Key takeaways
- Folate is one of the B-group vitamins. Your body needs it for healthy cell growth and function, and it helps make red blood cells.
- Folic acid is the fully oxidised monoglutamate form used in fortified foods and most dietary supplements. Some supplements instead use the monoglutamyl form 5-MTHF, also called L-5-MTHF, 5-methyl-folate, L-methylfolate and methylfolate. 5-MTHF is the metabolically active form of vitamin B9.
- Hoola uses levomefolate glucosamine at 89 mcg per gram, which is 890 mcg in the 10 g daily serve.
- Folate sits with B6 and B12 in one balanced daily dose. "Hoola is designed as a single, balanced daily dose, not a collection of separate supplements."
- One 10 g scoop in cold water each morning. Benefits build on consistency, not on a bigger dose.
What is folate, and what does vitamin B9 do in your body?
Folate is a B-group vitamin your body needs to grow and develop. Think of it as the site foreman on your cell production line. Nothing gets built without it.
Folate is the commonly used group name for folic acid (pteroyl glutamic acid, or PGA) and its derivatives with similar activity. It is needed for healthy cell growth and function. It helps the body make red blood cells.
The mechanism is quiet and constant. Folate functions as a coenzyme in single-carbon transfers in the metabolism of nucleotides and amino acids. Another folate-dependent reaction, the methylation of deoxyuridylate to thymidylate in the formation of DNA, is required for proper cell division. Cells divide. Red blood cells get made. You get on with your day.
Where does folate fit into a day that already feels loud?
Folate does the background work while your day does the shouting. Your body needs folate to grow and develop. It is also important for the growth and development of cells.
Wired but tired. Days that feel heavy before they begin. That is usually a stack of small things, not one big one, and a steady nutrient base is one of the small things you can actually control. Hoola sits at the intersection of calm and capability, and it is built to support "calm clarity, clean energy, and emotional steadiness, helping you feel bright, capable, and ready every day."
Folate is part of that base. The Emotional Balance Daily side of the formula "supports nervous system health and stress response for a calmer, steadier day." Folate handles cells and red blood cells while the rest of the scoop handles the noise.
What form and dose of folate is in one Hoola scoop?
Levomefolate glucosamine. 89 mcg per gram. 890 mcg in the 10 g serve. That is 0.89 mg.
No proprietary blends. Doses disclosed. Every per-serve figure is the per-gram figure times ten, and both are published. The certificate lists all 27 active ingredients with exact quantities per gram, and anyone can look up AUST L 508472 on the public ARTG register and check every number. As we put it in our FAQ, "we provide full formula transparency, including dosages of all functional ingredients, nothing to hide."
If micrograms make your eyes glaze: biotin 3,000 mcg = 3 mg. Folate 890 mcg = 0.89 mg. Chromium 400 mcg = 0.4 mg. Potassium iodide 200 mcg = 0.2 mg. Selenomethionine 150 mcg = 0.15 mg. Molybdenum 80 mcg = 0.08 mg. Vitamin B12 50 mcg = 0.05 mg. Vitamin K2 50 mcg = 0.05 mg. Vitamin K1 90 mcg = 0.09 mg. Vitamin D3 25 mcg = 0.025 mg, which is 1,000 IU.
Our aim with the whole formula is to be "transparent with ingredients being delivered at clinically efficacious dosages."
Why levomefolate instead of folic acid?
Because the active form arrives ready to work. Hoola uses active B forms: pyridoxal 5-phosphate (B6), levomefolate (folate), mecobalamin (B12) and riboflavin sodium phosphate (B2), "so they are ready for the body to use without additional conversion steps."
The distinction matters. Folic acid is the form made in labs. It is the fully oxidised monoglutamate form of the vitamin used in fortified foods and most dietary supplements. Your body uses folate and folic acid in different ways. Food folates are in the tetrahydrofolate (THF) form and usually have additional glutamate residues, making them polyglutamates. Folic acid is more easily absorbed than folate.
Some dietary supplements use the monoglutamyl form, 5-MTHF, also known as L-5-MTHF, 5-methyl-folate, L-methylfolate and methylfolate. 5-MTHF is the metabolically active form of vitamin B9 and may be a superior form for supplementation.
That is the thinking behind our whole mineral and vitamin selection. "Hoola uses active and bioavailable forms wherever possible, in line with Australian quality manufacturing standards." Small ingredients. Big job. We would rather they work with you than pass through you.
How does folate work with the other 26 ingredients?
Folate is not flying solo. It sits in an active B-complex that supports normal energy metabolism and the conversion of food into usable energy, supports the nervous system, supports healthy red blood cell formation (B6, B12, folate), supports cognitive performance, and supports healthy skin, hair and nails (biotin, B2, B3).
Folate and B12 work the same reaction from different seats. Folate is a substrate and vitamin B12 is a coenzyme for the formation of MTHF that depends on the regeneration of THF, the parent compound in the homocysteine-to-methionine conversion. Which is exactly why the label groups B6, B12 and folate together for red blood cell formation.
The rest of the squad is doing its own work: ashwagandha on the stress response, Bacopa on memory, Reishi on sleep and relaxation, Cordyceps and Korean ginseng on natural energy, enXtra on sustained focus. The Public Summary lists nine support areas: energy, stress response, cognition and memory, sleep, emotional wellness, immune, muscle performance, digestive, cardiovascular. "Hoola is designed as a single, balanced daily dose, not a collection of separate supplements," and the value "sits in how the ingredients work together." That is Bright Performance Nutrition: calm clarity plus energised performance, so you feel brighter, think clearer, and handle more with ease.
Who tends to fall short on folate?
Women, more often than men. Roughly 9% of women do not meet the dietary requirements for folate, compared to 2% of men.
Cooking is part of the story. Folate dissolves in water and can be easily destroyed by cooking. The food sources are the ones that get skipped on a busy week: dark green leafy vegetables including kale, spinach, broccoli and lettuce, plus brown rice. Folate is also found in fruits and grains.
So the pattern is familiar. Juggling deadlines, emails, workouts, and, oh yes... life. Salad on Sunday, toast on Thursday. A daily multivitamin is a floor under that, and one of Hoola's ARTG claims is to help prevent dietary vitamin and mineral deficiency. It suits "someone looking to support their body and mind with a premium multivitamin, looking to get more out of life, more balance, more adventure, more support."
How do you take folate as part of a daily scoop?
Mix one 10 g scoop into 300-400 ml of cold water, each morning. That is it. The label directions say 350-400 ml.
There is no half serve, no double serve and no weekly total. Hoola is one 10 g scoop a day. Take it in the morning or early afternoon, and avoid it close to bedtime because of the caffeine.
Then give it time. Consistency over intensity: "Most of our customers feel the biggest benefits with consistency." Adaptogens "may take 4-6 weeks for their full benefits." The 150 g pouch is two weeks, so start there and see how you feel. "Turn Up the Brightness is Hoola's invitation to feel clearer, steadier, and more energised in everyday life." You can start with a pouch or read more on the blog.
Frequently asked questions
What is a folate supplement good for?
Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a type of B vitamin your body uses to make healthy blood cells and support your nervous system. It plays a crucial role in cell growth and DNA formation. It serves many critical functions in the human body, including many detoxification processes, the formation of DNA, and cell growth. In Hoola, folate sits alongside B6 and B12 to support healthy red blood cell formation.
Which form of folate should you look for in a supplement?
Look for the active form, 5-MTHF, which is the metabolically active form of vitamin B9 and may be a superior form for supplementation. There are various forms of folic acid used in products throughout Australia. Food folates are hydrolysed to monoglutamate forms in the gut to allow their absorption across the intestine. Hoola uses levomefolate glucosamine at 890 mcg per 10 g serve, so it is ready for the body to use without additional conversion steps.
What is the difference between folate and folic acid?
Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate. Folate is the naturally occurring form, and the human-made form of folate is folic acid. Folate is called "folic acid" when it comes in the form of a food additive or supplement.
Which vitamin is folate?
Folate is vitamin B9. Vitamin B9 is an essential nutrient that naturally occurs as folate. Folate (vitamin B9) is a B-group vitamin needed for healthy growth and development.
How much folate do adults need each day?
400 micrograms (mcg) a day. That is the daily recommended intake for teens and adults. One 10 g Hoola scoop delivers 890 mcg of levomefolate glucosamine.
What does a natural folate supplement mean?
Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9. It is found naturally in foods, but you can also take it as folic acid in supplements. It is known as "folate" when it is found naturally in food, such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, and legumes.
Is 'folate acid' the same thing as folic acid?
Folate is the group name, folic acid is one member of that group. Folate, formerly known as folacin and sometimes vitamin B9, is the generic term for naturally occurring food folates and folates in dietary supplements and fortified foods, including folic acid. Folate is the commonly used group name for folic acid (pteroyl glutamic acid, or PGA) and its derivatives with similar activity.
Why does the body need a regular folate intake?
Because cells cannot divide without it. Folate is essential for the formation of thymidylate (TMP) for DNA synthesis, so that without folate, living cells cannot divide. Folate functions as a coenzyme or cosubstrate in single-carbon transfers in the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and metabolism of amino acids.
Why are folate and vitamin B12 usually listed together?
They share a reaction. One of the most important folate-dependent reactions is the conversion of homocysteine to methionine in the synthesis of S-adenosyl-methionine, an important methyl donor. On the Hoola label, levomefolate glucosamine at 890 mcg per serve and mecobalamin (vitamin B12) at 50 mcg per serve both sit under support healthy red blood cell formation (B6, B12, folate), with pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (vitamin B6) at 15.7 mg per serve.
Which foods contain folate?
Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, peas and nuts, mainly. Fruits rich in folate include oranges, bananas, melons and papayas. You get folate from foods such as dark leafy greens, beans, peas, nuts, and those fruits.
What is vitamin B9?
Vitamin B9 is folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Its name comes from the Latin word "folium", which means leaf.
What is folic acid?
Folic acid is the lab-made form of folate. It is in many fortified foods, such as cereals and pastas. It is called "folic acid" when it is added to food, such as bread and breakfast cereals, or used in dietary supplements.
Where does vitamin B9 come from, food or supplements?
Both. Folate is found naturally in foods, and it is known as "folic acid" when it is added to food, such as bread and breakfast cereals, or used in dietary supplements. It can also be found in some breakfast cereals. Hoola delivers it as levomefolate glucosamine, 890 mcg in the daily 10 g scoop.
Do you still need a folate supplement in Australia if bread is fortified?
Fortified bread contributes, but it is only part of the picture. In Australia, wheat flour used for bread-making is fortified with folic acid and has been since 2009 as mandated by the government. Three slices of bread (100 g) contain an average of 120 micrograms of folic acid. You can check the food label of any bread product made in Australia to see if it contains folic acid, sometimes listed as folate, in the ingredients. The daily recommended intake for adults is 400 mcg.
What is folate used for in adults?
Red blood cells, first. Folate assists in healthy red blood cell production, while supporting general health and wellbeing. It is also involved in purine synthesis, in the generation of formate and in amino acid interconversions. One scoop. One glass of cold water. Folate, B6 and B12 doing the quiet work while you get on with the day.
Always read the label and follow directions for use.
