Holland & Barrett
Folic Acid 400ug Tablets
7.7/10 overallAround £2 for 90 tablets
Plain 400mcg folic acid tablets — the specific NHS-recommended dose for anyone trying to conceive, at the lowest price in the category.
The NHS's actual recommendation for anyone trying to conceive is simple: 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, ideally starting before you start trying and continuing until 12 weeks pregnant. This product is exactly that, without any of the additional ingredients found in Pregnacare Conception, Zita West or Conceive Plus's formulas already in this category — which makes it the cheapest way to meet the one piece of conception supplementation advice that has strong, direct NHS backing.
The honest trade-off: the multi-ingredient products in this category include additional nutrients (zinc, selenium, CoQ10, vitamin D) that may offer some general health benefit but don't have the same specific NHS conception guidance behind them. If budget is a genuine constraint, this alone meets the core recommendation; if you'd like broader nutritional coverage as well, one of the fuller formulas is worth the extra cost.
What we liked
- Meets the exact NHS-recommended dose for trying to conceive
- Lowest cost by a wide margin in the category
- No unnecessary extra ingredients to consider
Where it falls short
- No additional nutrients like zinc, vitamin D or CoQ10
- Doesn't cover general pregnancy-prep nutrition beyond folic acid
- Separate vitamin D supplement recommended alongside, per NHS guidance
Specs
- Dosage
- One tablet daily
- Format
- Small tablet
- Dietary
- Vegan, gluten-free
- Folic acid
- 400mcg (NHS-recommended dose)
- Additional actives
- None
How we scored it
Nutrient Completeness
Coverage of folic acid, zinc, vitamin D and other conception-relevant nutrients at recommended doses.
Covers exactly the NHS-recommended folic acid dose, nothing beyond it.
Tolerability
How easy the supplement is to take and digest without side effects.
Single-ingredient tablet, minimal risk of digestive complaints.
Value for Money
Cost per month relative to what you get.
Lowest cost in the category by a wide margin for the one nutrient with direct NHS backing.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
The alternative
Pregnacare
Conception Vitamin & Mineral Tablets
The UK's best-selling conception supplement — 400mcg folic acid plus zinc and vitamin D for both partners trying to conceive.