Folic acid is the synthetic form of the B-complex vitamin folate, which occurs naturally in certain foods. A water soluble vitamin, folic acid is essential to the formation of red blood cells; it is taken alone and in conjunction with other B vitamins to treat and prevent a host of health conditions. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of using folic acid supplements.
Disease Prevention
Folic acid is sometimes used to prevent diseases such as macular degeneration -- the leading cause of blindness in the U.S., according to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation. Other conditions that it may help prevent include colorectal cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and cervical cancer. In addition, folic acid is used to reduce homocysteine levels -- potentially harmful amino acids--, which in turn may lower your risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
Benefits in Pregnancy
In 1988, federal law imposed requirements on food vendors, mandating they add folic acid to certain foods. Since then, folic acid is found in cereal, bakery items, snack crackers and flour. In the form of folate, the vitamin is also found in leafy green vegetables, certain fruits and meats; however, these sources do not provide enough folic acid for a pregnant woman and her developing fetus. Experts recommend women start taking folic acid supplements prior to becoming pregnant, as neural tube defects generally develop early -- approximately 28 days into the pregnancy, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Pregnant women who do not take the supplements are more likely to give birth to an infant inflicted with a birth defect such as spina bifida, which can lead to paralysis and other complications.
Memory Loss
Folic acid is sometimes used to help prevent Alzheimer's disease or slow its progress in patient's already affected with the disease. In a study published in April 2000 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," researchers at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, associated low levels of serum folate with atrophy of the cerebral cortex, or a loss of brain cells, in a group of 15 elderly nuns.
Considerations
Although folic acid supplements are generally safe for most people who consume the recommended daily intake of 400 micrograms, using higher dosages might cause bothersome side effects including abdominal discomfort, irritability, insomnia, confusion, flatulence, seizures and allergic skin reactions. Additionally, use of high doses has been linked to a greater risk of developing certain types of cancer, according to MedlinePlus. Talk to your doctor to determine a safe dosage of folic acid supplements.
References
- MedlinePlus; Folic Acid; Nov. 18, 2010
- American Pregnancy Association: Folic Acid
- American Macular Degeneration Foundation : What is Macular Degeneration?
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Serum Folate and the Severity of Atrophy of the Neocortex in Alzheimer's Disease: Findings From the Nun Study; Snowdon, D. et al,; April 2000
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