Folic Acid Delivers Health Benefits Beyond Pregnancy—Here’s How to Tell if You Need a Supplement

If you are taking a vitamin B advanced day by day, you are possible nicely 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 purple blood cells—making it essential throughout being pregnant to your child’s growth.

Whereas most individuals get sufficient folate from meals 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 beneficial in case your folate ranges are low.

Regardless 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 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.

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 response to the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (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 may forestall beginning defects in being pregnant

If 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 fundamental constructing blocks of RNA and DNA, says William Li, MD, creator of ‌Eat to Beat Your Weight loss plan: Burn Fats, Heal Your Metabolism, and Stay Longer‌‌. Nucleotides assist type the central nervous system in a creating embryo, he provides.‌

Meaning, getting sufficient “folic acid is important for stopping main beginning 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 Woman Elements Physician. Neural tube beginning 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 part of collectively utterly)
• Spina bifida (a situation that impacts the backbone and will trigger bodily and/or mental disabilities)
• Mind injury

So how a lot folic acid must you take when you’re pregnant or planning to grow to be pregnant? “The CDC recommends taking about 400 micrograms of folic acid (or 600 micrograms DFE) day by day to assist forestall beginning defects,” says Dr. Hack.

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

That mentioned, it’s fairly arduous to get 400 micrograms of folate by weight loss plan alone. That’s the place prenatal nutritional vitamins turn out to be useful. They’re formulated with simply the correct quantity of folic acid for pregnant individuals. And when you’re planning to grow 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, generally earlier than you even know you are anticipating, she provides.

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

2. It may 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 prone 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 capability to soak up sure nutritional vitamins and vitamins.

Folks with an MTHFR gene variant may additionally be extra vulnerable to a folate deficiency. The MTHFR gene is important for making the MTHFR protein—a sort of protein that helps your physique soak up folate, in response to the Nationwide Library of Medication. So you probably have a mutation in an MTHFR gene, your physique could not be capable of course of folate very nicely.

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

• Antacids, used to deal with heartburn
• H2 blockers, used to scale back abdomen acid, together with cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), and ranitidine (Zantac)
• Proton pump inhibitors, used to scale 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 may well present up in your well being. Folic acid deficiency can result in the next, per Mount Sinai:

• Poor development (in infants and kids)
• 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 to your coronary heart well being. “It helps your physique break down an amino acid referred to as homocysteine,” says Dr. Li. When homocysteine ranges get too excessive, it may well 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 isn’t any concrete proof that top quantities of homocysteine trigger coronary heart illness, there are some research to recommend that folks with elevated homocysteine ranges are greater than twice as more likely to have a stroke than these with wholesome ranges, and are at the next danger of coronary heart illness general, per Mount Sinai.

Both approach, getting sufficient folic acid is a secure guess with regards to reducing dangerous ranges of homocysteine and defending your coronary heart. Attempt to fill your weight loss plan with folic-acid wealthy meals. And you probably 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 danger

A weight loss plan wealthy in folic acid could be protecting towards some types of most cancers, together with abdomen, breast, cervical, pancreatic, and colorectal most cancers, in response to 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 overview in Present Diet Experiences.

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 mainly the “genetic code” or blueprint for the right growth and functioning of your physique. So if one thing goes flawed when making DNA, mutations can occur, which might generally result in most cancers.

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

5. It could assist with melancholy

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

This implies getting sufficient folate could assist assist your psychological well being and probably cut back the signs of melancholy, together with suicidality. In truth, 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 totally understood. For instance, it is unclear whether or not a decreased urge for food (a potential 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 could cut back the signs of melancholy, he notes.

That mentioned, different research have discovered that taking folic acid isn’t any higher than a placebo with regards to relieving melancholy, in response to Mount Sinai.

The underside line? There is no assure folic acid dietary supplements alone will deal with your melancholy 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 (except for people who find themselves pregnant or these attempting to grow to be pregnant), it’s finest to get all of the folate you want from entire meals. The excellent news? Plenty of meals are naturally wealthy in folate, or are fortified with folic acid, so it’s possible you will get sufficient when consuming a balanced weight loss plan.

Some meals naturally excessive in folate embrace the next, per the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (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 of 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 goal for 400 micrograms per day, says Dr. Hack. In case you’re at the next danger of getting a child with neural tube defects (as a result of you have got a seizure dysfunction or had different infants with neural tube defects), 4,000 micrograms per day is beneficial, she provides. However at all times discuss to your physician first about correct dosage.
• Folks with excessive blood ranges of homocysteine: In case your blood work reveals you have got excessive ranges of homocysteine, taking a folic acid complement could cut back your danger of coronary heart issues and decrease the amino acid to more healthy ranges in your blood, says Dr. Li. The beneficial dose on this case is 400 micrograms, he provides.
• Folks vulnerable to folate deficiency: This consists of 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 life-style modifications, may assist cut back your signs. However take into account 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 test together with your physician earlier than beginning a brand new complement as a result of some could negatively work together with different medicines or trigger unwanted effects. Your physician can even assist determine the correct 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 when you belong to one of many following teams, and at all times discuss to your physician earlier than beginning any new complement:

• Folks 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, issue respiration, per the Mayo Clinic. In case you have any of those signs after taking a complement, cease taking it and see your physician as quickly as potential.
• Individuals who take sure medicines: Typically folic acid can intervene with sure medicines and make them much less efficient. For instance, “individuals taking the seizure remedy 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 can even 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 potential to take an excessive amount of folic acid?

If you take the each day beneficial dosage, folic acid is mostly secure. However when you take an excessive amount of (greater than 1,000 micrograms, or the each day higher restrict), you possibly can have adverse unwanted 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 circumstances, seizures

“Excessive doses of folic acid can even masks signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency,” says Dr. Hack. An extended-term vitamin B12 deficiency could be harmful, as it may well result in everlasting injury of the mind, spinal twine, and nerves, in response to the NIH.

You’ll be able to normally keep away from this drawback by taking a complement with 100% of the each day worth of each folic acid and vitamin B12, per the Mayo Clinic.

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