Get tested with Superpower

If you’ve been postponing blood testing for years or feel frustrated by doctor appointments and limited lab panels, you are not alone. Standard healthcare is often reactive, focusing on testing only after symptoms appear or leaving patients in the dark.

Superpower flips that approach. We give you full insight into your body with over 100 biomarkers, personalized action plans, long-term tracking, and answers to your questions, so you can stay ahead of any health issues.

With physician-reviewed results, CLIA-certified labs, and the option for at-home blood draws, Superpower is designed for people who want clarity, convenience, and real accountability - all in one place.

Key benefits of Folate, RBC testing

• Measures folate stored inside red blood cells over the past 2–3 months.
• Spots long-term folate deficiency before anemia or nerve damage develops.
• Explains fatigue, weakness, or memory issues linked to low folate stores.
• Guides supplementation to correct deficiency and prevent complications.
• Protects fertility and supports healthy fetal development during pregnancy planning.
• Tracks whether dietary changes or supplements are rebuilding your folate reserves.
• Best interpreted with vitamin B12 and complete blood count for full picture.

What is Folate, RBC?

Red blood cell (RBC) folate measures the amount of folate stored inside your red blood cells. Unlike serum folate, which fluctuates with recent dietary intake, RBC folate reflects your body's folate status over the past two to three months - the lifespan of a red blood cell.

Folate is a B vitamin (B9) essential for building and repairing DNA, the genetic blueprint in every cell. Your body cannot make folate, so it must come from food or supplements.

A window into long-term folate reserves

RBC folate is considered a more stable and reliable indicator of tissue folate levels than a simple blood test. It shows whether your cells have had enough folate available during the time those red blood cells were forming in your bone marrow.

Why folate matters for cell division

Folate is critical whenever cells divide rapidly - during growth, pregnancy, and the constant renewal of blood cells. Without adequate folate, DNA synthesis falters, leading to larger, immature red blood cells and impaired oxygen delivery throughout the body.

Why is Folate, RBC important?

Red blood cell folate measures the long-term folate stored inside your red blood cells, offering a window into your body's three-month folate status. Unlike serum folate, which fluctuates with recent meals, RBC folate reflects how well your cells have been supplied with this essential B vitamin needed for DNA synthesis, cell division, and nervous system integrity. It's the gold standard for assessing true folate sufficiency across your bone marrow, brain, and cardiovascular systems.

Your cells can't divide without it

When RBC folate drops below the normal range, your bone marrow struggles to produce healthy red blood cells, leading to megaloblastic anemia with large, immature cells that can't carry oxygen efficiently. You may feel profoundly fatigued, weak, and mentally foggy. Pregnant women with low levels face heightened risk of neural tube defects in their developing babies, while anyone deficient may experience mood changes, neuropathy, and elevated homocysteine that threatens heart and brain health over time.

Too much folate rarely causes harm directly

Elevated RBC folate typically reflects supplementation or fortified food intake and rarely signals disease. However, very high levels can mask vitamin B12 deficiency, allowing neurological damage to progress silently.

The long view on cell health

RBC folate connects DNA integrity to lifelong vitality. Adequate levels support healthy aging, cognitive function, and cardiovascular resilience, while deficiency accelerates cellular aging and disease risk across multiple organ systems.

What do my Folate, RBC results mean?

Low red blood cell folate

Low values usually reflect depleted tissue folate stores, often from inadequate dietary intake, malabsorption in the small intestine, or increased demand during pregnancy and rapid cell turnover. This depletion impairs DNA synthesis and red blood cell production, leading to macrocytic anemia where cells become abnormally large and fewer in number. It also disrupts methylation pathways that regulate neurotransmitter production, homocysteine metabolism, and gene expression, which can affect mood, cognition, and cardiovascular health. Women of childbearing age with low folate face increased risk of neural tube defects in early pregnancy.

Optimal red blood cell folate

Being in range suggests adequate tissue folate stores to support normal red blood cell maturation, DNA synthesis, and methylation reactions throughout the body. RBC folate reflects longer-term status over the lifespan of red cells, typically two to three months, making it more stable than serum folate. Optimal values generally sit in the mid to upper portion of the reference range.

High red blood cell folate

High values usually reflect recent or ongoing supplementation with folic acid, the synthetic form used in fortified foods and supplements. Excessive intake may mask vitamin B12 deficiency by partially correcting anemia while allowing neurological damage to progress undetected.

Factors that influence results

Interpretation depends on supplementation history, dietary patterns, and concurrent B12 status, as both vitamins work together in methylation and red cell production.