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

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

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 known as folic acid—a type of folate that is extra simply absorbed by your physique, and is commonly really useful 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 finest. Right here, consultants share all of the constructive 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.

Associated Tales

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

The typical 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 keeping 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 will possibly forestall beginning defects in being pregnant

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

“Folic acid helps the manufacturing of nucleotides,” that are the essential 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.‌

Meaning, getting sufficient “folic acid is crucial for stopping main beginning defects of your child’s mind and backbone, generally 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 beginning defects may cause critical medical issues in infants together with:

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

So how a lot folic acid must you take in the event 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 beginning defects,” says Dr. Hack.

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

That stated, it’s fairly onerous to get 400 micrograms of folate by means of eating regimen alone. That’s the place prenatal vitamins come in useful. They’re formulated with simply the correct quantity of folic acid for pregnant folks. And in the event 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 usually occur early in being pregnant, typically 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 beginning defects.”—Stephanie Hack, MD, OB/GYN

2. It will possibly deal with a folate deficiency

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

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

Individuals with an MTHFR gene variant might also be extra vulnerable to a folate deficiency. The MTHFR gene is crucial for making the MTHFR protein—a sort of protein that helps your physique take up folate, in keeping with the National Library of Medicine. So if in case you have a mutation in an MTHFR gene, your physique could not be capable to course of folate very nicely.

Individuals taking sure drugs might also have low ranges of folic acid. Examples of medicines that may intrude together with your physique’s absorption of folate embrace 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 esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), and rabeprazole (Aciphex)
• Bile acid sequestrants, used to decrease ldl cholesterol, together with colestipol (Colestid), cholestyramine (Questran), and colesevelam (Welchol)
• Anti-seizure drugs, together with phenobarbital, primidone (Mysoline), and carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (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 and different infections

What are the signs of a folic acid deficiency?

In case your folic acid ranges are missing, it may well present up in your well being. One of many first signs is commonly fatigue, in keeping with the Cleveland Clinic. A folic acid deficiency may 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 also be necessary on your heart health. “It helps your physique break down an amino acid known as homocysteine,” says Dr. Li. When homocysteine ranges get too excessive, it may well harm 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 not any 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 danger of coronary heart illness general, per Mount Sinai.

Price noting: Folate is essential on your pink blood cells to correctly perform. When there is a deficiency on this vitamin, it may well result in folate deficiency anemia, which might trigger an array of issues, together with heart problems, per the Cleveland Clinic. 

All in all, getting sufficient folic acid is a secure guess in terms of decreasing dangerous ranges of homocysteine and protecting your heart. Attempt to fill your eating regimen with folic-acid wealthy meals. And if in case 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 might assist decrease your most cancers danger

A eating regimen wealthy in folic acid could be protecting in opposition to some types of most cancers, together with abdomen, breast, cervical, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer, in keeping with Mount Sinai.

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

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

Nonetheless, there’s no concrete knowledge that taking folic acid dietary supplements prevents most cancers, per Mount Sinai. The easiest way to cut back your most cancers danger and keep wholesome general is by consuming a balanced eating regimen with folic acid-rich meals, and by seeing your physician frequently for any really useful most cancers screenings primarily based in your age, household historical past, and present well being.

5. It might assist with despair

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

This implies getting sufficient folate could assist support your mental health and probably scale back the signs of despair, together with suicidality. In actual fact, a large-scale September 2022 examine 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 examine contributors.

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

Researchers do have some preliminary theories about this connection, although. One is that “folic acid is required by the mind to supply neurotransmitters similar to serotonin and dopamine,” says Dr. Li. As a result of serotonin and dopamine each play an necessary function in temper, growing them could scale back the signs of despair, he notes.

That stated, different research have discovered that taking folic acid isn’t any higher than a placebo in terms of relieving despair, in keeping with Mount Sinai.

The underside line? There isn’t any assure folic acid dietary supplements alone will deal with your despair signs. Speak to your physician earlier than attempting 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 (aside from people who find themselves pregnant or these attempting to turn out to be pregnant), it’s finest to get all of the folate you want from entire meals. The excellent news? Numerous meals are naturally wealthy in folate, or are fortified with folic acid, so it’s possible you will get sufficient when consuming a balanced eating regimen.

Some meals naturally excessive in folate embrace 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 also 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, could 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 propose to get pregnant, and purpose for 400 micrograms per day, says Dr. Hack. For those who’re at a better danger of getting a child with neural tube defects (as a result of you’ve a seizure dysfunction or had different infants with neural tube defects), 4,000 micrograms per day is really useful, she provides. However all the time discuss to your physician first about correct dosage.
• Individuals with excessive blood ranges of homocysteine: In case your blood work exhibits you’ve excessive ranges of homocysteine, taking a folic acid complement could scale back your danger of coronary heart issues and decrease the amino acid to more healthy ranges in your blood, says Dr. Li. The really useful dose on this case is 400 micrograms, he provides.
• Individuals liable to folate deficiency: This consists of folks with alcohol use dysfunction, extreme malnutrition, inflammatory bowel illness (IBD), celiac illness, or the MTHFR gene variant, says Dr. Hack.
• Individuals with despair: In case your physician agrees, taking a folic acid complement alongside different therapies, like antidepressants and way of life adjustments, may assist scale back your signs. However remember researchers are nonetheless unclear about how a lot folic acid to take to alleviate despair, says Dr. Li.

It doesn’t matter what your scenario, all the time examine together with your physician earlier than beginning a brand new complement as a result of some could negatively work together with different drugs or trigger unintended effects. Your physician may assist determine the appropriate dosage for you.

Who mustn’t take folic acid dietary supplements?

For some folks, taking a folic acid complement may do extra hurt than good. Use warning in the event you belong to one of many following teams, and all the time discuss to your physician earlier than beginning any new complement:

• Individuals allergic to folic acid: It is uncommon, however potential, to have a folic acid allergy. Indicators of an allergic response embrace pores and skin rash, itching, redness, and in extreme circumstances, problem respiratory, per the Mayo Clinic. You probably have any of those signs after taking a complement, cease taking it and see your physician as quickly as potential.
• Individuals who take sure drugs: Generally folic acid can intrude with sure drugs and make them much less efficient. For instance, “folks taking the seizure treatment Dilantin (phenytoin) ought to discuss to their physician earlier than taking folic acid, as a result of it may 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 intrude with some drugs used 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 potential to take an excessive amount of folic acid?

Once you take the day by day really useful dosage, folic acid is mostly secure. However in the event you take an excessive amount of (greater than 1,000 micrograms, or the day by day higher restrict), you may have destructive unintended effects. Although uncommon, excessive doses of folic acid may cause the next signs, per Mount Sinai:

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

“Excessive doses of folic acid may masks signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency,” says Dr. Hack. An extended-term vitamin B12 deficiency may be harmful, as it may well result in everlasting harm of the mind, spinal wire, and nerves, in keeping with the NIH.

You may often keep away from this downside by taking a complement with 100% of the day by day worth of each folic acid and vitamin B12, per the Mayo Clinic.

To be secure, all the time discuss to your physician earlier than taking greater than 800 micrograms of folic acid.

—reviewed by Jennifer Logan, MD, MPH