From Gut Microbes to Micronutrients: Probiotics’ Role in Folate Status

Based on estimates of nutrient intake from food (excluding fortification and supplementation), more than 4 billion people do not consume enough folate (54%). 

Can Probiotics Help Reduce Folate Deficiency?

This PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) – guided systematic review consolidates evidence from 27 studies selected from more than 2,700 scientific articles, revealing the promising role of probiotics as a natural source of folate. 

The analysis reveals that administering single-, double-, and multi-strain probiotic formulations produces strain-specific effects on folate levels, homocysteine reduction, and anemia-related hematological parameters. 

While the impact varies by strain, the evidence shows that probiotic microorganisms can produce highly bioavailable folate and enhance the absorption of essential micronutrients, providing valuable support in cases of nutritional deficiency. 

Probiotics and Folate: A Promising Nutritional Strategy

Folate deficiency remains a major global health concern, affecting over 40% of the population in many countries. Because humans cannot synthesize folate, numerous mandatory folate fortification programs have been implemented in food products as an attempt to mitigate folate deficiency.  

Growing research is turning into probiotics. These beneficial bacteria are capable of naturally producing folate directly in the colon, offering a form that is more easily absorbed than folate. This is especially helpful for individuals with genetic variations that impair folate metabolism. 

According to the authors, this discovery could lead to the creation of functional foods enriched with folate-producing probiotics.  

These products can complement existing fortification efforts to naturally increase folate levels and help mitigate health issues associated with deficiencies, such as anemia and hyperhomocysteinemia.