Folic acid is a form of the B vitamin folate. In the right doses, folic acid is good for you. Doctors commonly recommend taking folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy, and folic acid may offer other health benefits for women who aren't pregnant or trying to conceive, as well as health benefits for men. You can take folic acid as a supplement or get similar benefits from foods high in folate.
Heart Disease
Several studies demonstrate a link between folate and coronary heart disease. For example, in a study published in the June 2001 "Circulation" journal, scientists discovered that men with diets low in folate had a greater chance of suffering a heart attack or coronary condition than did men who had moderate or high folate intake. They concluded that folate plays a role in overall heart health. Possible reasons for this include the fact that folate lowers blood levels of homocysteines, a substance linked with heart disease.
Pregnancy and Conception
A lack of folic acid during pregnancy increases the chances of birth defects. In particular, neural tube conditions and spina bifida more commonly occur in babies with mothers who didn't take folic acid during the first trimester. Taking a 600 mcg folic acid supplement each day during pregnancy may lower the chances of neural tube defects by between 72 and 100 percent, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Women trying to conceive should also take folic acid to help the developing fetus as soon as fertilization occurs.
Cancer
No clear evidence shows that a daily folic acid supplement prevents cancer. However, as Jane Higdon, Ph.D., from the Linus Pauling Institute points out, several signs point to folate having a positive effect on cancer rates. Folate can help repair damaged DNA in potentially cancerous cells, something that might inhibit the growth or development of cancer. Folate may have a particular benefit in helping prevent colon and rectal cancers. The Harvard School of Public Health also reports that folate may help prevent breast cancer, particularly in women who drink alcohol every day.
Considerations
The suggested daily dose of folate is 400 mcg for adults over the age of 19. Though folic acid supplements offer an easy way to deliver folate, a diet containing green leafy vegetables and fruits should provide all the folate you need. You shouldn't take supplement doses higher than 1,000 mcg unless asked to do so by your doctor, who may prescribe this in cases of heart disease risk. As of the time of publication, some questions still remain over the effects of folic acid in very high doses. At normal doses it appears clear that folic acid is good for you.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
- "Circulation"; Low Dietary Folate Intake Is Associated With an Excess Incidence of Acute Coronary Events: The Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study; S. Voutilainen, et al.; June 2001
- Linus Pauling Institute; Folic Acid; Jane Higdon, Ph.D., et al.; April 2002
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Three of the B Vitamins: Folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12
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