Folic Acid's Effect On Blood Vessels

Vitamin B-9 exists in several chemical forms -- the synthetic form found in vitamin supplements and fortified foods known as folic acid and the form found naturally in foods known as folate. Your body can use either form. One role of folic acid affects blood vessels and the health of your cardiovascular system.

Folic Acid

Your body needs folic acid to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks for new cells. This makes folic acid vital for the production of new cells, especially during times of rapid cell division, such as during pregnancy and infancy. Folic acid may be best known for the detrimental effects a deficiency causes during pregnancy, resulting in permanent and serious birth defects. Your body also needs folic acid to convert the amino acid homocysteine into the amino acid methionine.

Homocysteine

Proteins consist of long chains of amino acids. When your body breaks down protein it separates the individual amino acids so that it can use them to build other proteins. The American Heart Association reports that a high level of one of those amino acids, homocysteine, is associated with an increased risk for heart disease. Although the exact mechanism for how homocysteine damages blood vessels remains a topic of research, three of the B vitamins -- folic acid, B-6 and B-12 -- work to convert homocysteine to other amino acids, keeping levels in the blood low.

Blood Vessel Damage

Too much homocysteine in the blood can damage the walls of the blood vessels. Damaged areas in the blood vessels attract platelets and promote the formation of plaque -- a sticky substance consisting of cholesterol, fat, calcium and other cellular waste products. As plaque forms -- a process known as atherosclerosis -- it interrupts the flow of blood and increases your risk for a heart attack and heart disease. Since a deficiency in folic acid may contribute to an increase in homocysteine levels, you should take steps to meet your daily recommended folic acid intake, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Intake

The Institute of Medicine recommends that all adults consume at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day. Many foods naturally contain folate, including citrus fruits, dried beans and peas, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach. Food manufacturers fortify many other types of foods with folic acid. Breakfast cereals, flour, pasta, rice, bread and other grain products all contain folic acid. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains provides the folic acid and other nutrients your body needs to keep your blood vessels healthy. Although a study published in 2006 in the "New England Journal of Medicine" found that taking folic acid supplements significantly decreased homocysteine levels, the American Heart Association does not recommend taking folic acid supplements to reduce your risk for heart disease unless your doctor determines you need it to treat a deficiency that cannot be overcome through your diet.