| Knowing a few important facts about folic acid could | | | | reduce our levels of homocysteine (remember one |
| help keep you from developing heart disease, | | | | of our folic acid facts above and how folic acid is |
| depression and dementia and even keep your unborn | | | | required to turn homocysteine into methionine - |
| baby from developing birth defects. Yes, there are | | | | methionine is required for the building of proteins). |
| many critical benefits of folic acid. | | | | A study appearing in the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF |
| First of all, before we go into the folic acid facts, let's | | | | MEDICINE titled "Folate, vitamin B12, and |
| find out what folic acid is. Folic acid is one of your B | | | | neuropsychiatric disorders" states that "folate and |
| vitamins - Vitamin B9 to be exact. Folic Acid is a | | | | vitamin B12 are required both in the methylation of |
| water soluble vitamin as opposed to a fat soluble | | | | homocysteine to methionine and in the synthesis of |
| vitamin. That means that folic acid is not stored by | | | | S-adenosylmethionine." It further tells us that "both |
| your body. | | | | folate and vitamin B12 deficiency may cause similar |
| Folic acid is oftentimes used interchangeably with the | | | | neurologic and psychiatric disturbances including |
| word folate (remember this when looking at some of | | | | depression, dementia, and a demyelinating |
| the studies below). Folate is the form of this vitamin | | | | myelopathy" and also "the neurotoxic effects of |
| found in foods such as leafy green vegetables. Folate | | | | homocysteine may also play a role in the neurologic |
| is also found in citrus fruits and legumes such as | | | | and psychiatric disturbances that are associated with |
| beans. | | | | folate and vitamin B12 deficiency." |
| Folic Acid is the more stable form of Vitamin B9 than | | | | Another study appearing in the JOURNAL OF |
| is folate. Folic acid is not found naturally in foods and | | | | NEUROLOGY, NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY |
| is the form of the vitamin found in supplements. In | | | | titled "Homocysteine, folate, methylation, and |
| 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration | | | | monoamine metabolism in depression" tells us that |
| mandated the enrichment of grain products such as | | | | "although folate deficiency is often the result of |
| bread, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal with folic acid | | | | depression due to poor diet, there is evidence from |
| to help reduce birth defects. | | | | controlled studies that whether the deficiency is |
| Folic Acid Facts and Cardiovascular Disease: The | | | | secondary or primary, folate replacement will enhance |
| Benefits of Folic Acid in Guarding Against This | | | | recovery of the mental state, probably by a |
| Number One Killer | | | | mechanism linking methylation in the nervous system |
| Some of the folic acid facts surrounding | | | | to mood." |
| cardiovascular diseases may surprise you. The Center | | | | Folic Acid Facts and Birth Defects: The Benefits of |
| for Disease Control (CDC) defines cardiovascular | | | | Folic Acid in Protecting Your Unborn Child |
| diseases as including heart disease, stroke and | | | | One of the folic acid facts that is well known to the |
| diseases of the blood vessels in your extremities. | | | | medical community is that folic acid significantly |
| The CDC reports that heart disease and stroke | | | | reduces birth defects. Neural tube defects (NTD) to |
| account for the number one and number three cause | | | | be more specific. The neural tube is that part of the |
| of death in America. The CDC estimates that every | | | | unborn child that develops into the brain and spinal |
| year, 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular | | | | cord. The neural tube is designed to close after about |
| disease. They also estimate that as many as 61 | | | | the 30th day after conception. |
| million (or one quarter) of all Americans have some | | | | If the neural tube fails to close properly, neural tube |
| sort of cardiovascular disease. | | | | defects result. Neural tube defects result in birth |
| Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of early, | | | | defects such as spina bifida, encephalocele and |
| permanent disability among adults of working age. | | | | anencephaly. |
| Stroke alone is responsible for the disability of over 1 | | | | And one of the major benefits of folic acid is that it |
| million Americans. | | | | is known to prevent the occurrence of neural tube |
| So, tell me some folic acid facts that will help me | | | | defects as well as some other types birth defects. |
| reduce my chances of cardiovascular disease | | | | Why is this so? Well, shortly after conception, cell |
| Much research has shown that the benefits of folic | | | | division is very critical to the healthy development |
| acid along with Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and Vitamin | | | | and growth of the unborn child. One of the folic acid |
| B12 (cobalamin) can significantly reduce your body's | | | | facts is that folic acid is extremely important to DNA |
| level of homocysteine. | | | | and RNA synthesis. Without adequate benefits of |
| Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by your | | | | folic acid, abnormalities can occur. |
| body, usually as a result of your eating meat. | | | | Studies have shown that women who take folic acid |
| Normally homocysteine is converted to methionine | | | | supplements (in addition to a well balanced diet) both |
| which is required by your body for the building of | | | | before and during pregnancy have a 60 - 100 % |
| proteins and other vital chemical processes. However, | | | | reduced chance of a baby born with NTD. As a |
| your body needs the benefits of folic acid along with | | | | matter of fact, U.S. Public Health Service suggests |
| Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 to accomplish this. | | | | that all women of childbearing age, get at least 400 |
| One of your important folic acid facts is that without | | | | mcg of folic acid daily. Some researchers suggest 600 |
| an adequate supply of folic acid, homocysteine levels | | | | mcg. |
| build up in your body. And this is when the problems | | | | The American government felt so strongly about the |
| begin to occur. Elevated homocysteine levels have | | | | benefits of folic acid that in 1998, the U.S. Food and |
| been directly linked to a higher incidence of | | | | Drug Administration mandated the enrichment of |
| cardiovascular disease. | | | | grain products such as bread, pasta, rice and |
| It seems that higher levels of homocysteine in our | | | | breakfast cereal with folic acid to help reduce birth |
| bodies is responsible for an increase in the narrowing | | | | defects. |
| and hardening of our arteries. This of course results in | | | | The CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND |
| a decrease in and perhaps eventually the lack of | | | | PREVENTION in an article titled "Folic Acid Helps |
| blood flow, and therefore oxygen to our vital organs. | | | | Prevent Some Birth Defects" has this to say: "Folic |
| Lack of blood flow to parts of your heart result in | | | | acid is a B vitamin. It is used in our bodies to make |
| heart attack and lack of blood flow to parts of your | | | | new cells. If a woman has enough folic acid in her |
| brain result in strokes. | | | | body before she is pregnant, it can help prevent |
| A study appearing in the ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL | | | | major birth defects of her baby's brain and spine. |
| MEDICINE titled "Hyperhomocysteinemia and | | | | These birth defects are called neural tube defects or |
| Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease" tells us that | | | | NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day |
| "hyperhomocysteinemia has recently been identified | | | | starting before they are pregnant to help prevent |
| as an important risk factor for atherosclerotic | | | | NTDs." |
| vascular disease." Further "treatment is most | | | | The CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND |
| conveniently administered as a folic acid supplement | | | | PREVENTION also tells us that "one easy way a |
| (400-1000 µg) and a high-potency multivitamin | | | | woman can be sure she is getting enough folic acid is |
| that contains at least 400 µg of folate." | | | | to take a vitamin that has folic acid in it every day. |
| Another study appearing in the same journal titled | | | | Folic acid pills and most multivitamins sold in the U.S. |
| "Homocysteine and Ischemic Heart Disease" states | | | | have 100% of the daily value (DV) of folic acid." |
| that "the epidemiological, genetic, and animal evidence | | | | Folic Acid Facts and Cancer: Though Not Yet |
| together indicate that the association between serum | | | | Conclusive, The Benefits of Folic Acid Are Beginning |
| homocysteine level and IHD (ischemic heart disease) | | | | to Become Known |
| is likely to be causal. A general increase in | | | | We won't spend much time here on the benefits of |
| consumption of the vitamin folic acid (which reduces | | | | folic acid and cancer because it seems that the jury |
| serum homocysteine levels) would, therefore, be | | | | is still out on this one. However, some researchers |
| expected to reduce mortality from IHD." Ischemic | | | | seem to feel that another of the benefits of folic |
| means "a decrease in the blood supply to a bodily | | | | acid is protection against some form of cancers. We |
| organ, tissue, or part caused by constriction or | | | | know that one of our folic acid facts is that it |
| obstruction of the blood vessels." | | | | protects our DNA and guards against mutations. This |
| From the American Heart Association's website called | | | | is this mechanism that leads some researchers to feel |
| CIRCULATION, we read "users of multivitamin | | | | further studies should be done in this area. |
| supplements in observational studies have lower | | | | A study appearing in the JOURNAL OF NUTRITION |
| homocysteine levels than nonusers, as well as higher | | | | titled "Folate and Carcinogenesis: An Integrated |
| concentrations of plasma folic acid and vitamins B6 | | | | Scheme" has this to say: "Folate deficiency induces |
| and B12." It goes on further to state "users of | | | | breaks in chromosomes and such breaks are |
| multivitamins have been reported to have a reduced | | | | associated with an increased risk of cancer in |
| prevalence of CAD (coronary artery disease) | | | | humans." The study goes on to say that "folate |
| compared with nonusers." | | | | depletion appears to enhance carcinogenesis whereas |
| Folic Acid Facts and Dementia / Depression: The | | | | folate supplementation above what is presently |
| Benefits of Folic Acid in Keeping Your Brain Young | | | | considered to be the basal requirement appears to |
| Another of our folic acid facts speaks to the | | | | convey a protective effect." |
| relationship between low intakes of folic acid and | | | | Folic Acid Facts: How Much is Enough? - How Much is |
| dementia in our later years. The HOUGHTON MIFFLIN | | | | Too Much? |
| Medical Dictionary defines dementia as "deterioration | | | | No harmful effects have been associated with large |
| of intellectual faculties, such as memory, | | | | doses of folic acid. However, large doses of folic acid |
| concentration, and judgment, resulting from an | | | | could possibly mask an undiagnosed Vitamin B12 |
| organic disease or a disorder of the brain, and often | | | | deficiency. An undiagnosed Vitamin B12 deficiency |
| accompanied by emotional disturbance and | | | | could possibly lead to neurologic damage especially in |
| personality changes." | | | | older adults. The level of folic acid intake which could |
| One of the benefits of folic acid is that it is believed | | | | mask a Vitamin B12 deficiency is thought to occur at |
| to be a factor in reducing the incidence of dementia | | | | around 5000 mcg. |
| or cognitive decline as we get older. Why is this? | | | | For this reason the Food and Nutrition Board of the |
| Again we go back to one of the folic acid facts | | | | Institute of Medicine suggests that adults limit their |
| above and look at that word homocysteine. | | | | folic acid intake to 1000 mcg. Actually, a good adult |
| Researchers have determined what they feel are | | | | multivitamin will contain the RDA of 400 mcg. And |
| causal (causing) links between elevated homocysteine | | | | remembering our folic acid facts above, it is |
| levels and brain dysfunction in our golden years. As | | | | suggested that women of childbearing age might |
| we learned earlier on this page, one of the benefits | | | | want to increase that to 600 mcg. |
| of folic acid is that it has been shown to significantly | | | | |