As with most vitamins, the best source of folic acid is a healthy diet. Doctors recommend getting most or all of your folic acid, also known as vitamin B-9 and folate, from foods. Foods rich in folic acid include dark, leafy greens, liver, wheat germ, brewer's yeast, dry beans, fortified cereals, milk and orange juice. Even if your doctor recommends you take extra folic acid, follow dosage directions carefully to avoid the consequences of overdosing on the vitamin.
Supplements
A balanced diet offers a healthy amount of folic acid for the general population. Doctors often advise pregnant women to take prenatal vitamins containing folic acid supplements because the vitamin helps prevent birth defects and low birth weights. Some people with heart disease in the family may also be advised to take folic acid supplements, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Never take more of the vitamin than your doctor recommends.
Dangerous Amounts
An upper intake level, or UL, denotes the maximum amount of a substance that is safe to consume each day. Toddlers should not exceed 300 mcg of folic acid each day. The UL for children 4 to 8 is 400 mcg and 600 mcg for kids 9 to 13. For teens, the UL is 800 mcg. The UL for adults is 1,000 mcg.
Primary Overdose Effects
Digestive problems, seizures, rashes, insomnia or disrupted sleep problems are a possible side effect of taking too much folic acid, according to UMMC. Getting too much of the vitamin from food is unlikely, but going overboard on vitamin supplements may result in those symptoms. In addition, taking extra folic acid can lower the effectiveness of tetracycline.
Secondary Effects
While a folic acid overdose may not directly result in a chronic condition, extremely high levels of the vitamin may indirectly lead to lasting damage. At 1,000 mcg or more, folic acid can cause a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Inadequate B-12 then goes undetected because the folic acid "masks" the usual symptoms of inadequate B-12, according to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements. Left untreated, a severe B-12 deficiency leaves permanent damage to the nervous system. People over 50 are most at risk of this boomerang effect from folic acid, notes the NIH.
Recommended Amounts
The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for folic acid helps people set goals for getting enough folic acid for themselves and their families. Toddlers need about 150 mcg folic acid each day. The RDA for children 4 to 8 is 200 mcg, while the RDA for kids 9 to 13 is 300 mcg. Teens and adults need 400 mcg. Pregnant women should consume 600 mcg of folic acid, and nursing women 500 mcg.
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