5 Benefits of Folic Acid, Plus the Dosage and Risks to Know

If you’re taking a vitamin B complicated every single day, you are seemingly properly conscious of the various advantages B nutritional vitamins have in your general well being. One in every of these important nutritional vitamins is folate (or B9), which helps your physique construct DNA, RNA, and crimson blood cells—making it essential throughout being pregnant in your child’s growth.

Whereas most individuals get sufficient folate from foods like darkish, leafy greens, beans, and nuts, it is also added to sure meals merchandise and made right into a complement referred to as folic acid—a type of folate that is extra simply absorbed by your physique, and is usually advisable in case your folate ranges are low.

Irrespective of the way you get this vitamin, it’s necessary you get sufficient of it so your physique can really feel its greatest. Right here, specialists share all of the optimistic results folic acid has in your well being, who ought to take a folic acid complement, and who ought to persist with getting folate from solely meals.

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First, how a lot folic acid do you want per day?

The common grownup ought to get 400 micrograms DFE (dietary folate equal) or 240 micrograms of folic acid from dietary supplements and fortified meals per day, in accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Tip: DFE displays the upper absorption of folic acid over folate naturally current in meals. For reference,1 microgram of folate from meals is equal to 0.6 micrograms of folic acid from dietary supplements and fortified meals.

5 well being advantages of folic acid

1. It might forestall start defects in being pregnant

Once you’re pregnant, folic acid helps your child’s neural tube—what finally turns into their mind and backbone—develop.

“Folic acid helps the manufacturing of nucleotides,” that are the fundamental constructing blocks of RNA and DNA, says William Li, MD, writer of ‌Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer‌‌. Nucleotides assist type the central nervous system in a growing embryo, he provides.‌

Which means, getting sufficient “folic acid is important for stopping main start defects of your child’s mind and backbone, often known as neural tube defects, or NTDs,” says Stephanie Hack, MD, FACOG, a board-certified OB/GYN and founding father of Lady Parts Doctor. Neural tube start defects could cause critical medical issues in infants together with:

• Cleft palate (a gap or break up within the roof of the mouth that occurs when tissue does not be a part of collectively fully)
• Spina bifida (a situation that impacts the backbone and will trigger bodily and/or mental disabilities)
• Mind injury

So how a lot folic acid do you have to take in case you’re pregnant or planning to turn out to be pregnant? “The CDC recommends taking about 400 micrograms of folic acid (or 600 micrograms DFE) every single day to assist forestall start defects,” says Dr. Hack.

Consuming naturally folate-rich meals (extra on this later) may allow you to get the quantity you want throughout being pregnant. Many breads, pastas, and cereals are fortified with folic acid, so consuming these may allow you to meet your day by day goal.

That mentioned, it’s fairly laborious to get 400 micrograms of folate by means of weight loss plan alone. That’s the place prenatal vitamins come in useful. They’re formulated with simply the correct quantity of folic acid for pregnant individuals. And in case you’re planning to turn out to be pregnant, begin taking a folic acid complement 12 weeks earlier than conceiving, says Dr. Hack. That is useful as a result of neural tube defects typically occur early in being pregnant, generally earlier than you even know you are anticipating, she provides.

“The CDC recommends taking about 400 micrograms of folic acid (or 600 DFE) every single day to stop start defects.”—Stephanie Hack, MD, OB/GYN

2. It might deal with a folate deficiency

Whereas most individuals get sufficient folate (particularly in nations just like the U.S. the place meals like cereals and pastas are fortified with folic acid), sure teams are nonetheless vulnerable to folate deficiency.

Folks with alcohol use dysfunction, inflammatory bowel illness (IBD), and celiac illness can all have decrease ranges of folic acid, per Mount Sinai. These situations can mess together with your physique’s potential to soak up sure nutritional vitamins and vitamins.

Folks with an MTHFR gene variant may be extra vulnerable to a folate deficiency. The MTHFR gene is important for making the MTHFR protein—a kind of protein that helps your physique take in folate, in accordance with the National Library of Medicine. So when you have a mutation in an MTHFR gene, your physique might not be capable to course of folate very properly.

Folks taking sure medicines may have low ranges of folic acid. Examples of medicines that may intervene together with your physique’s absorption of folate embody the next, per Mount Sinai:

• Antacids, used to deal with heartburn
• H2 blockers, used to cut back abdomen acid, together with cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), and ranitidine (Zantac)
• Proton pump inhibitors, used to cut back abdomen acid, together with someprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), and rabeprazole (Aciphex)
• Bile acid sequestrants, used to decrease ldl cholesterol, together with colestipol (Colestid), cholestyramine (Questran), and colsevelam (Welchol)
• Anti-seizure medicines, together with phenobarbital, primidone (Mysoline), and carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), together with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve)
• Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), used to deal with inflammatory bowel illness (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Triamterene (Dyrenium), a diuretic (water capsule)
• Cycloserine, an antibiotic
• Pyrimethamine (Daraprim), used to stop and deal with malaria and to deal with toxoplasmosis
• Trimethoprim, an antibiotic used to deal with urinary tract infections

What are the signs of a folic acid deficiency?

In case your folic acid ranges are missing, it will probably present up in your well being. Folic acid deficiency can result in the next, per Mount Sinai:

• Poor development (in infants and youngsters)
• Tongue irritation
• Gingivitis
• Lack of urge for food
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhea
• Irritability
• Forgetfulness
• Psychological sluggishness

3. It helps your coronary heart well being

Folic acid can be necessary in your heart health. “It helps your physique break down an amino acid referred to as homocysteine,” says Dr. Li. When homocysteine ranges get too excessive, it will probably injury your endothelium—or the liner of your blood vessels. Over time, this may trigger blockages that result in critical coronary heart issues like stroke, provides Dr. Li.

Whereas there is no concrete proof that prime quantities of homocysteine trigger coronary heart illness, there are some research to counsel that individuals with elevated homocysteine ranges are greater than twice as prone to have a stroke than these with wholesome ranges, and are at a better threat of coronary heart illness general, per Mount Sinai.

Both approach, getting sufficient folic acid is a protected guess in the case of reducing dangerous ranges of homocysteine and protecting your heart. Attempt to fill your weight loss plan with folic-acid wealthy meals. And when you have a historical past of coronary heart issues, ask your physician whether or not you may gain advantage from taking a vitamin B complement.

4. It could assist decrease your most cancers threat

A weight loss plan wealthy in folic acid is likely to be protecting in opposition to some types of most cancers, together with abdomen, breast, cervical, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer, in accordance with Mount Sinai.

The reverse could also be true, too: “Low folate ranges within the physique are related to an elevated threat of most cancers,” says Dr. Li, citing an August 2018 assessment in Current Nutrition Reports.

Whereas scientists are nonetheless uncertain why folic acid has this anti-cancer impact, some assume it’d relate “to folate’s involvement with the right synthesis of DNA,” Dr. Li says. DNA is principally the “genetic code” or blueprint for the right growth and functioning of your physique. So if one thing goes improper when making DNA, mutations can occur, which might generally result in most cancers.

Nonetheless, there’s no concrete information that taking folic acid dietary supplements prevents most cancers, per Mount Sinai. One of the simplest ways to cut back your most cancers threat and keep wholesome general is by consuming a balanced weight loss plan with folic acid-rich meals, and by seeing your physician often for any advisable most cancers screenings primarily based in your age, household historical past, and present well being.

5. It could assist with melancholy

In response to the NIH, individuals with low blood ranges of folate usually tend to have melancholy. A December 2017 meta-analysis within the Journal of Psychiatric Research additionally discovered that individuals with melancholy might have decrease ranges of folate of their blood than these with out melancholy. This will have an effect on your therapy, too, as individuals with low folate ranges might not reply as properly to antidepressants in comparison with individuals with wholesome folate ranges, per the NIH.

This implies getting sufficient folate might assist support your mental health and probably cut back the signs of melancholy, together with suicidality. In reality, a large-scale September 2022 research in JAMA Psychiatry discovered that taking 1 milligram of folic acid per day (which is taken into account the higher tolerable restrict for adults) was related to decrease charges of suicide and self-harm makes an attempt in additional than 850,000 research contributors.

Whereas these are promising findings, the connection between folic acid and melancholy continues to be not absolutely understood. For instance, it is unclear whether or not a decreased urge for food (a doable symptom of melancholy) results in folate deficiency or whether or not folate deficiency contributes to melancholy, says Dr. Hack.

Researchers do have some preliminary theories about this connection, although. One is that “folic acid is required by the mind to provide neurotransmitters reminiscent of serotonin and dopamine,” says Dr. Li. As a result of serotonin and dopamine each play an necessary position in temper, growing them might cut back the signs of melancholy, he notes.

That mentioned, different research have discovered that taking folic acid is not any higher than a placebo in the case of relieving melancholy, in accordance with Mount Sinai.

The underside line? There is no assure folic acid dietary supplements alone will deal with your melancholy signs. Discuss to your physician earlier than making an attempt them, and if they offer the OK, add it to your therapy plan alongside clinically confirmed strategies like remedy and drugs.

Dietary sources of folic acid

For many adults (except for people who find themselves pregnant or these making an attempt to turn out to be pregnant), it’s greatest to get all of the folate you want from entire meals. The excellent news? A lot of meals are naturally wealthy in folate, or are fortified with folic acid, so it’s seemingly you will get sufficient when consuming a balanced weight loss plan.

Some meals naturally excessive in folate embody the next, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

• Beef liver
• Greens (particularly asparagus, brussels sprouts, and darkish inexperienced leafy greens like spinach and mustard greens)
• Fruits and fruit juices (particularly oranges and orange juice)
• Nuts, beans, and peas (like peanuts, black-eyed peas, and kidney beans)

Folic acid can be added to the next meals, per the NIH:

• Enriched bread, flour, cornmeal, pasta, and rice
• Fortified breakfast cereals
• Fortified corn masa flour (used to make corn tortillas and tamales, for instance)

Who ought to take folic acid dietary supplements? 

Whereas most individuals ought to be capable to get sufficient folic acid from their diets, some teams, like the next, might profit from taking a complement.

• People who find themselves pregnant or plan to conceive: Begin taking prenatals with folic acid three months earlier than you intend to get pregnant, and purpose for 400 micrograms per day, says Dr. Hack. When you’re at a better threat of getting a child with neural tube defects (as a result of you may have a seizure dysfunction or had different infants with neural tube defects), 4,000 micrograms per day is advisable, she provides. However at all times speak to your physician first about correct dosage.
• Folks with excessive blood ranges of homocysteine: In case your blood work reveals you may have excessive ranges of homocysteine, taking a folic acid complement might cut back your threat of coronary heart issues and decrease the amino acid to more healthy ranges in your blood, says Dr. Li. The advisable dose on this case is 400 micrograms, he provides.
• Folks susceptible to folate deficiency: This contains individuals with alcohol use dysfunction, extreme malnutrition, inflammatory bowel illness (IBD), celiac illness, or the MTHFR gene variant, says Dr. Hack.
• Folks with melancholy: In case your physician agrees, taking a folic acid complement alongside different remedies, like antidepressants and way of life modifications, might assist cut back your signs. However bear in mind researchers are nonetheless unclear about how a lot folic acid to take to alleviate melancholy, says Dr. Li.

It doesn’t matter what your scenario, at all times examine together with your physician earlier than beginning a brand new complement as a result of some might negatively work together with different medicines or trigger uncomfortable side effects. Your physician may assist resolve the best dosage for you.

Who shouldn’t take folic acid dietary supplements?

For some individuals, taking a folic acid complement may do extra hurt than good. Use warning in case you belong to one of many following teams, and at all times speak to your physician earlier than beginning any new complement:

• Folks allergic to folic acid: It is uncommon, however doable, to have a folic acid allergy. Indicators of an allergic response embody pores and skin rash, itching, redness, and in extreme instances, problem respiratory, per the Mayo Clinic. When you have any of those signs after taking a complement, cease taking it and see your physician as quickly as doable.
• Individuals who take sure medicines: Generally folic acid can intervene with sure medicines and make them much less efficient. For instance, “individuals taking the seizure remedy Dilantin (phenytoin) ought to speak to their physician earlier than taking folic acid, as a result of it might decrease the drug focus in your blood, making it much less efficient,” says Dr. Li. The identical goes for different anticonvulsant medicines like fosphenytoin (Cerebyx) and primidone (Mysoline), per the Mayo Clinic. Folic acid may intervene with methotrexate to deal with most cancers, per Mount Sinai, and reduce the effectiveness of barbiturates and the anti-malaria drug pyrimethamine (Daraprim), per the Mayo Clinic.

Is it doable to take an excessive amount of folic acid?

Once you take the day by day advisable dosage, folic acid is usually protected. However in case you take an excessive amount of (greater than 1,000 micrograms, or the day by day higher restrict), you’ll be able to have unfavourable uncomfortable side effects. Although uncommon, excessive doses of folic acid could cause the next signs, per Mount Sinai:

• Abdomen issues
• Sleep issues
• Pores and skin reactions
• Confusion
• Lack of urge for food
• Nausea
• In extreme instances, seizures

“Excessive doses of folic acid may masks signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency,” says Dr. Hack. A protracted-term vitamin B12 deficiency might be harmful, as it will probably result in everlasting injury of the mind, spinal twine, and nerves, in accordance with the NIH.

You may normally keep away from this drawback by taking a complement with one hundred pc of the day by day worth of each folic acid and vitamin B12, per the Mayo Clinic.

To be protected, at all times speak to your physician earlier than taking greater than 800 micrograms of folic acid.