Folic Acid
Q. What is folic acid?
A. Folic acid is a bright yellow powder and one of the water soluble B complex vitamins. (folic acid and related compounds exhibiting the same properties as folic acid are called folacin or folate) The name comes from the Latin word meaning foliage and was coined by researchers who waded through four tons of spinach to come up with the first pure samples of folic acid.
Q. What role does it play in the body?
A. Folic acid is essential for normal growth and reproduction for the prevention of blood vessels and for important biochemical mechanisms within each cell. Folic acid is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acid, the genetic building blocks for all cells. Folic acid deficiencies have been associated with serious birth defects with a certain type of anemia, and with increased risk of some types of cancer.
Q. How is folic acid associated with birth defects?
A. first let say that some 2500 babies are born each year with birth defects and it is estimated that another 1500 are aborted during the second trimester, when neural tube defects can be detected. Several recent studies have found that women are low in folic acid are at increased risk of having a baby with neural tube defects. These defects include failure of the brain to develop and failure of spinal column to close.
Other studies have shown that getting adequate folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, both in high risk women those who have previously had a bay with such defects and in women who are having their first child. Since these defects occur right around conception often before a woman known she is pregnant doctors recommend that women of child bearing age should have a daily intake of about 400 mg of folic calories. That’s about twice what most neural tube defects and who are planning to get pregnant should discuss the possibility of even higher doses with their doctors the experts say.
Q. How folic acid associated with anemia? I thought anemia was caused by an iron deficiency?
A. iron deficiency is only one of several types of anemia. Folic acid deficiency causes a type of anemia. Folic acid deficiency causes type of anemia called macrocytic anemia. In this form of anemia the mature red blood cells are fewer in number larger in size and there is less of oxygen carrying protein hemoglobin than normal. The young blood cells in the bone marrow fail to mature in a person deficient in folic acid. Once adequate amounts of folic acid are given the red blood cells promptly develop to maturity. Anemia caused by iron deficiency is not remedied by folic acid on the other hand anemia caused by B12 deficiency does improve when folic acid is given.
Q. And what about cancer and folic acid?
A. in a study of men with potentially premalignant changes in the cells lining the lungs supplements of 10 mg a day of folic acid along with vitamin B12 reduced the number of atypical pills. The researchers speculate the cigarette smoke might create a folic acid deficiency in the cells lining the lungs making them susceptible to damage from chemicals in the cigarette smoke.
Low blood levels of folic acid have been associated with an increased risk of cervical dysplasia potentially premalignant changes in the cells lining the cervix. The researchers speculate the low levels of folic acid make cervical cells vulnerable to virus induced damage. An earlier study by the same researchers suggests that supplemental folic acid may prevent dysplasia from becoming progressively abnormal or may even help it revert to normal.
Q. Are people likely to be low in this nutrient?
A. the answer depends upon what you consider low. Getting enough folic acid to meet the RNI was considered a problem for many people. In 1989 however the American RNI for folic acid was cut in half from 400 to 200 mg for men and from 400 to 180 mg for women. This is more in line with that people are actually consuming. Some researchers consider the RNI to be adequate others think it is too low, especially for women of childbearing age. Some preliminary research also suggests that the optimum amounts to prevent chronic disease may need to be higher than current RNI amounts.
Quick reference guide
RNI
Men 200 mcg
Women 180 mcg
Sources
The richest sources are liver, brewer’s yeast and dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale. Good sources include dried beans, green vegetables such as asparagus, lettuce and broccoli, fresh oranges and whole wheat products.
It is worth mentioning here that brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of several other nutrients including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6, pantothenic acid and biotin as well as some essential minerals and trace minerals especially chromium and selenium. It also contains an array of amino acids which may have an immune enhancing effect.
Signs of deficiency
Fatigue, Loss of appetite, anemia, inflamed tongue (which can cause a burning sensation on the tongue), gastrointestinal problems and diarrhea.
Possible Toxicity Problems
Toxicity is considered rare, and not all studied have produced signs of toxicity even at very high doses. In one study doses of 15 grams a day caused gastrointestinal problems and sleep disturbances. Doses of 8 g or more may cause neurological injury when given to people with undiagnosed pernicious anemia.
Folic acid can interfere with effectiveness if anti epilepsy drugs. People taking drugs which interfere with body’s ability to use folic acid as used for cancer arthritis or other conditions should take folic acid with their approval.
A. Folic acid is a bright yellow powder and one of the water soluble B complex vitamins. (folic acid and related compounds exhibiting the same properties as folic acid are called folacin or folate) The name comes from the Latin word meaning foliage and was coined by researchers who waded through four tons of spinach to come up with the first pure samples of folic acid.
Q. What role does it play in the body?
A. Folic acid is essential for normal growth and reproduction for the prevention of blood vessels and for important biochemical mechanisms within each cell. Folic acid is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acid, the genetic building blocks for all cells. Folic acid deficiencies have been associated with serious birth defects with a certain type of anemia, and with increased risk of some types of cancer.
Q. How is folic acid associated with birth defects?
A. first let say that some 2500 babies are born each year with birth defects and it is estimated that another 1500 are aborted during the second trimester, when neural tube defects can be detected. Several recent studies have found that women are low in folic acid are at increased risk of having a baby with neural tube defects. These defects include failure of the brain to develop and failure of spinal column to close.
Other studies have shown that getting adequate folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, both in high risk women those who have previously had a bay with such defects and in women who are having their first child. Since these defects occur right around conception often before a woman known she is pregnant doctors recommend that women of child bearing age should have a daily intake of about 400 mg of folic calories. That’s about twice what most neural tube defects and who are planning to get pregnant should discuss the possibility of even higher doses with their doctors the experts say.
Q. How folic acid associated with anemia? I thought anemia was caused by an iron deficiency?
A. iron deficiency is only one of several types of anemia. Folic acid deficiency causes a type of anemia. Folic acid deficiency causes type of anemia called macrocytic anemia. In this form of anemia the mature red blood cells are fewer in number larger in size and there is less of oxygen carrying protein hemoglobin than normal. The young blood cells in the bone marrow fail to mature in a person deficient in folic acid. Once adequate amounts of folic acid are given the red blood cells promptly develop to maturity. Anemia caused by iron deficiency is not remedied by folic acid on the other hand anemia caused by B12 deficiency does improve when folic acid is given.
Q. And what about cancer and folic acid?
A. in a study of men with potentially premalignant changes in the cells lining the lungs supplements of 10 mg a day of folic acid along with vitamin B12 reduced the number of atypical pills. The researchers speculate the cigarette smoke might create a folic acid deficiency in the cells lining the lungs making them susceptible to damage from chemicals in the cigarette smoke.
Low blood levels of folic acid have been associated with an increased risk of cervical dysplasia potentially premalignant changes in the cells lining the cervix. The researchers speculate the low levels of folic acid make cervical cells vulnerable to virus induced damage. An earlier study by the same researchers suggests that supplemental folic acid may prevent dysplasia from becoming progressively abnormal or may even help it revert to normal.
Q. Are people likely to be low in this nutrient?
A. the answer depends upon what you consider low. Getting enough folic acid to meet the RNI was considered a problem for many people. In 1989 however the American RNI for folic acid was cut in half from 400 to 200 mg for men and from 400 to 180 mg for women. This is more in line with that people are actually consuming. Some researchers consider the RNI to be adequate others think it is too low, especially for women of childbearing age. Some preliminary research also suggests that the optimum amounts to prevent chronic disease may need to be higher than current RNI amounts.
Quick reference guide
RNI
Men 200 mcg
Women 180 mcg
Sources
The richest sources are liver, brewer’s yeast and dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale. Good sources include dried beans, green vegetables such as asparagus, lettuce and broccoli, fresh oranges and whole wheat products.
It is worth mentioning here that brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of several other nutrients including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6, pantothenic acid and biotin as well as some essential minerals and trace minerals especially chromium and selenium. It also contains an array of amino acids which may have an immune enhancing effect.
Signs of deficiency
Fatigue, Loss of appetite, anemia, inflamed tongue (which can cause a burning sensation on the tongue), gastrointestinal problems and diarrhea.
Possible Toxicity Problems
Toxicity is considered rare, and not all studied have produced signs of toxicity even at very high doses. In one study doses of 15 grams a day caused gastrointestinal problems and sleep disturbances. Doses of 8 g or more may cause neurological injury when given to people with undiagnosed pernicious anemia.
Folic acid can interfere with effectiveness if anti epilepsy drugs. People taking drugs which interfere with body’s ability to use folic acid as used for cancer arthritis or other conditions should take folic acid with their approval.
