Vitamin Supplements

Folic Acid Health Merits

Some of the most exciting news in vitamin research comes from studies of the connection between folic acid and the prevention of birth defects.

How Much Folic Acid Do You Need?

Your body’s need for folic acid can fluctuate widely, depending on factors such as age and circumstances. More than any other single group, pregnant women require an elevated consumption of folic acid. The RDAs call for more than doubling of folic acid intake during pregnancy. Read the rest of this entry »

But folic acid, also sometimes called folacin, is suddenly getting attention. Studies have found that it can protect against neural tube defects (NTDs), severe birth abnormalities involving the brain and spine. Based on this persuasive research, the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics now advise all women in their child-bearing years to consume at least 0.4 mg of folic acid per day in order to reduce the risk of having a baby with an NTD.

Information from this research has fueled new interest in folic acid, a B vitamin that was identified, synthesized. It has also caused concern, since folic acid deficiency is common throughout the world, including in the United States, particularly among infants and pregnant women. This B vitamin is important to infants because it promotes cell replication and rapid growth. Pregnant women need extra folic acid not only to help their fetuses develop properly, but also because their bodies break down the vitamin at an increased rate. Read the rest of this entry »