What is Folic Acid?

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Folic Acid Overview

Many people have heard about folic acid but do not know how it works, how much of it to take, or the possible side effects of taking too much. Folic acid is a B vitamin that the body uses to make new cells such as in the skin, nails, or hair.

Folic acid refers to the synthetic form of folate found in certain foods.

Folic Acid Foods

Certain foods like bread and pasta have folate added to them in an effort to cut down on the number of children who might be born with birth defects. Other foods such as fruits, leafy green vegetables, dried beans, and peas all contain folic acid.

Folic Acid Purpose

According to WebMD, folic acid is used to treat or prevent low blood levels of folate in the body. There are other conditions associated with deficiency of proper folate, such as alcoholism, kidney dialysis, liver disease, and ulcerative colitis.

Using Folic Acid

It is recommended by doctors and health experts that women of reproductive age take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day to prevent some alarming birth defects. This intake of folic acid could occur through a vitamin, but should be in addition to a varied diet that includes foods with folate.

It is often the case that women do not get enough folic acid in their daily diet to prevent birth defects should they become pregnant. Prior to getting pregnant and through the first few months of their pregnancy, women with a history of spina bifida in themselves or a close family member are recommended to take as much as 4,000 micrograms of folic acid every day.

Folic Acid Birth Defects

Two of the most common conditions that could develop in a baby in cases in which the mother did not get enough folate include spina bifida and anencephaly, a condition that affects the child’s brain.

Folic Acid Overuse

It is possible for a woman to take too much folic acid, and this situation can present medical problems. It is only possible for someone to get too much of this substance when absorbing it through man-made supplements like fortified foods and multivitamins. People who are exposed to only the natural form of folate cannot suffer from overexposure.

Unless your doctor has specifically told you that you need a higher dosage for some medical condition of your own, according to Women’s Health, it is not recommended that anyone take more than 1,000 micrograms of folic acid every day. Taking too much folic acid on a regular basis could disguise some of the signs that a person is lacking in vitamin B12. Lack of proper B12, especially when it’s concealed by taking too much folic acid, could lead to nerve damage.

Folic Acid Toxicity

Some parents complain that certain versions of children’s vitamins contain too much folic acid, which could cause the risk of toxicity. While natural amounts of folic acid that could be found in many foods do not present a danger, many parents use multivitamins for their children as a way to supplement growth and healthy development. Those containing high or dangerous levels of vitamins could cause serious medical issues.