is typically used when a folate receptor disorder such as FRAA is present, or in cases of cerebral folate deficiency.

Methylfolate is also an active form of vitamin B9, but it is the final form that folate is converted into inside the body before performing its essential biological function, and this form is often the most suitable for these children.

The main roles of methylfolate revolve around several essential points:

1. Supporting the production of key neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

2. Activating the methylation cycle, which helps enhance detoxification, cellular repair, and mitochondrial function (the cell’s energy production centers). Any dysfunction or imbalance in the methylation system increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior, sleep disturbances, poor attention, non-purposeful hyperactivity, unproductive repetitive movements, and elevated homocysteine levels.

3. It is extremely important for brain growth, development, and the formation of neuronal synaptic connections. These connections play a major role in improving language and behavior development in autistic children—which is something I always highlight due to its strong influence on communication and learning progression.

Now, the first question that may come to your mind as a caregiver is: How can I know if my child really needs methylfolate?
The answer starts with observing symptoms first, then confirming through genetic testing. The most important and common MTHFR mutations are C677T and A1298C, as they are the most prevalent and tend to have a strong influence on the symptoms explained earlier.
If advanced genetic testing or large laboratory services are not available nearby, a homocysteine blood test can still be used. If homocysteine levels are elevated and exceed 10–12 µmol/L, this is often a sign of weakness or dysfunction in the methylation pathway.

When starting any intervention that supports these pathways—especially what best suits the child’s biological needs, whether using leucovorin or methylfolate—some temporary uncomfortable symptoms may appear. As a result, parents become hesitant to continue treatment. But what is really happening is the activation of a long-dormant methylation system that has been stagnant for extended periods of time.

After starting leucovorin or methylfolate, mitochondrial energy production centers begin receiving support, and the child may temporarily experience excess activity, irritability, heightened sensitivity, or sudden unexplained crying.
These symptoms indicate activation of the methylation process—which is responsible for supporting sleep regulation, improving the level of attention, enhancing immunity, neurotransmitter secretion (especially dopamine and serotonin), and verbal communication and social engagement skills https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27752075/.

Re-activating all these biological processes after long stagnation may result in such reactions, but they typically begin to fade gradually within a short period of time.

Some solutions we can apply during this phase to help reduce these symptoms include:

• Reducing the dose of leucovorin or methylfolate.

• Giving the child Magnesium Glycinate in the evening.

• Supplementing with Omega-3 in the morning.

• Adding Vitamin D if the child is deficient.

Once the correct therapeutic balance is reached, you will begin noticing gradual improvement in sleep, focus, calmness, communication skills, and repetitive behaviors https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39243316/ —so don’t hesitate to provide your child with the opportunity to improve.

Lifestyle adjustments that support the body’s detox ability, providing clean healthy nutrition, and compensating deficiencies with high-quality vitamins and minerals all strongly enhance and multiply your child’s natural ability to progress.

Many children who were found to carry folate receptor antibodies, MTHFR gene mutations, or low MTHF-5 levels in the brain even with normal blood folate results, showed moderate to significant improvement in attention, communication skills, behavioral patterns, and repetitive stereotypical movements once they received the correct biological support https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39243316/.

What I always say to caregivers is: continue learning from trusted scientific sources and invest your time in this knowledge, because after God, you are your children’s voice, direction, and compass toward improving their physical health, neurological function, emotional regulation, and recovery journey—with God’s will and permission.