In brief. Quatrefolic® is a branded folate source based on the glucosamine salt of (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-MTHF). Its European regulatory status is specific: the substance was authorized in 2014 as a novel food ingredient, then added in 2015 to the forms of folate permitted for use in food supplements. Eclo evidence rating: documented chemical identity and regulatory status; this authorization is neither approval of the clinical efficacy of Quatrefolic® nor proof of superiority over other forms of vitamin B9.

Folate, folic acid and 5-MTHF: what is the difference?

“Folate” refers to vitamin B9 and its forms. Folic acid is a widely used synthetic form; 5-MTHF is a reduced form of folate present in human metabolism. Quatrefolic® supplies (6S)-5-MTHF as a glucosamine salt.

Calling it “active folate” can identify the chemical form, but becomes misleading if it suggests that folic acid is nutritionally “inactive” or that everyone needs 5-MTHF.

What exactly is its European regulatory status?

Commission Implementing Decision 2014/154/EU authorized the placing on the market of (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, glucosamine salt, as a novel food ingredient. Regulation (EU) 2015/414 subsequently added it to Annex II of Directive 2002/46/EC among the forms of folate permitted in food supplements.

The 2015 regulation also notes that EFSA had considered the use of the substance as a source of folate in food supplements not to raise safety concerns under the conditions assessed.

The regulatory text concerns the authorized substance, not a marketing promise made by the Quatrefolic® brand.

What does “active form” mean?

5-MTHF participates directly in folate metabolism. For Eclo, the main value of naming the form is transparency. This precision does not diagnose an individual need and does not mean that someone with an MTHFR variant must use Quatrefolic®.

Which claims apply to folate?

When regulatory conditions are met, folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism, normal psychological function, reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal function of the immune system and the process of cell division, among other authorized functions.

These claims concern the nutrient folate. They do not prove clinical superiority of Quatrefolic® and are not a study of Eclo products.

Quatrefolic® at Eclo

Eclo uses Quatrefolic® as a source of vitamin B9 in formulas such as Régénère™ and Ressource™. For Régénère™, the reference composition provides 30 µg of vitamin B9, or 15% NRV per daily dose. The current regulatory label of the product remains the reference.

MTHFR: what can and cannot be said

MTHFR variants influence certain steps in folate metabolism, but their significance depends on context. A brand should not turn a common polymorphism into a diagnosis of “poor methylation” or an implicit prescription for a particular B9 form.

What we know — and what it does not allow us to conclude

• Documented: Quatrefolic® is the glucosamine salt of (6S)-5-MTHF.
• Regulatory: the substance was authorized as a novel ingredient in 2014 and as a folate source for supplements in 2015.
• Do not extrapolate: regulatory authorization does not mean clinical superiority.
• Do not extrapolate: “active form” does not mean necessary for every person.
• Do not confuse: folate claims and a clinical study of a finished product.

Frequently asked questions

Is Quatrefolic® 5-MTHF?

Yes. It supplies (6S)-5-MTHF as a glucosamine salt.

Has the European Union approved its “efficacy”?

No. The 2014 and 2015 texts concern authorization of the substance as an ingredient/source of folate.

Is 5-MTHF necessarily superior to folic acid?

Not universally demonstrated. It depends on the question, population and endpoint studied.

Does an MTHFR variant mean someone should take Quatrefolic®?

No, not on that fact alone. An individual decision depends on clinical and nutritional context.

Sources

• [Regulation] Commission Implementing Decision 2014/154/EU
• [Regulation] Regulation (EU) 2015/414
• [Manufacturer] Gnosis by Lesaffre — Quatrefolic® identity
• [Regulation] EU Regulation No 432/2012 — authorized health claims

Read next

Vitamin B6 P-5-P and B12 methylcobalamin · Understanding doses · Régénère™ · Ressource™

Method note: the regulatory status of a source, an authorized nutrient claim and the clinical efficacy of a product are three different levels.

Last scientific review: 27 August 2026.