When To Take Folic Acid Vitamins

Folic acid is a type of B-vitamin that is essential for normal cell division, among other functions. It is considered an especially important nutrient during the early stages of pregnancy and has been shown to reduce the risks of certain birth defects. Folic acid can be taken as a supplement or consumed, as folate, from a variety of foods. Folic acid is water-soluble, which causes excess amounts to be secreted out of the body through urine. Thus, it must be ingested on a fairly regular basis to prevent deficiency symptoms.

Folic Acid Roles

Folic acid, also known as vitamin B-9, is required to synthesize and repair DNA strands, which is crucial during the rapid growth and development of fetuses within the womb, according to "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition." Folic acid is considered a strong antioxidant, which protects various tissues from the oxidation damage caused by free-radicals. Folic acid also acts to remove homocysteine from the bloodstream, which has been associated with the hardening and clogging of arteries.

Recommended Dietary Allowance

The National Institutes of Health recommends that adults consume at least 400 mcg of folate per day, although that amount increases to 500 mcg if lactating and 600 mcg if pregnant. Adequate levels of folic acid are known to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in developing babies. Neural tube defects result in malformations of the spine, called spina bifida, skull and brain, called anencephaly. Deficiency of folic acid can also lead to macrocytic anemia, a disorder of the blood involving immature red blood cells.

Folic Acid and Pregnancy

According to a study published in a 1989 edition of the "Journal of the American Medical Association," the risks of neural tube defects are significantly reduced when supplemental folic acid is consumed along with folate-rich foods prior to and during the first month following conception. Women are encouraged to supplement with folic acid as soon as they stop using birth-control methods and attempt to become pregnant, because as the embryo is conceived, cell division and development is especially rapid up to the third month of gestation. As a woman discovers she is pregnant, folic acid supplements should be enhanced by eating folate-rich foods.

Folic Acid and Alcoholism

Another sub-group of the population that should be aware of folic acid is alcoholics. According to a 1997 Portuguese review study published in the "American Journal of Gastroenterology," more than 50 percent of chronic alcoholics were found to be deficient in folate levels. Alcohol interferes with folate absorption. Further, many people who abuse alcohol exhibit poor quality diets that do not provide enough folate. Alcoholics should consider supplementing with 600 mcg of folic acid daily and eating more folate-rich foods.

Folate-Rich Foods

Folate-rich foods include fortified breakfast cereals, beef and pork livers, spinach, spring greens, asparagus, broccoli, brown rice, beans, chickpeas, lentils, citrus fruits and yeast extract, according to the "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide." However, pregnant women shouldn't consume large amounts of liver because it contains enough vitamin A to potential harm a developing baby.